It seems ridiculous now, but there was a time when theater stages were thought to be too dangerous for women. Men even took it upon themselves to perform both genders in plays (is “mansplay-ing” a thing...?) Even in many of Shakespeare’s works, where characters like Rosalind, Cordelia, and Lady Macbeth were imbued with the complexity of their male counterparts, women were often prohibited from performing.
Even as they were often berated and mocked during performances, the women of the stage persisted. Eventually, the popularity of opera brought women to the front of the stage, but it would not be until the Restoration era in the 1660s that saw major changes shift the collective attitude toward female actors.
Fortunately, those days are long gone. Evolving times brought better stories and characters that demonstrated new and more compelling female perspectives. Today’s drama queens take a backseat to no one. To close out this year’s Women’s History Month, we want to acknowledge three of the amazing female stage actors who command their curtain calls with distinction and aplomb.
Bernadette Peters
Often thought of as the foremost interpreter of Stephen Sondheim’s legendary works, Bernadette Peters has won a Golden Globe, two Tony Awards, an honorary Tony Award, three Drama Desk Awards, and four Grammy Awards as part of a Broadway cast album. In more than six decades of work, she’d done it all—musical theater, solo concerts and recordings, film, television … she’s even a children’s book author! The stage is her home, however, and Peters has earned accolade after accolade for performances in Mack and Mabel, Sunday in the Park with George, Song and Dance, Into the Woods, The Goodbye Girl, Annie Get Your Gun, Gypsy, A Little Night Music, Follies, and Hello, Dolly! There is no one quite like her. As Peters once said, “You've gotta be original, because if you're like someone else, what do they need you for?”
Patti LuPone
With two Tony Awards, two Oliver Awards, two Grammys, and a 2006 induction into the American Theater Hall of Fame, Patti LuPone might just be the reigning Queen of the Stage. After her Broadway debut in 1973’s Three Sisters, LuPone went on to originate the titular role in Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Evita. She was part of the original London cast of Les Misérables and the Grammy-winning Los Angeles Opera production of Rise and Fall of the City of Mahagonny. On TV, she’s starred in dramatic series such as Life Goes On, Penny Dreadful, American Horror Story: Coven, and Frasier. On film, she’s worked with directors like Steven Spielberg, Spike Lee, and Peter Weir. Her unforgettable mezzo-soprano stylings have made her a Broadway icon, though she asserts she is thankful to be “an actor who sings.”
Syndee Winters
Born in New York and raised in Florida, Syndee Winters is a singer, actor, and dancer who has worked across many different genres. Starting off as a recording artist, Winters worked with artists like Snoop Dogg, Big Daddy Kane, and Grandmaster Flash, as well as her own singles and albums. She won an Emmy alongside John Legend for NBC’s live 2018 performance of Jesus Christ Superstar. While still quite young, Winters’ theater credits are impressive, including Motown the Musical, Pippin, and Hamilton. She made her Broadway debut playing “Nala” in Disney’s The Lion King. With an incredibly bright future ahead of her on stage, Winters says, “I am constantly inspired by the art of storytelling."