Suffs

Last updated

Suffs
SuffsBroadwayPoster.jpg
Broadway Promotional Poster
Music Shaina Taub
Lyrics Shaina Taub
Book Shaina Taub
Basis Women's suffrage in the United States
PremiereApril 6, 2022: The Public Theater
Productions2022 Off-Broadway
2024 Broadway

Suffs is a stage musical with book, music, and lyrics by Shaina Taub, based on suffragists and the American women's suffrage movement, focusing primarily on the historical events leading up to the ratification of the nineteenth amendment to the United States constitution in 1920 that gave women the right to vote. It premiered Off-Broadway at The Public Theater in April 2022.

Contents

The show opened on Broadway on April 18, 2024 at the Music Box Theatre. [1]

Production history

Shaina Taub began developing the show in the early 2010s, after she read suffragist Doris Stevens' account, Jailed for Freedom. [2]

Off-Broadway (2022)

The musical was initially going to open its world premiere production at The Public Theater on April 6, 2022, but the preview the night before as well as the opening night were cancelled due to a large number of positive COVID-19 cases among the cast. [3] It began previews on March 13 and was initially announced to run until April 24, but was extended three times: first to May 1, then to May 15, and finally to May 29. [4] [5] [6] [7] This run of the musical starred Taub as Alice Paul, Jenn Colella as Carrie Catt, Nikki M. James as Ida B. Wells, Phillipa Soo as Inez Milholland, Hannah Cruz as Ruza Wenclawska, Nadia Dandashi as Doris Stevens, Ally Bonino as Lucy Burns, Grace McLean as Woodrow Wilson, Tsilala Brock as Dudley Field Malone, Jenna Bainbridge as Harry T. Burn, Aisha de Haas as Alva Belmont and Phoebe Burn, Jaygee Macapugay as Mollie Hay, Cassondra James as Mary Church Terrell, J. Riley Jr. as Phyllis Terrell, and Ada Westfall as Mrs. Herndon.

Broadway (2024)

In October 2023, it was announced that the show would transfer to Broadway in spring 2024. Among the producing team is former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and activist Malala Yousafzai. The show is directed by Leigh Silverman. [8] In January 2024, full casting was announced. Most of the Off-Broadway cast, including Shaina Taub, Jenn Colella, Nikki M. James, Nadia Dandashi, Ally Bonino, Grace McLean, Tsilala Brock, Jenna Bainbridge, Jaygee Macapugay, and Ada Westfall, reprised their roles. Phillipa Soo's role of Inez Milholland was filled by fellow cast member Hannah Cruz, who was in turn replaced as Ruza Wenclawska by Kim Blanck, a newcomer to the production. Emily Skinner, Laila Erica Drew, and Anastaćia McClesky also joined the cast, respectively replacing Aisha de Haas, Cassondra James, and J. Riley Jr. as Alva Belmont and Phoebe Burn, Mary Church Terrell, and Phyllis Terrell. [9] The production has a new creative team with choreography by Mayte Natalio, scenic design by Riccardo Hernandez, costume design by Paul Tazewell, lighting by Lap Chi Chu, sound by Jason Crystal and Sun Hee Kill, orchestrations by Michael Starobin and music supervision/music direction by Andrea Grody. [10]

The show began previews on March 26, 2024 with an official opening scheduled for April 18 at the Music Box Theatre. [11] At the time of the show's premiere, Taub became the second woman in Broadway history to "to write the book, music, lyrics, and star in her own musical". [2]

Cast and characters

CharacterOff-Broadway [12] [13] Broadway [14]
20222024
Alice Paul Shaina Taub
Carrie Catt Jenn Colella
Ida B. Wells Nikki M. James
Harry T. Burn Jenna Bainbridge
Lucy Burns Ally Bonino
Dudley Field Malone Tsilala Brock
Inez Milholland Phillipa Soo Hannah Cruz
Ruza Wenclawska Hannah CruzKim Blanck
Doris Stevens Nadia Dandashi
Alva Belmont / Phoebe BurnAisha de Haas Emily Skinner
Mary Church Terrell Cassondra JamesAnastaćia McClesky
Mollie Hay Jaygee Macapugay
Woodrow Wilson Grace McLean
Phyllis Terrell J. Riley Jr.Laila Erica Drew
Mrs. HerndonAda Westfall

Songs

Off-Broadway (2022)

Act I

  • "Watch Out for the Suffragette"
  • "Finish the Fight"
  • "Find A Way"
  • "Wait My Turn"
  • "The March"
  • "Ladies"
  • "If We Were Married"
  • "This Girl"
  • "Find A Way (reprise)"
  • "Alva Belmont"
  • "How Long"
  • "The Young Are At The Gates"

Act II

  • "America When Feminized"
  • "Respectfully Yours, Dudley Malone”
  • "Hold It Together”
  • "Wait My Turn (reprise)"
  • "The Strong One"
  • "Fire & Tea”
  • "A Letter From Harry’s Mother”
  • "I Wasn't There"
  • "When We Are Married"
  • "Lucy's Song"
  • "Never Over"

Broadway (2024)

Act I

  • "Let Mother Vote"
  • "Finish the Fight"
  • "Find A Way"
  • "Wait My Turn"
  • "Terrell’s Theme"
  • "The March (We Demand Equality)”
  • "Great American Bitch"
  • "Ladies"
  • "Worth It"
  • "If We Were Married"
  • "The Convention Part 1"
  • "This Girl"
  • "The Convention Part 2"
  • “Alva Belmont"
  • “Show Them Who You Are"
  • "The Campaign"
  • "How Long?”

Act II

  • "The Young Are At The Gates"
  • "Respectfully Yours, Dudley Malone”
  • "Hold It Together”
  • "Wait My Turn (reprise)”
  • "The Report”
  • "Show Them Who You Are (reprise)”
  • "Insane”
  • "Fire & Tea”
  • "Let Mother Vote (reprise)”
  • "She and I”
  • "A Letter From Harry’s Mother”
  • "I Was Here”
  • "If We Were Married (reprise)”
  • "Lucy’s Song”
  • "Finish the Fight (reprise)”
  • "Keep Marching”

Awards and nominations

2022 Off-Broadway Production

YearAwardCategoryNomineeResult
2022 Lucille Lortel Awards Outstanding MusicalNominated
Outstanding Featured Performer in a Musical Nikki M. James Nominated
Drama League Awards Outstanding Production of a MusicalNominated
Outstanding Direction of a Musical Leigh Silverman Nominated
Distinguished Performance Nikki M. James Nominated
Outer Critics Circle Awards Outstanding Actress in a Musical Jenn Colella Nominated
Drama Desk Awards Outstanding Lyrics Shaina Taub Nominated

2024 Broadway Production

YearAwardCategoryNomineeResult
2024 Drama League Awards [15] Outstanding Production of a MusicalPending
Outstanding Direction of a Musical Leigh Silverman Pending
Distinguished Performance Nikki M. James Pending
Jenn Colella Pending

Reception

Off-Broadway

The Off-Broadway production of Suffs received mixed to positive reviews. [16] The production's cast, score, and direction received praise, but criticism was leveled at the musical's book, runtime, and overall structure. Juan A. Ramirez of Theatrely believed the musical's first act was too focused on narration and historical information, finding the second act vastly superior due to depicting vivid onstage conflict. He also felt the musical's criticism of the suffragists for excluding black women rang hollow due to it having no overall effect on the actual narrative. [17] Raven Snook of Time Out gave the musical four stars out of five but opined that, despite efforts by the production to highlight Ida B. Wells and Mary Church Terrell, their story still felt sidelined by the overall narrative. [18] In an overall positive review for Variety, Marilyn Stasio also found the second act superior but rushed, feeling the already nearly three-hour show could be longer to accommodate it. [19]

Suffs was compared prior to opening night and in multiple reviews with Hamilton , which like Suffs is a historical musical that debuted in the Newman Theater at the Public, featuring Phillipa Soo in a starring role, and attracted similarly sold-out audiences. [20] Maya Phillips, writing for The New York Times, noted that Suffs seemed to be trying to avoid potential criticisms similar to ones that had been leveled at Hamilton for its politics around women and slavery. Phillips opined this fear of leaving out information actually worked to the detriment of the story, voicing that the show felt "bloated with information". [21] Helen Shaw of Vulture also found the Hamilton comparison "unavoidable". Shaw praised the musical's portrayal of divisions within the suffragists movement, but she felt that Taub's music and Silverman's staging lacked the variation needed to carry the story. Nevertheless, Shaw saw potential in the musical's future development: "Just a few amendments to go, and, like a certain Constitution I could mention — it might be truly great." [22]

Broadway

The Broadway production of Suffs saw mostly positive reviews. [23] [24] [25] [26] Frank Rizzo, writing for Variety , called the production "smart, inspiring and thoroughly entertaining," noting that the show covered seven years of events "efficiently and effectively with artful modulations of intensity, humor, sadness, spunk and joy". He also praised Taub's "rich musical palette" and the choice to focus on internal division's within the women's suffrage movement rather than male pushback to the movement. [27] Elisabeth Vincentelli of The Washington Post wrote that "while it did not magically morph into a great show, Version 2.0 is tighter, more confident, often rousing and downright entertaining." She praised the revisions which placed more focus on the ensemble and which better acknowledged the shortfalls of the white suffragists to include their Black counterparts, but felt that the book did not explore each character enough. [28]

See also

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References

  1. ↑ Broski, Jennifer (March 14, 2024). "Up on the Marquee: SUFFS". BroadwayWorld.com. Retrieved March 20, 2024.
  2. 1 2 Culgan, Rossilynne Skena (February 28, 2024). "A first look at Broadway's new rendition of 'Suffs,' the beloved musical about women's suffrage". Time Out New York. Retrieved March 20, 2024.
  3. ↑ Rabinowitz, Chloe (April 6, 2022). "SUFFS Opening Night Performance Canceled Due to Covid-19; Performances Expected to Resume Next Week". BroadwayWorld. Retrieved April 7, 2022.
  4. ↑ Zamansky, Natan (March 25, 2022). "Schedule of Upcoming Off-Broadway Shows". Playbill. Retrieved March 25, 2022.
  5. ↑ "Suffs: Public Theater". New York Theatre Guide. 2022. Retrieved March 25, 2022.
  6. ↑ Putnam, Leah (March 25, 2022). "Shaina Taub's Suffs Sets 2nd Off-Broadway Extension at The Public". Playbill. Retrieved April 4, 2022.
  7. ↑ Putnam, Leah (April 8, 2022). "Suffs to Play at The Public Through May in 3rd Extension". Playbill. Retrieved April 10, 2022.
  8. ↑ "Shaina Taub's Suffs to Get Broadway Run This Spring, With Hillary Clinton Among Producers - TheaterMania.com". October 18, 2023. Retrieved October 18, 2023.
  9. ↑ Evans, Greg (January 17, 2024). "Shaina Taub To Lead Cast Of Her Musical 'Suffs' In A Rare Broadway Feat". Deadline. Retrieved January 17, 2024.
  10. ↑ Gordon, David. "Jenn Colella, Nikki M. James, Emily Skinner, and More to Star in Suffs on Broadway". Theatermania. Retrieved January 29, 2024.
  11. ↑ "Suffs - NYC | Broadway.org". www.broadway.org. Retrieved December 12, 2023.
  12. ↑ Russo, Gillian (November 16, 2021). "'Suffs' announces Off-Broadway cast including Jenn Colella, Phillipa Soo, Nikki M. James". New York Theatre Guide. Retrieved March 17, 2022.
  13. ↑ "Suffs". The Public Theater. Retrieved March 27, 2024.
  14. ↑ "Cast & Creative". SUFFS The Musical. Retrieved March 26, 2024.
  15. ↑ Rosky, Nicole. "MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG, CABARET & More Lead in Nominations for 2024 Drama League Awards". BroadwayWorld.com. Retrieved April 22, 2024.
  16. ↑ "Suffs - Did They Like It?". Did They Like It. Retrieved April 8, 2022.
  17. ↑ Ramirez, Juan A. (April 6, 2022). "SUFFS Suffers From Stasis — Review". Theatrely.
  18. ↑ Snook, Raven (April 6, 2022). "Shaina Taub's epic new musical brings feminist history to inspirational life". Time Out. Retrieved April 8, 2022.
  19. ↑ Stasio, Marilyn (April 6, 2022). "'Suffs' Review: Epic New Musical Portrays the Blood, Sweat and Tears Behind the Fight for Women's Suffrage". Variety.
  20. ↑ Tan, Gillian (April 4, 2022). "With 'Suffs,' Public Theater Is Back in 'Hamilton'-Style Ticket Frenzy". Bloomberg. Retrieved April 8, 2022.
  21. ↑ Phillips, Maya (April 6, 2022). "'Suffs' Review: Young, Scrappy and Hungry for the Right to Vote". The New York Times. Retrieved April 8, 2022.
  22. ↑ Shaw, Helen (April 6, 2022). "Suffs Casts a Complicated Vote for a Complicated History". Vulture. Retrieved April 9, 2022.
  23. ↑ Green, Jesse (April 19, 2024). "Review: In 'Suffs,' the Thrill of the Vote and How She Got It". The New York Times. ISSN   0362-4331 . Retrieved April 22, 2024.
  24. ↑ Holdren, Sara (April 19, 2024). "Living Is Harder: Suffs and Grenfell". Vulture. Retrieved April 22, 2024.
  25. ↑ Torre, Roma (April 19, 2024). "Suffs: The Brilliant New Musical That Demands to be Heard". New York Stage Review. Retrieved April 22, 2024.
  26. ↑ Robbins, Regina (April 18, 2024). "Review: The feminist musical Suffs (★★★★) marches on Broadway". Time Out New York. Retrieved April 22, 2024.
  27. ↑ Rizzo, Frank (April 19, 2024). "'Suffs' Review: Broadway Musical About Women's Fight for the Vote Gets Thrilling and Entertaining Musicalization". Variety. Retrieved April 22, 2024.
  28. ↑ Vincentelli, Elisabeth (April 18, 2024). "A spirited musical about suffragists is not a triumph, but much improved". The Washington Post. Retrieved April 22, 2024.


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