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The historical epic Suffs, which had a sold-out, extended run at The Public Theater, is set to take Broadway next spring.
Chronicling the years that preceded the passage of the 19th Amendment, when American women ostensibly achieved the right to vote, the musical from Shaina Taub puts a spotlight on feminism with a “catchy mix of jazz, Tin Pan Alley and pop earworms,” Time Out reviewer Raven Snook wrote last year.
Snook awarded it four stars, recommending it, saying “there’s much to admire and enjoy in Suffs, which may well have a brilliant future ahead of it.“ She was right—Suffs will open at the Music Box Theatre on Thursday, April 18.
Today, lead producers Jill Furman and Rachel Sussman announced that former Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton and Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Malala Yousafzai have joined the producing team.
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While the two leaders won’t be involved in the actual production of the show, they are lending their names, essentially stamping their support behind it.
“I am thrilled to join with the team behind Suffs in bringing Shaina Taub’s remarkable musical about the unsung heroes of the American women’s suffrage movement to the Broadway stage—where it rightly belongs,” Rodham Clinton said in a statement. “And I can’t wait for audiences to experience this soul-stirring slice of long-overlooked American history; both entertaining and enlightening, Suffs paints a vivid picture of the necessary battles for democracy and equality that are still being fought today.”
Yousafzai said she loved Suffs when she saw it last year.
“Many women around the world are still fighting for equality—and we draw inspiration and strength through learning the stories of those who came before us,” she said. “I am honored to support Shaina and this production, and I hope Suffs echoes beyond Broadway to reach audiences worldwide.”
When it opens in April, Suffs will feature book, music and lyrics by Kleban Prize, Fred Ebb Award, and Jonathan Larson Grant recipient Shaina Taub, with direction by Tony Award nominee Leigh Silverman (Violet), choreography by Mayte Natalio (How to Dance in Ohio), scenic design by Tony Award nominee Riccardo Hernández (Jagged Little Pill), costume design by Tony Award winner Paul Tazewell (Hamilton), lighting design by Tony Award nominee Lap Chi Chu (Camelot), sound design by Jason Crystal (Sweeney Todd) with associate Sun Hee Kil (Choir Boy), orchestrations by Tony Award winner Michael Starobin (Next to Normal), music supervision and music direction by Andrea Grody (The Band’s Visit), and casting by Heidi Griffiths and Kate Murray (Soft Power).
Casting and ticketing information will be announced at a later date.