Abstract
Across the United States, women continue to be drastically underrepresented in the theater industry, both on stage and off. In a recent study by Broadway by the Numbers, from May 2018-April 2019, only 33% of designers, 13% of directors, 24% of choreographers, and 13% of writers were women. Of the 365 titled characters on stage, 32% were female, and 0.27% were nonbinary. And in another study of designers and directors in LORT theaters, in every category except for costumes, men held, on average, 68% of jobs available in theaters across the country. This paper addresses three key deficiencies that have proven to be hurdles to the inclusion of women, particularly women with disabilities and people of color, from maintaining careers in the theater field. These include the failure to incorporate basic principles around workplace violence, domestic violence affecting the workplace, and the consistent disregard for theater makers with childcare responsibilities. Using empirical survey data, as well as published interviews, this paper discusses the conditions that are making women and other marginalized gender people, including trans and non-binary theater-makers, feel unwelcome and unsafe, leading to an increase in their leaving careers in theater. I then consider broader research on equality in the workplace, including from other industries, to propose potential solutions and areas where additional research is necessary.
Presenters
Eh Den PerloveStudent, Ph.D. in Arts and Cultural Management, University of Manchester, New York, United States
Details
Presentation Type
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session
Theme
KEYWORDS
Arts Management, Accommodation, Equity, Feminism, Inclusive Employment, Performing Arts
