Many thanks to MR Hunter at EyeSpyLA for keeping LAFPI in her sights since we began! Go Here to check out her first piece.
Go Here for the site’s reporting on our Study Results.
We were thrilled when Katherine Bowman, guest blogging for Melissa Silverstein in the popular Women and Hollywood indewire blog, talked about LAFPI & our Study.
Click Here for an article by About.com’s Angela Mitchell about women in the performing arts, and the fight for gender parity on stage – thanks for your support of LAFPI, Angela!
Thanks to Candyce Columbusand her fantastic coverage in Examiner.com of what LAFPI has been up to.
LORT Numbers: A So Cal Professional Theater Progress Report
Here are the latest stats we compiled for women artists* on larger professional stages in Southern California:
NOTE: We have also started tracking artists of color*
January, 2021 – The following breakdown is for the nine professional LORT stages in the Southern California region: Geffen Playhouse, Ahmanson, Mark Taper Forum, Kirk Douglas Theatre, South Coast Repertory, La Jolla Playhouse, Old Globe, Pasadena Playhouse and Laguna Playhouse for the three past regular seasons. View the numbers here
2018/19 Female Artists = 43.5% writers and 40% directors
Out of the 62 shows presented, LAFPI calculates that about 43.5% are female-scripted*, and about 40% are directed by women. This is a significant increase in both playwrights and directors from the 2017/18 numbers: 37% playwrights and 35.5% directors.
Of the playwrights represented, 27% were of color*(about 30% of female playwrights and 26% of male playwrights). Of the directors represented, 24% were of color (about 28% of female directors and 22.5% of male directors). This is a significant decrease in playwrights, but a slight increase in directors from the 2017/18 numbers .
While the both the Ahmanson and Pasadena Playhouse produced 50% or more women playwrights in the 2018/19 season, both La Jolla Playhouse and Kirk Douglas Theatre reflected gender parity with 50% or more women playwrights and directors in their seasons. In addition, 50% of Kirk Douglas Theatre playwrights were women of color.
Two companies produced no female playwrights of color; four, no male playwrights of color.
In terms of directors, four theaters hired no women or men of color; one theater hired no women directors at all.
On a positive note, Old Globe hired over 50% female directors; over 50% were women of color.
One theater had no playwrights or directors of color represented in their 2018/19 season.
2017/18 Female Artists = 37% writers and 35.5% directors
Out of the 62 shows presented, LAFPI calculates that about 37% are female-scripted*, and about 35.5% are directed by women. This is an increase in playwrights and a slight increase in directors from the 2016/17 numbers: 33% playwrights and 35% directors.
Of the playwrights represented, 37% were of color* (about 52% of female playwrights and 28% of male playwrights). Of the directors represented, 22.5% were of color (about 23% of female directors and 22.5% of male directors). This is an increase from the 2016/17 numbers for both playwrights and directors.
Although South Coast Repertory produced over 50% of plays written by women, only Geffen Playhouse‘s season reflected gender parity with 50% or more women playwrights and directors.
Unfortunately, two theaters had no female playwrights represented in their 2017/18 seasons.
Two companies produced no male playwrights of color. One theater hired no directors of color; three additional theaters hired no male directors of color, two no female directors of color.
2016/17 Female Artists = 33% writers and 35% directors
Out of the 68 shows presented, LAFPI calculates that about 33% are female-scripted*, and about 35% are directed by women. This is an increase in playwrights but a drop in directors from the 2015/16 numbers: 24.5% playwrights and 44.5% directors.
Of the playwrights represented, 29.5% were of color (about 40% of female playwrights and 24% of male playwrights). Of the directors represented, 16% were of color (about 17% of female directors and 16% of male directors).
Kirk Douglas Theatre was the only theater that produced at least 50% of plays written by women in their season; 50% of those were written by women of color.
Both Old Globe and Mark Taper Forum hired 50% or more women directors; 50% or more of these were artists of color.
It is worth noting that in terms of playwrights, four companies produced no women of color and five, no men of color; five theaters hired no directors of color.
Two theaters had no playwrights or directors of color represented in their 2016/17 season.
Thanks to Jennifer Bobiwash for compiling information for these calculations!
* In cases where a play or musical has been written by a team or partnership that includes a man, or men, that production has been counted as being written by a woman. We are not aware of any artists identifying as non-binary. In cases where one or more co-writers were of color, the production has been counted as being written by an artist of color. For these counts, we are including Black and Indigenous artists as artists of color.
2015/16 Female Artists = 24.5% writers and 44.5% directors
December, 2015 – The numbers are in for the 2015/2016 announced regular seasons for the nine professional LORT stages in the Southern California region: Geffen Playhouse, Ahmanson, Mark Taper Forum, Kirk Douglas Theatre, South Coast Repertory, La Jolla Playhouse, Old Globe, Pasadena Playhouse and Laguna Playhouse.
Out of the 63 shows announced, LAFPI calculates that about 24.5% are female-scripted*, and about 44.5% are directed by women. While this represents fewer women playwrights, there is a significant increase in women directors from the 2014/15 numbers: 29.5% playwrights and 30.5% directors.
It is worth noting that three companies produced at least 50% of plays written by women in the 2015/16 season: Geffen Playhouse, La Jolla Playhouse and Laguna Playhouse.
La Jolla Playhouse is the only company that also produced at least 50% of plays directed by women in the 2015/16 season, reflecting gender equity on both fronts.
* In cases where a play has been written by a team or partnership that includes a man, or men, that play has been counted as being written by a woman.
2014/15 Female Artists = 29.5% writers and 30.5% directors
September, 2014 – The numbers are in for the 2014/2015 announced regular seasons for the nine professional LORT stages in the Southern California region: Geffen Playhouse, Ahmanson, Mark Taper Forum, Kirk Douglas Theatre, South Coast Repertory, La Jolla Playhouse, Old Globe, Pasadena Playhouse and Laguna Playhouse.
Out of the 57 LORT shows announced, LAFPI calculates that about 29.5% are female-scripted, and about 30.5% are directed by women. This is up significantly from 2013/2014 numbers: 16% for both women writers and directors.
2013/14 Female Artists = 16% writers and directors
October, 2013 – The numbers are in for the 2013/2014 announced regular seasons for the nine professional LORT stages in the Southern California region: Geffen Playhouse, Ahmanson, Mark Taper Forum, Kirk Douglas Theatre, South Coast Repertory, La Jolla Playhouse, Old Globe, Pasadena Playhouse and Laguna Playhouse.
Out of the 67 LORT shows announced, LAFPI calculates that about 16% are female-scripted, and about 16% are directed by women. This is down significantly from 2012/2013 numbers: 22% for women writers and 25% for women directors.
2012/13 Female Artists = 22% writers and 25% directors
June 2012 – The numbers are in for the 2012/2013 announced regular seasons for the nine professional LORT stages in the Southern California region: Geffen Playhouse, Ahmanson, Mark Taper Forum, Kirk Douglas Theatre, South Coast Repertory, La Jolla Playhouse, Old Globe, Pasadena Playhouse and Laguna Playhouse.
Out of 69 LORT shows announced, LAFPI calculates that about 22% are female-scripted, and about 25% are directed by women. This was the first year a count was conducted for female directors.
These numbers tell us that that shows by female theatermakers (playwrights, composers, lyricists, conceivers) in Southern California are about the same from the 2011/2012 season.
2011/12 Female Artists = 22.5% writers
2011/12’s LAFPI Study put the percentage of plays written by women at 22.5% for eight local theaters (Pasadena Playhouse was not included in these numbers).
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