Tony Award Nominated ‘SUFFS’ Sing ‘Let Mother Vote’ on Broadway
Sitting in the theater watching the Broadway musical “Suffs,” I thought: ‘Is it too much to ask of President Wilson (the President of a democratic United States between 1913-1921) to let Mother vote?’ Although we all know how women’s suffrage—the fight for women’s right to to vote ended—our eyes and ears were glued to the stage watching intensely as composer, lyricist, and book writer Shaina Taub’s narrative evolved in the come-back of the powerful piece which first premiered in 2022. The courageous motto “We can’t give in we must go on for our mothers before us and our girls in the future” brought the sold-out house to their feet in applause.
Excellent acting by a cast of twenty-three fabulously different actors, reveals the creative ways the Suffragists, groups of dedicated women nation-wide, led the fight for the simple right to vote. And, here we are in 2024 still fighting for equal rights in a democratic United States.
“You will love it! It’s simply brilliant and beautiful!” said my friend Barbara Kopple, a two-time Oscar winner for her documentaries. She was right. With a simple set design and focus on the women diversity coming to help from all walks of life and backgrounds they found ways to navigate challenges to achieve their goal.
Tuesday’s Tony Award nomination for Best New Musical is a big win for Taub who wrote the story, music, lyrics, and acted the main role. The play was also nominated in other categories including Best Costume Design, Best Direction, Nikki M. James for Best Leading Role, and Taub for her book “Suffs” in the category Best Book of a Musical. These nominations prove that the play would have succeeded with or without feminist politician Hillary Clinton and educational acitivist Malala Yousafzai’s production credits. However, importantly, their attachment to the project helps spread the word faster while perhaps also encouraging active engagement for audience members to march for important women’s issues after they have left the theater.
On August 18, 1920, Harry Burn, who at twenty-four was the the youngest member of the Tennessee legislature, received a letter from his mother urging him to vote in favor for the universal vote. The proposed 19th Amendment, which would allow women to vote, had reached a 48-48 tie and he had voted against. Taking his mother’s advice he voted “aye” in the ratification changing the course of history. The next day, he said in a speech: “I know that a mother’s advice is always safest for her boy to follow,” he explained, “and my mother wanted me to vote for ratification.”
After all, quoting the “Suffs:” lest we forget that “we, the women give you life.”
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