Following a sold-out, extended run at The Public Theater, Suffs arrives on Broadway next spring — and not a moment too soon. From the singular mind of Shaina Taub, this “remarkable, epic new musical” (Variety), boldly explores the victories and failures of a struggle for equality that’s far from over.
It’s 1913 and the women’s movement is heating up in America, anchored by the suffragists — “Suffs,” as they call themselves — and their relentless pursuit of the right to vote. Reaching across and against generational, racial, and class divides, these brilliant, flawed women entertain and inspire us with the story of their hard-won victory in an ongoing fight. So much has changed since the passing of the Nineteenth Amendment over a century ago, and yet we’re reminded sometimes we need to look back, in order to march fearlessly into the future.
“Suffs” entertains because Taub makes her show all about the women, and she makes those women committed but very flawed individuals. Let’s not call them cat fights, but “Suffs” is filled with rivalries between the radical Alice Paul (Taub) of the National Woman’s Party and the more establishment-minded Carrie Chapman Catt (Jenn Colella) of the National American Woman Suffrage Association. An early controversy emerges regarding whether suffragists of color should be included in the march. Black icons like Mary Church Terrell (Anastaćia McCleskey) and Ida B. Wells (Nikki M. James, shedding her ingénue image to emerge as the show’s real matriarch) have no interest in being pushed aside or told yet again to wait. Intriguingly, the conflict between Terrell and Wells reflects the same conservative-progressive pull going on among the white leaders of the suffragist movement (“Suffragette” is considered derogatory).
It’s been nearly nine years since Hamilton took Broadway by storm, and now comes a worthy successor. Much like Lin-Manuel Miranda’s tour de force, Suffs, short for suffragists, showcases the creative prowess of Shaina Taub, who assumes the roles of writer, composer, lyricist, and lead performer. But the comparison goes well beyond historical subject matter. Both productions seamlessly blend narrative and music while portraying determined individuals grappling with seemingly insurmountable challenges. While Hamilton chronicles Alexander Hamilton’s pivotal role in shaping the nation, Suffs sheds profound light on Alice Paul’s crusade for women’s suffrage.
General Rush
Price: $19.20 for the first 19 tickets sold each day (March 26-April 17), $45 afterward
Where: Music Box Theatre’s box office
When: When the box office opens on the day of the performance.
Limit: Two per customer.
Information: Subject to daily availability.
Digital Lottery:
Price: $49
Where: rush.telecharge.com
When: The lottery will be open from 12:00 AM until 3:00 PM the day before the performance where fans can enter to win one or two tickets. Winners are drawn at 10:00 AM and 3:00 PM and entrants should return
Limit: Two per customer
Information: Winners are drawn at 10:00 AM and 3:00 PM and entrants should return to rush.telecharge.com to check their status. Winners will have five hours to claim and purchase their tickets online. Tickets are subject to availability. Seats may be partial view.
2022 | Off-Broadway |
Public Theater World Premiere Off-Broadway Production Off-Broadway |
2024 | Broadway |
Original Broadway Production Broadway |
Year | Ceremony | Category | Nominee |
---|---|---|---|
2024 | Drama Desk Awards | Outstanding Costume Design of a Musical | Paul Tazewell |
2024 | Drama Desk Awards | Outstanding Featured Performance in a Musical | Emily Skinner |
2024 | Drama Desk Awards | Outstanding Lighting Design of a Musical | Lap Chi Chu |
2024 | Drama Desk Awards | Outstanding Music | Shaina Taub |
2024 | Drama Desk Awards | Outstanding Orchestrations | Michael Starobin |
2024 | Drama Desk Awards | Outstanding Scenic Design of a Musical | Riccardo Hernández |
2024 | Drama Desk Awards | Outstanding Sound Design of a Musical | Jason Crystal |
2024 | Drama Desk Awards | Outstanding Wig and Hair | Charles G. LaPointe |
2024 | Drama League Awards | Distinguished Performance | Jenn Colella |
2024 | Drama League Awards | Distinguished Performance | Nikki M. James |
2024 | Drama League Awards | Outstanding Direction of a Musical | Leigh Silverman |
2024 | Drama League Awards | Outstanding Production of a Musical | Suffs |
2024 | Outer Critics Circle Awards | Outstanding Book of a Musical (Broadway or Off-Broadway) | Shaina Taub |
2024 | Outer Critics Circle Awards | Outstanding Direction of a Musical (Broadway or Off-Broadway) | Leigh Silverman |
2024 | Outer Critics Circle Awards | Outstanding New Broadway Musical | Suffs |
2024 | Outer Critics Circle Awards | Outstanding Orchestrations (Broadway or Off-Broadway) | Michael Starobin |
2024 | Outer Critics Circle Awards | Outstanding Score (Broadway or Off-Broadway) | Shaina Taub |
2024 | Tony Awards | Best Book of a Musical | Shaina Taub |
2024 | Tony Awards | Best Costume Design of a Musical | Paul Tazewell |
2024 | Tony Awards | Best Direction of a Musical | Leigh Silverman |
2024 | Tony Awards | Best Musical | Suffs |
2024 | Tony Awards | Best Original Score (Music and/or Lyrics) Written for the Theatre | Shaina Taub |
2024 | Tony Awards | Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Musical | Nikki M. James |
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