Women in Theater: Emily Mann

Introduction

• Linda Weiner, theater critic, interviews Emily Mann.
• Emily Mann is a playwright, director, and artistic director of the McCarter Theater.
• Known for bringing political theater to Broadway.

Career Overview

• Emily Mann identifies as various roles depending on her activity: director, writer, artistic director.
• Known for her ability to juggle these roles simultaneously.

Challenges and Achievements

• Faced challenges as a female director in the '70s and '80s.
• First woman to direct on the Guthrie Main Stage.
• Experienced gender-based obstacles at Harvard.
• Inspired by her feminist father and upbringing.

Influences and Inspirations

• Childhood in Chicago during the '60s and '70s shaped her political consciousness.
• Influenced by civil rights, anti-war, and women's movements.
• Theater of testimony: uses real-life events and interviews as basis for plays.
• Believes in empathy and representing varied human experiences regardless of her personal identity.

Notable Works

• Testament Theater: Involves court documents and interviews.
• Still Life: About Vietnam vets.
• Execution of Justice: Harvey Milk assassination.
• Having Our Say: Delaney sisters.

Collaborations and Projects

• Worked with Camille Cosby on a screenplay about Winnie Mandela.
• Developed plays like "Anna in the Tropics" by Nilo Cruz.
• Directed works by Edward Albee.

McCarter Theater

• Became artistic director to stabilize life post-divorce.
• McCarter Theater located in Princeton, NJ; attracts a wide audience.
• Built a new theater in collaboration with Roger Berlin and Princeton University.

Insights on Theater and Broadway

• Believes the not-for-profit theater movement is the real national theater.
• Highlights the challenges faced by serious American drama on Broadway.
• Advocates for supporting new American plays beyond commercial success.

Women in Theater

• Noted the growth of African-American women playwrights.
• Optimistic about increased recognition for women playwrights in the future.

Personal Life

• Balances career with family life.
• Married to Gary Mailman, a supportive non-theater professional.

Conclusion

• Emily Mann remains a significant figure in theater, advocating for diversity and serious drama.
• Interview reflects on challenges and triumphs in her career and wider theater industry.