Women Take Center Stage at the Tony Awards

Women got their due at last night’s Tony Awards. For only the second time in history, two women directors took home the top prizes in their categories. And Cyndi Lauper became the first woman to win Best Original Score without a partner.  Despite being named for a woman — Antoinette Perry — the awards have not been particularly kind to women artists, particularly playwrights and directors. So last night’s director’s sweep lit up social media with many hailing the awards telecast a huge victory.

 
Diane Paulus (left) won the Best Director of a Musical for the circus act-themed Pippin, which has wowed critics across the board since it opened. Pam MacKinnon (below), who was nominated last year for Best Director of a Play for Clybourne Park, was given the trophy for her staging of Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf. Both women are alums of Women’s Project Theater, whose lab develops women playwrights, directors and producers.
 

 
And kudos to Cicely Tyson, Andrea Martin, Patina Miller and Judith Light for winning in the acting categories.