From the White House to Hollywood, check-out the latest news, trends and upcoming events.
No images? Click here
My Isolation Diary
Broadway, Yes Way!
By Emily Vogel
(Source: Giphy)
Growing up I always envied the theater kids. Not because I’m tone deaf and lack rhythm (I do and I am), but rather the fact that they always seemed so sophisticated – compulsively drinking coffee while talking about “Rent” and “The Tony Awards,” which as it turns out had nothing to do with a group of guys named Tony on the wrestling team who also called themselves “The Tonys.”
Today, as a self-proclaimed intellectual living in New York City, I am proud to say that I am more knowledgeable about the world of theater than I was 20-years-ago… or at least I pretend to be, “Omg did you know Mitchell Pritchett from ‘Modern Family’ is in a Broadway show right now with Jesse Williams?!”
That is one of the many facts I learned while watching the 72nd Tony Awards on Sunday. Whether you tuned into the show or are looking to become a theater whiz like myself, below are some historical moments from the evening that you can work into your daily conversations - from chatting up a new client to impressing your future in-laws.
- “A Strange Loop,” an irreverent, sexually frank work about Blackness and queerness won best new musical
- One of the Tony-winning producers of “A Strange Loop” is Jennifer Hudson, who has now become the 17th person in history to have completed their EGOT.
- “Company” not only marks Patti LuPone‘s third Tony Award overall, but also her first win in the category of Best Featured Actress in a Musical.
- Marianne Elliot (“Company”) is not only now a three-time Tony-winning director, but she’s also the first woman to have won accolades for helming both plays and musicals from the American Theatre Wing.
- Phylicia Rashad is now the fourth actress in history to have won exactly two Tonys, one for Best Lead Actress in a Play (for “A Raisin in the Sun” in 2004) and one for Best Featured Actress in a Play (for “Skeleton Crew” this year).
If you're looking for more Broadway-related content checkout "Hamilton" star Renée Elise Goldsberry and the stars of "Girls5Eva" on the "UnWrapped" podcast below!
‘Girls5Eva’ Stars Give an Impromptu Performance of New Song
On this episode of WrapWomen’s “UnWrapped” Podcast, “Girls5Eva” stars Busy Philipps, Sara Bareilles, Paula Pell and Renée Elise Goldsberry give an impromptu performance of their upcoming song “Bend Don’t Break.” The Season 2 finale anthem was written by Bareilles along with creator/showrunner Meredith Scardino and composer/executive producer Jeff Richmond.
“This music team and the collaboration is just such a sweet spot led by Jeff Richmond and Meredith Scardino writing most of the lyrics,” Bareilles says. “It’s just, it’s a playground. It’s silly. They’re not precious about ideas. They’re always excited to try something new.”
During the discussion the women also get into their real-life experiences as women in the industry – including that time Paula Pell got rejected from celebrity dating app Raya.
Episode Highlights:
- Busy Phillips says social media “completely changed the trajectory” of her career
- Sara Bareilles talks about the “gift” of writing songs for women she really cares about, on-screen and off
- Paula Pell reveals she was rejected by celebrity dating app Raya – but it all worked out in the end
- Renee Elise Goldsberry said her and guest star Tim Meadows had “quick chemistry”
- Busy Phillips and Paula Pell talk about how their “sister-daughter” relationship developed
At 17, She Was Her Family's Breadwinner on a McDonald's Salary. Now She's the First Mexican Woman Going to Space
@katvoltage / Instagram / Via instagram.com
Katya Echazarreta will be the first Mexican-born woman to fly to space, via Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin. The 26-year-old recently told Business Insider that she kept her career dreams secret because people said she couldn't accomplish them. Many women leave their job in STEM because of the toxic and unwelcoming environment, she said.
Echazarreta migrated to the US at the age of seven. When she was 17 and 18, Echazarreta said she was also the main breadwinner for her family on a McDonald's salary. However, that did not stop her academic pursuits. She worked at NASA as a test lead, and also had her own talk show.
"I had sometimes up to four [jobs] at the same time, just to try to get through college because it was really important for me," revealed the engineer in her interview to CNN. Currently, she is finishing her masters degree at Johns Hopkins University in Maryland.
‘Below the Belt’ Director Shannon Cohn on Why You Should Care About Endometriosis
About one in eight women suffer from endometriosis, making it about as common as diabetes. Despite it recently being recognized as one of the most excruciating and debilitating medical conditions on record, it takes an average of eight doctors and 10 years to diagnose, due to the lack of awareness surrounding the disease. As a result of the untreated pain, women lose 11 hours of productivity per week. On average, one in six women lose their jobs due to symptoms, putting a burden on society of $119 billion loss in wages in the U.S. alone.
“It’s not just a women’s disease, this is a societal disease, and everybody should care about it,” “Below the Belt” director Shannon Cohn told WrapWomen during a recent Zoom interview. “I can say with 100% certainty… you either have endometriosis, you love someone who has endometriosis, or you absolutely know multiple people who have endometriosis.”
According to Cohn's website endowhat.com, Endometriosis is tissue similar, but not identical, to the lining of the uterus that is found elsewhere in the body. This tissue creates lesions that may cause pain, inflammation, organ dysfunction and may lead to infertility. Endometriosis is most often found in the pelvis, but has also been found in the bladder, bowels, diaphragm, lungs, kidneys and even the brain.
“Below the Belt” is an inspiring documentary that follows several women battling endometriosis, shedding light on an important issue that affects a significant population of women across the world – and yet still lacks awareness. Executive producers on the film include former secretary of state Hillary Clinton as well as actress and activists Rosario Dawson, Corinne Foxx and Mae Whitman.
The Carolina Panthers Welcome the NFL's First Openly Transgender Cheerleader
@jus_lindsay_ / Instagram / Via instagram.com
In a league not known for its progressiveness, Justine Lindsay just made NFL history as the first out transgender woman to cheer in the NFL.
In an Instagram post announcing that she was joining the Topcats, Lindsay came out as trans to her new teammates — and also to the rest of her community.
“Cats Out the Bag you are looking at the newest member of the Carolina Panthers TopCats Cheerleader’s @topcats as the first Transgender female,” read the caption, which was next to a photo of her smiling in her cheerleading uniform.
“I was so scared,” Lindsay told BuzzFeed News about posting the Instagram in her first interview since joining the team. “There’s just some things you can’t post.”
Lindsay is one of 30 members of the 2022-2023 TopCats, the cheer squad that roots for the Carolina Panthers from the sidelines and during energetic halftime performances.
She disclosed that she was trans on paperwork for her audition for the team, Buzzfeed News recently reported, but the squad director said it was her talent and integrity that won her the spot.
Female Afghan TV Journalists Describe a 'Psychological Prison' Amid Taliban Order to Cover Their Faces on Air
A group of female presenters and producers at Afghanistan's TOLOnews via CNN
The Taliban have ordered female presenters to cover their faces on air. Now the network's female presenters, who enjoyed their rights for 20 years, fear a steep slide backwards.
"They want women to be removed from the screen. They are afraid of an educated woman," says 27-year-old Khatera, who has been anchoring the morning news at TOLOnews, Afghanistan's leading independent news channel, for the past five months.
"First, they deprived girls from going to school and then they came onto media now. I am sure, they don't want the presence of women in general," she adds.
"What should we do? We don't know. We were ready to the last to fight to perform our work, but they don't allow us," 23-year-old news anchor Tahmina says in tears. "This is a psychological prison and demotivating," she adds. "We don't have the motivation to go on screen freely and openly."
Her colleague Heela, who used to be on camera, is working as a producer now out of fears for her safety.
Did We Just Become Best Friends?
WrapWomen is a power base of influential women of entertainment, media, technology and brands committed to changing the face of their industries.
Stay up-to-date on all things WrapWomen at www.wrapwomen.com.
Join the conversation on social media! Follow us on Instagram and Twitter for surprise guest takeovers and Insta live performances.
Tune into our podcast "UnWrapped" on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music or wherever you get your podcasts.
In the meantime, stay safe and stay fabulous.
Xoxo,
Emily Vogel on behalf of WrapWomen
Director of Programming, TheWrap