The Tony Awards Are Tonight, Shining a Bright Light on Women's Stories

Like countless others, we love The Tony Awards and are thrilled to watch the show this evening. The most compelling reason we're rapt transcends the performances—undoubtedly, the best in the world, by the most talented. We pore over this award show for how it mirrors what is happening in the zeitgeist. The shows that have played out in New York's Theater District and Lincoln Center mirror critical stories about humanity from past and present—and this year, a bright light is shining on women.

Several nominated plays highlight women's stories:

There's "Suffs," the musical by Shaina Taub that tells about the fight for women's suffrage and a heroic campaign in its last push from 1913 through ratification of the 19th Amendment in 1920.

"Mary Jane" is a gut-wrenching play by Amy Herzog that follows the story of the title role, a single mother caring for her sick child (played by Rachel McAdams, who is on the stage for the play's entire 90 minutes).

There's Jocelyn Bioh's "Jaja's African Hair Braiding" that takes the audience into the lively hair salon in Harlem where a group of braiders work their art and magic on the heads of neighborhood women as they all face uncertainty, othering, and the desire to feel safe.

And there's "Doubt," the multiple award-winning story by John Patrick Shanley that tells of Sister Aloysius Beauvier, a Bronx Catholic school principal, played by Amy Ryan, who goes to great lengths to protect her students.

This is a sampling of the incredible talent on the stage this year. We applaud these women playwrights and actors and all the rest! Tune in tonight 8 pm ET/5 pm PT on CBS.