The Broadway musical SUFFS, at the Music Box Theatre, is no less than amazing. It was nominated for six Tony Awards and won two Tonys for Shaina Taub for Best Book of a Musical and Best Original Score.
Shaina isn’t just a triple threat – she’s a quintuple threat! In addition to writing the book, lyrics and music, she also acts and sings in the leading role of women’s rights activist and suffragist, Alice Paul.
Suffs works on so many levels. First and foremost, it has the important historical theme about a woman who was a driving force in the women’s suffrage movement. The characters are all based on real life people; we learn about them, and we care deeply for all of them. It’s an inter-generational story with women of different ages – and different races – who, each in their own way, is trying to solve the issue of equality for women.
The players are all female or nonbinary actors, including the male parts, for example, President Woodrow Wilson, played by Grace McLean and Dudley Malone played by Tsilala Brock.
Suffs is not only historically relevant, but so very pertinent to today’s politically-charged arena.
The story begins in 1913 and continues through 1920 when the 19th Amendment, giving women the right to vote, was finally passed.
In 1913, the suffragists, who called themselves “Suffs” were divided into groups with the same goal but different strategies. At the opening, we meet Carrie Chapman Catt (played by Jenn Colella) at the National American Woman Suffrage Association (NAWSA) Convention, preaching state-by-state suffrage and a slow-and-steady approach. Meanwhile, the younger, fiery Alice Paul, fed up with the snail’s pace, pitches a bold march on Washington during Woodrow Wilson’s inauguration to demand a federal suffrage amendment. Carrie digs in her heels, preferring the gradual approach, while Alice vows to see equality in her lifetime. We understand the differences in their strategies with their respective songs, Carrie’s “Let Mother Vote” and Alice’s “Finish the Fight.”
Joined by her spirited sidekick Lucy Burns (Ally Bonino) and an eclectic crew including socialite Inez Milholland (Hannah Cruz) and labor organizer Ruza Wenclawska (Kim Blanck), Alice sets the stage for the historic Woman Suffrage Procession. But as the march nears, tensions flare over racial segregation, sparking heated debates and discussions from black activists Ida B. Wells (Nikki M. James) and Mary Church Terrell (Anastacia McCleskey).
The march is a mix of triumph and turmoil. Post-march, amidst celebrations, there are harsh words and hurt feelings, with the Suff’s secretary, Doris Stevens (Nadia Dandashi), upset by sexist insults. The women comfort her by turning the insults into a fun and rousing song, “Great American Bitch.” Despite their differences, Carrie eventually backs Alice’s new Congressional Union for Woman Suffrage, but their clashes still persist over tactics and priorities.
The struggle continues through Woodrow Wilson’s terms. Promoting the cause to the President’s office, Doris ends up having a romance with Wilson’s chief of staff, Dudley Malone. By 1916, divisions at the NAWSA Convention are stark, with Mary Church Terrell and Ida B. Wells continuing to expose the movement’s racial fault lines.
The Suff’s anti-Wilson campaign sees highs and lows, and Alice recruits wealthy socialite Alva Belmont (Emily Skinner) to help with their movement.
Act One culminates in heartbreak with the tragic death of Inez Milholland, due to poor health. Still, the women vow to keep fighting for their cause. It is thought that the last words the real-life Inez said before collapsing during her final speech were addressed to Woodrow Wilson: “Mr. President, how long must women wait for liberty?” In paying tribute to her, the act ends with the song “How Long?”
Things get even more heated in Act 2 when Alice’s crew, including the spirited Lucy Burns and bold Doris Stevens, light up the White House gates with their Silent Sentinels protest. President Wilson throws a fit and has them arrested, while his loyal staffer Dudley Malone quits in disgust.
Behind bars, tensions mount, and Alice is accused of risking everyone’s necks. The imprisoned Suffs manage to smuggle out their tales of abuse and Doris blows the lid off the scandal. Alice stages a hunger strike and faces starvation, but ultimately finds strength in a vision of her fallen friend, Inez, urging her to fight on.
After the prison horrors come out in the press, Wilson finally has the women released, and he begrudgingly agrees to give them the vote. But it still has to be passed by Congress. By now, it’s 1920, and with the amendment on the line, Carrie and Alice bury the hatchet as the vote comes down to one representative from Tennessee who has a change of heart due to a letter from his mother. He changes his vote from “Nay” to “Aye” and amazingly, the 19th Amendment passes.
Alice pitches the next battle for equal rights, but her gang is too tired to continue. Lucy retires from the group, Doris marries Dudley, Ruza becomes an actress, and Alice finds herself at odds with a new wave of activists in the ’70s. She realizes she’s become the very “old fogey” she once challenged, but knows the fight will go on, even if she won’t see it come to fruition. The show ends with the rousing song “Keep Marching” …and with a standing ovation from a cheering audience in the theatre!
There’s a lot going on in the story and it’s filled with many characters, conflicts and revelations, but with the Tony Award-Winning book, music & lyrics by Shaina Taub, excellent direction by Tony nominated Leigh Silverman and exciting performances by all of the actors, it adds up to be an important, enlightening, and fantastically entertaining show.
In summary, Suffs is a musical that intricately weaves together the relationships, conflicts, and alliances among key historical figures striving for women’s suffrage. It poignantly captures the internal debates and divisions within the movement, particularly regarding race and differing strategies. It’s a phenomenal show that will have both women and men leaving the theatre energized and uplifted.
Book, Music, Lyrics By Shaina Taub, Directed By Lee Silverman, Choreographed By Mayte Natalio.
Scenic Design by Riccardo Hernández; Costume Design by Paul Tazewell; Lighting Design by Lap Chi Chu; Sound Design by Jason Crystal; Associate Sound Design: Sun Hee Kil.
Music Box Theatre, 239 West 45th St., New York, NY
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