I have participated in technical theater throughout high school. When I entered the backstage area as an eager freshmen, I was overwhelmed by the female presence. I was overjoyed to see so many girls as I had been told technical theater was heavily male dominated. While there was still an uneven ratio of girls to boys, I was amazed at the number of girls involved. Fast forward to senior year, I’m still eager and even more excited about technical theater, but the female presence is lacking.
I’m hoping to investigate female empowerment, female shame, and female representation in technical theater. I will do this through the avenue of “why are women so underrepresented in technical theater?” I will use guiding questions like “why is tech so male dominated?” and “what leads to technical theater being perceived as male focused?” to help narrow my thinking.
As a female in technical theater, I have firsthand experience with my topic. I’m hoping to interview the females in technical theater. I’m also planning on talking with Ms. Whalen and Ms. Cates as they are both females in theater who have a deep appreciation for females in technical theater. I’m hoping to discuss with some female tech crews at other Atlanta area schools. Ms. Whalen has many connections with females in technical theater she is happy to set me up with. I hope to learn my interviewees’ experiences, their thoughts on how the system is setup for females in technical theater, and what changes they would make if they could.
My timeline is as follows.
February 6-8: Gather contact information for potential resources at Georgia ThesCon.
Mid-Late February: Determine potential contacts at other schools. The theater team is a good resource as I assume their contacts at other schools will be the most helpful.
Early-Mid March: Conduct interviews with contacts at other schools.
By Mid March: Conduct interviews with female technicians at Galloway.
Mid-Late March: Write written component of project.
April: Create photo collection of females in technical theater.
Scholarly voices I hope to consult with and read their work.
Es Devlin - She is consistently seen as creating revolutionary designs. I’d love to learn what it's like to be a woman since men are often thought of us as the revolutionary designers.
Bunny Christie - She designed both the set and the costumes for a show that was on Broadway. It's a big deal for anyone to do that, but especially a woman.
United States Institute for Technical Theater - They’ve come out with numerous case studies on female representation recently.
United Scenic Artists - This organization paved the way for women in lighting design.
Tharon Musser - She pioneered the lighting field of technical theater.
Guthrie Theater - Sexism has been highlighted recently in their technical theater department.
USITT Women in Theatre Network - This group highlights female struggles and successes in technical theater.
I anticipate answers about the lack of women representation to pertain to sexism and misogyny. If women do not feel welcome in technical theater, they are not going to encourage their peers to join. This creates a cycle of lack of women in technical theater. We must create a society that welcomes, includes, and celebrates women in technical theater.
I’m speaking internally with Ms. Whalen and Ms. Cates about their experiences being females in technical theater. I’m beginning our conversations by asking them to give a brief description of their experiences in technical theater. My most important question is when have they felt empowered and unempowered in technical theater. Questions for Ms. Whalen and Ms. Cates
Please give a brief description of your experiences in technical theater.
As a women, when you have felt empowered and unempowered in technical theater?
How has the technical theater world evolved to be more inclusive towards women?
How are you cultivating a technical theater community that encourages female technicians?
How can we eliminate the stereotype that boys do technical theater?
Why are certain aspects of technical theater perceived as more of a female activity or more of a male activity?
How can boys learn and understand how their subtle, degrading comments affect women?
Is leadership provided equally to boys and girls?
I’m speaking externally with Jen, the technical theater director at Brevard College. I’m hoping to learn from Jen about her experiences as a female in technical theater. I’m going to initially ask about how the many people she’s worked with have treated her differently due to her female identity. My most important question is how does she ensure she’s empowering her female technicians. Questions for Jen.
How many people have treated you differently because of your female identity?
Have women become more accepted in the theater industry?
What resources are you provided to be empowered as a woman in technical theater?
As a women, when you have felt empowered and unempowered in technical theater?
How has the technical theater world evolved to be more inclusive towards women?
How are you cultivating a technical theater community that encourages female technicians?
How can we eliminate the stereotype that boys do technical theater?
Why are certain aspects of technical theater perceived as more of a female activity or more of a male activity?
How can boys learn and understand how their subtle, degrading comments affect women?
Is leadership provided equally to boys and girls?
What are your technical theater crews like? Are girls proportionally part of the crews? Do girls feel comfortable sharing their opinion?
Annotated Bibliography Bader, Jenny Lyn. "Brief History of the Gender Parity Movement in Theatre." 4 Mar. 2017. Howlround Theatre Commons, Emerson College, howlround.com/brief-history-gender-parity-movement-theatre. Accessed 12 Feb. 2020. Working paper. Donahue, Tim, and Jim Patterson. Theater Careers. U of South Carolina P, 2012. JSTOR, doi:10.2307/j.ctv6wgjdx. Accessed 12 Feb. 2020. This book details the many careers women can have in theater. It shares information on the many job opportunities available, incomes, universities, and locations. The book utilizes data to provide up-to-date information on having a career in theater. Women are facing mass income inequality. This book provides a plethora of information on income inequality. I'm analyzing income inequality in relation to leadership in technical theater. Erkut, Sumru, and Ineke Ceder. "Women's Leadership in Resident Theaters." Wellesley College, Dec. 2016. Wellesley Centers for Women, American Conservatory Theater, www.wcwonline.org/pdf/proj/theater/womens_leadership_theaters_FinalReport.pdf?fbclid=IwAR3GzFbzU2xfz8dDvtV9zzCfqDjHAx11ILGqE85EtGeouUEtNi2XiE1p1eQ. Accessed 12 Feb. 2020. Working paper. The American Conservatory Theater conducted a study on gender equity in leadership in the theaters that are registered members of the League of Resident Theatres. The study focused on why there is a lack of women leadership and how women's leadership roles can be increased. The study also researched gender and racial background in determining leadership. I'm focusing on female representation in technical theater. Women make up fifty percent of the population, but occupy few leadership roles in comparison. This source will allow me to better understand the barriers women face in order to obtain leadership positions in technical theater. Garrity, Caitlyn. "Theatre Design & Technology." 2018. Theatre Design & Technology, www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/hickmanbrady/tdt_2019summer_public/index.php#/24. Accessed 12 Feb. 2020. Manuscript. Millikin University conducted a study on the challenges women encounter in the technical theater workplace. The study found that women women face a lack of support for parents and negative workplace environments. The study had a broader scope of gender equity and parity. This is the largest study ever conducted about females in technical theater. It is also the most recent study conducted. I'm comparing these results with earlier studies to understand whether the female experience in technical theater has improved or worsened. Jones, Susan, and Suzanne Bennett. "Report on the Status of Women: A Limited Engagement?" Women Arts, Jan. 2002, www.womenarts.org/nysca-report-2002/. Accessed 12 Feb. 2020. The Theatre Program of the New York State Council on the Arts produced a report assessing the status of women in theatre. The study focused on how women have confronted, overcome, and continue to face discrimination in the field. They also gave several recommendation for how to monitor and assist women in theatre. This report provides several recommendations for women in theater. I'm hoping to evaluate whether these recommendations have been implemented in Galloway's theater and Atlanta theaters. Norman, Marsha. "Not There Yet. What Will It Take to Achieve Equality for Women in Theatre?" Marsha Norman, 2009, marshanorman.com/not_there_yet.htm. Accessed 12 Feb. 2020. This is one woman's critique of female equality in theater in New York. She utilizes quotes and personal experiences to further her points. She shares the female experience of every aspect of theater. This source shares the female experience in every aspect of theater. Oftentimes, the front of the house staff are ignored in studies while this paper presents information about every job in theater. Rudloff, Maja. "(Post)feminist Paradoxes: The Sensibilities of Gender Representation in Disney's Frozen." Outskirts: Feminisms along the Edge, vol. 35, Nov. 2016, p. D1+. Gale In Context: Global Issues, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A485808814/GIC?u=atla25856&sid=GIC&xid=3ee30566. Accessed 12 Feb. 2020. Disney's Frozen has been acclaimed for the feminist ideas the film promotes. The author discusses visual and cultural representation through four themes: signs of gender difference, heteronormative romance and female agency, empowerment and sexualisation, and disparities in male/female representations and role models. This journal article showcases the advances women have made with Disney films and how far we have to go. The film is known as a women empowerment film so I'm hoping to gain insight on what women empowerment is through the article. Tran, Diep, et al. "Theatre's Silence Breakers." American Theatre, Theatre Communications Group, 21 Aug. 2018, www.americantheatre.org/2018/08/21/theatres-silence-breakers/. Accessed 12 Feb. 2020.