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Since 1660 when actresses first began performing on the English stage, women have forged bright careers in theatre, while men called the shots. Four hundred years of women playwrights, from Aphra Behn to Caryl Churchill, yet plays by women make up less than a quarter of staged productions in the UK, leading to a scarcity of roles for women. With women buying most of the tickets, theatre productions risk losing their relevance to modern culture if they fail to represent the many and varied lives of women. With an overview of post-war theatre and 25 exclusive interviews with leading women theatre-makers, this book inspires us to create a truly equal and inclusive theatre today. Features 25 pioneers including: Joan Littlewood, Jocelyn Herbert, Ellen Stewart, Gillian Lynne, Cicely Berry, Julia Miles, Thelma Holt, Chita Rivera, Judy Dench, Glenda Jackson, Barbara Ann Teer, Caryl Churchill, Yvonne Brewster, Robyn Archer, Eve Ensler, Garry Hynes, Nica Burns, Gcina Mhlope, Yvette Nolan, Meera Syal, Bunny Christie, Sonia Friedman, Audra McDonald, Rose Fenton/Lucy Neal Including interviews with: Nina Lee Aquino ◉ Sudha Buchar ◉ Moira Buffini ◉ Paule Constable ◉ Denise Gough ◉ Jill Greenhalgh ◉ Vicky Ireland ◉ Jude Kelly ◉ Bryony Lavery ◉ Rachel Maza ◉ Kumiko Mendl ◉ Katie Mitchell ◉ Marsha Norman ◉ Lynn Nottage ◉ Kate O'Donnell ◉ Winsome Pinnock ◉ Emma Rice ◉ Daryl Roth ◉ Jenny Sealey ◉ Saviana Stanescu ◉ Michelle Terry ◉ Kate Waters and more...