Jewish Playwrights

TO THE EDITOR:

Re “Let Us Tell You a Story: What Would American Theater Be Without Its Jewish Actors, Playwrights and Directors?” (T Magazine, Dec. 3):

While there is much to admire in this fascinating piece, it is disturbing that Jesse Green doesn’t write about or even mention any Jewish women playwrights.

The article reinforces the pervasive erasure of women writers in the theater industry, while lauding the usual suspects. Yes, Arthur Miller, Lerner and Loewe, Neil Simon and Tom Stoppard must be included in this story. So should the female Jewish playwrights, lyricists and librettists who built and continue to build the American theater.

The article overlooks a century of Jewish women theater writers, including Edna Ferber (“Dinner at Eight,” 1932); Lillian Hellman (“The Children’s Hour,” 1934); Betty Comden (“On the Town,” 1944); Dorothy Fields (“Annie Get Your Gun,” 1946); Bella Spewack (“Kiss Me, Kate,” 1948); Susan Yankowitz (“Terminal,” 1969); Liz Swados (“Runaways,” 1978); Wendy Wasserstein (“The Heidi Chronicles,” 1988); Paula Vogel (“How I Learned to Drive,” 1997); Lynn Ahrens (“Ragtime,” 1998); Winnie Holzman (“Wicked,” 2003); and Lisa Kron (“Fun Home,” 2013), to name just a few. It also ignores countless Jewish women playwrights and musical theater writers who are today redefining American theater.

ALICE EVE COHEN, NEW YORK

The writer is a playwright whose “Oklahoma Samovar” won the National Jewish Playwriting Contest.