Female Writers Fight Sageism (Sexism/Racism) with Honor Roll!

I recently read an article by the Chicago Tribune highlighting gender parity in American Theatre. In that article, I found out the disheartening truth that plays written by women only account for 29% of all plays produced. The number of female Playwrights of color is even more disappointing.

Luckily, women theatre artists are taking a stand by speaking out against systemic sexism and ageism or “sageism.” For the last decade, The League of Professional Theatre Women is working hard to achieve gender equality in theatre. They refer to their campaign as “50/50 in 2020.”

Let me introduce you to another important group called Honor Roll.

HONOR ROLL is an advocacy and action group of women+ Playwrights over forty (and their allies) - whose goal is inclusion in theatre. They celebrate diversity in theatre, and work to call attention to the negative impact of age discrimination in the American Theatre and beyond.

I had the privilege to interview two of Honor Roll’s co-founders, Jacquelyn Reingold and Lucy Wang. Jacquelyn writes for theatre and television. She is Co-Executive Producer for The Good Fight, and has written for Netflix’s Grace and Frankie.

Recent plays include Kiss Me Somewhere Else, They Float Up (Dublin, Ireland), and I Know (Ensemble Studio Theatre). Jacquelyn has also taught Writing at NYU, Colombia University, Ohio University, Fordham University, and Goddard College. Lucy Wang is an award-winning published and produced writer. Her first play, Junk Bonds, won Lucy an award from The Kennedy Center. In addition to plays, Wang has written several screenplays, short stories, essays, and creative non-fiction.

KS: How did Honor Roll begin, and how did it grow?

LW: Playwright Brooke Berman kicked Honor Roll off with her Facebook rant on June 5, 2018. So many women responded that Theresa Rebeck hosted the first Honor Roll meeting at her home in Brooklyn on June 29, 2018.

JR: Over time, we saw we were being forgotten. We created an Executive Committee (Cynthia Cooper, Cheryl Davis, Yvette Heyliger, Olga Humphrey, Sarah Tuft, Lucy Wang, and myself) and a mission statement (see first paragraph).

KS: Please describe an example where you have experienced ageism in your careers.

LW: Oh my, let me count the ways. I remember being a finalist for a youth play opportunity and going in for my interview.  As soon as the people saw I wasn’t in my twenties, I was quickly dismissed, and wasn’t even asked about my ideas.

Because I worked on Wall Street and for the NYC Mayor before deciding to write, I couldn’t get anyone to read my work.  I thought perhaps I needed to get an MFA.  I was told not to bother to apply to Juilliard because I was too old and probably set in my ways. A number of Honor Roll members have shared a similar experience, of being rejected because of this perceived notion that we are past our shelf life.  Even though I was accepted into Columbia’s MFA program, I remember the Dean asked if I was open-minded because they normally prefer younger candidates because their minds were more malleable and receptive to instruction.

JR: When I was in my thirties, my plays were developed, produced, and published. I received awards, honors, and commissions. One theater even promised to produce every play I wrote. Yet, when I hit my mid-forties and I hadn’t become one of the few “name brand” women Playwrights. I felt as though I was becoming more invisible.

LW: When I started doing standup comedy, I was told the same thing, “You started too late;” “you’re too old;” “you’ll get bumped by every young up-and-coming comic.”  It’s true I don’t like performing past my bedtime so I wrote a one-woman show.  Guess what? I’ve performed my one-woman show to sold-out audiences in NY, L.A. and my hometown of Akron, Ohio.

Sageism (Sexism + ageism) and racism are rampant and recurring but the only way to fight it is to take action.  Do what you can and join forces.

KS: What are some of Honor Roll’s greatest victories?

LW: I served on the publications committee with Jackie, and we got Applause Books to publish two volumes of ten-minute plays and monologues written by Honor Roll Playwrights. Yvette Heyliger, Cheryl Davis, Mildred Lewis, Celeste Walker, Diana Burbano, and Jacquelyn Lawton and I created a SAY THEIR NAMES festival where we have Zoom readings of Monologues and panel discussion about BIPOC women killed by law enforcement. Also, Sundance, The Princess Grace Foundation, and Capital Rep all dropped their age question thanks to Sarah Tuft’s persistence. 

JR: We’ve had many! For one, our size: we have over 1000 women+ members, who are committed to greater inclusion in the theater. We've been featured in the Dramatists Guild’s Talkback Podcast, and written about in Dramatists Guild publications.

KS: What do you both hope to accomplish individually regarding your careers, and what more do you hope to accomplish as a group?

LW: I hope all of us can get more productions; more representation; more commissions; more awards; more publications, and more support. I also would like to see more diversity, and inclusion in our membership.

At some point, I would also like Honor Roll to become a nonprofit 501c3 so that we can create opportunities for ourselves; green light ourselves; as well as fundraise and apply for grants and sponsorships.

JR: I’ve spent the last several years writing for TV, since I found more opportunity in television than theatre. But, Playwriting is what I love. I want to get my plays on stage! My dream for Honor Roll is to convince theatres that sexism/ageism is so present. If they want to be on cutting edge of inclusion, they need to produce our plays - especially if they want to honor their audiences, which are mainly comprised of women over age forty.

KS: Can you both explain how an early career or “emerging” Playwright might be 40+?

LW: Women Playwrights are still emerging or early career at forty plus for many reasons.  Most women I know have had to juggle so many roles and careers, their writing ambitions had to take a back seat. 

Another reason is systemic racism, ageism and sexism.  When your voice is less valued and underrepresented, you are under no illusion that it is going to be easy.  It takes time and resources to find and develop your voice. And if no one is going to invest in your artistic visions, you can’t become established.  You’re stuck in emerging. 

JR: “Emerging” is unrelated to age, especially for women+ Playwrights.

KS: How might a forty+ female Playwright become a member?

JR: Women+ over age forty can join by answering the three questions required for the private Facebook group, or by emailing: HonorRollMembers@gmail.com.

KS: A huge “thank you” to both of you, and every Honor Roll member for your collective hard work, persistence, and innovation. As an early career Playwright, Honor Roll is an inspiration to me.