Funniest Female or Non-Binary Playwrights working today

[ErmengardeStopSniveling]

Posted: 4/25/22 at 3:37pm

Who are the funniest female/non-binary wordsmiths in the English-speaking theatre today? The talk of POTUS got me thinking we really have not had many comedies period, but even fewer comedies by women.

There's obviously Tina Fey and Theresa Rebeck (if you find her funny). And Elaine May is alive but not actively "working."

Who else?!

Updated On: 4/25/22 at 03:37 PM

[JBroadway]

Posted: 4/25/22 at 6:47pm

I feel like we're living in the "godlen age of Dramedy" right now. Aside from the heavy dramas, I feel like I hardly ever see a new play that doesn't following the formula of "start funny, end serious" and/or "be funny, but in very weird, experimental, heady way." So it's hard to categorize many new plays these days, and even harder to pinpoint playwrights of any gender who have specifically made a name for themselves being funny, as opposed to being a generally good/interesting writer, who also happens to use humor. I feel like we see a lot of the latter, very little of the former (btw, I'm not saying any of this as a bad thing).

But here are some female playwrights who I think are most adept at using humor: 

--Lynn Nottage - people don't associate her with comedy, but she can be very funny when she wants to be. See Fabulation, Vera Stark, and even Clyde's to a certain extent. 

--Halley Feiffer - hit or miss in terms of quality, but she is someone who leans more toward comedy, and has often done it well. 

--Sarah Ruhl - her humor is often quiet, and has an undertone of melancholy, but she can definitely be very witty and funny. 

--Bess Wohl - again, not someone I'd highlight as one of the "funniest playwrights," but certainly a strong playwrights who leans comedic. 

--Jocelyn Bioh - known for using her lighthearted approach as a statement, when approaching subject matter that's usually subject to trauma porn. 

--Clare Barron - definitely more in the "weird, heady, experimental" camp of humor, but I WOULD say she's particularly funny. 

Also, here are some PLAYS by female playwrights that I find particularly funny, but I didn't include them above because I don't know enough of the playwright

"Do You Feel Anger" - by Mara Nelson-Greenberg 

"Hurricane Diane" - by Madeleine George

"Collective Rage - Jen Silverman 

“Eddy and Dave” - Amy Staats 

Also a bonus shoutout to The Mad Ones, whose last 2 plays were screamingly funny - devised by a mix of genders, directed with a strong comedic hand by Lila Neugebauer. 

Speaking of directors, I also want to shout out Margot Bordelon - one of my favorite directors for comedy. She’s really good at nailing off-beat, silly-but-smart humor. 

Updated On: 4/25/22 at 06:47 PM

[ATerrifyingAndImposingFigure]

Posted: 4/25/22 at 7:06pm

I don’t think I’d include Tina Fey, given she’s done a single show and it’s seen as one of her weakest works.

[ErmengardeStopSniveling]

Posted: 4/25/22 at 9:39pm

ATerrifyingAndImposingFigure said: "I don’t think I’d include Tina Fey, given she’s done a single show and it’s seen as one of her weakest works."

I wouldn't either (and I agree re: Mean Girls) –– my reasoning for including her and Rebeck in the OP was so I didn't get 5 replies with their names :)

And thank you for that excellent list, J Broadway!

[UrNotAMachine]

Posted: 4/25/22 at 10:30pm

Her plays aren't really comedies, but I find that Amy Herzog's dialogue is often pretty funny when it wants to be, especially in her earlier work.

I also think Sarah Delappe's "The Wolves" has some really funny stuff in it, even though it's more of a dramedy than a full blown comedy.

Updated On: 4/25/22 at 10:30 PM