Vinnette Carroll, actor, director and playwright, was the first black woman to direct a production on Broadway. She paved the way for black women in the theatre, expressing herself through gospel music on stage.

In the early days of 20th-century theatre and ballet, there were no “lighting designers.” Instead, lighting was considered part of set design and usually was handled by an electrician. This changed when Jean Rosenthal began her career. She pioneered the field of lighting design and paved the way for many women who have gone into technical theatre.

Born in London on January 11, 1899, Eva Le Gallienne would become a major Broadway star before she was even 21.

The Tony Awards are named after Mary Antoinette “Tony” Perry, actress, director, producer, and co-founder of the American Theatre Wing.

Hrotsvitha was the first female historian, the first known female playwright, the first female German poet, the first female German writer, and the first female European poet since Sappho.

Aphra Behn was one of the first women playwrights and the first Englishwoman to make a living from writing. She was also a poet, a spy, and a feminist for her time.