CAA’s Women on Broadway Toasts the Season’s Leading Ladies (and Their Leading Roles)

On a drizzly Monday afternoon, as the theater scene in New York prepared to weather its seasonal challenges, a group gathered for a moment of respite at Manhattan’s Tusk Bar for the annual Women on Broadway celebration hosted by CAA. The event was coordinated by a formidable team including Bee Carrozzini and Kristin Caskey from ATG Entertainment, producers Lia Vollack and Sue Wagner, and agent Joe Machota—who earned honorary club status through his role in Gypsy alongside Betty Buckley and Laura Bell Bundy. The gathering honored the significant achievements of women in theater, both past and present.

This year, the spotlight shone brightly on Whitney White, who directed the Broadway debut of The Last Five Years, led the Sia and Honey Dijon-backed Saturday Church at New York Theatre Workshop, created and starred in Macbeth in Stride at BAM, and is currently gearing up for the Broadway transfer of Liberation following a successful off-Broadway run. Many of White’s collaborators attended to celebrate her accomplishments, including playwrights Jocelyn Bioh and Bess Wohl—who donned tinted aviators as a clever nod to her ’70s-inspired Liberation—along with actor Joaquina Kalukango and producers Rachel Sussman, Eva Price, and Danielle Perelman.

As it was a Monday afternoon and many attendees were still engaged in previews or workshops, most opted for a couple of sensible glasses of wine. However, those eager to experiment tried the bar’s signature cocktails: the Smoke Show (a Grey Goose martini infused with smoked olive oil) and the Ruby Slipper (a gin highball featuring yogurt-washed Hendrick’s, Amante, and pink grapefruit). The atmosphere warmed when CAA’s Kennedy Woodard delivered an uplifting speech, recognizing the contributions of women throughout history and the vital progress that has enabled women to lead as artistic directors in major theaters across both the Atlantic. Patricia McGregor of New York Theatre Workshop and Jenny Gersten of New York City Center were particularly celebrated, alongside mentions of Lear deBessonet at Lincoln Center and Indhu Rubasingham at London’s National Theatre.

The guest list reflected a diverse mix of generations and styles—from Steppenwolf icon Laurie Metcalf to Ego Nwodim, whose first role post-Saturday Night Live will be her off-Broadway debut in Lincoln Center’s The Comedy Series next month. Solo performers paused to celebrate their successful runs, including Julia McDermott (Weather Girl) and Jen Tullock (Nothing Can Take You From the Hand of God), who warmly welcomed Dylan Mulvaney into their community. The reception also attracted Micaela Diamond, directors Leigh Silverman and Miranda Haymon, along with enough CAA agents to fill every last cocktail napkin in sight, and continued past its scheduled 6 p.m. conclusion—but not too late, as the work of the theater industry awaits.