Bess Wohl’s ‘Liberation’ makes history with its Tony nominations for Best Play and Director

Whitney White is the first Black female director nominated for two Best Direction Tony Awards.

Liberation, a memory play by Bess Wohl about a women’s group, is having a truly unforgettable week. It's now in the running for five Tony Awards including Best Play and Best Director, announced one day after the work was honored with a Pulitzer Prize for Drama.

Fittingly, Wohl is grinning. “I'm just smiling really hard,” she said. “I'm a little emotional. I'm so grateful and incredibly honored that the play and my beautiful collaborators have been recognized in this way. It feels very special.”

Liberation follows a 1970s women’s group confronting equality, desire, and identity, while a daughter later revisits their ideals. It is a work that required more than a decade.

“I wrestled with this subject matter for so long, and I didn't know, honestly, if I would ever be able to figure out the play that I wanted to bring to the world based on this material,” said Wohl, who was also nominated for a Tony in 2020 for Grand Horizons. “It feels incredibly gratifying because it's been the result of such a long journey.”

“It also feels special because this play is about community, but was also made in community,” she added. “We built this beautiful community of actors and designers and our wonderful all female producing team who led the way to Broadway. The family that was built around this play is so special.”

So much so, the company was on a Zoom at 8:30 a.m. on Tuesday to take in the nominations as a group. A key part of that family is Whitney White, who’s up for a Tony for her direction. She marveled at the journey of Liberation. “We're making history right now. You never think of yourself as living in a time or being involved in the moment that's making history, but we are.”

“We're the only off-Broadway to Broadway play to transfer,” White, a 2024 nominee for Jaja’s African Hair Braiding, continued. “I'm the first Black woman to ever be nominated for two Tony Awards for Best Direction of a Play. Saying that out loud is crazy. I'm overcome with the responsibility of the moment, the history of the moment, but also I'm just really freaking excited.”

The same goes for fellow nominees Susannah Flood, who’s up for Best Actress in a Play; Betsy Aidem, for Best Featured Actress in a Play; and Qween Jean, for her costumes.

Liberation ended its limited run in February. It still resonates – vividly – for White, who said, “Liberation is not just a point title. It is a state of mind. It is a way of life, and we all need to start thinking about what we're willing to do to live better lives, and what we're willing to do to help our neighbors, our community members, our family members, strangers.”

The Tony Awards will be handed out June 7 at Radio City Music Hall during a telecast hosted by P!nk. The awards will air live on CBS and stream on Paramount+.

*Photo credit: Liberation on Broadway. (Photo by Little Fang)