Just found this -
http://americantheatrewing.org/about/history/
On the eve of America’s entry into World War I, seven suffragettes—all women of the theatre—came together to form an organization called The Stage Women’s War Relief dedicated to supporting the troops. The Stage Women went on to raise more than seven million dollars for American soldiers and became one of the most significant active relief organizations in the world. This moment in 1917 sealed the fate of the American theatre community, uniting it with a new vision of patriotism, born out of the performing arts.
In 1940, amidst another World War gaining traction, Antoinette Perry picked up where the Stage Women’s War Relief left off, renaming the effort the American Theatre Wing. The Wing went on to establish the Stage Door CanteenTM which served soldiers through theatric entertainment. The Wing donated $75,000 dollars to the USO to inaugurate drama as legitimate entertainment for troops overseas while sparking excitement for theatre back home.
When the war ended, American Theatre Wing began to focus on education and the advancement of theatre in service of community. The American Theatre Wing Professional School, founded by Antoinette Perry, was formed. The Professional School went on to teach the likes of Bob Fosse, Angela Lansbury, James Earl Jones, and many other theatre legends.
In 1946 Antoinette “Tony” Perry passed away. One year later, an award was eponymously named in honor of her heroic work for the American theatre community, and the first Tony was granted. Today, the Tony Awards remain the highest honor in American theatre, commanding theatre’s recognition as a timelessly relevant art form for advancing national culture and personal human experience.
Thank you women.
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