Celebrate The Power of Women – Suffs

Oct 6, 2024 by Two Sues On the Aisle

By Two Sues on the Aisle, Susie Rosenbluth and Sue Weston

Suff’s all-female cast gives 1900s women’s struggles a voice in classic Broadway style. This powerful musical focuses on the suffragists’ movement, who after 60 years of trying to charm the men running the country to ‘Let Mother Vote’ opt for a more vocal and visible approach, marching on Washington. Suffs is a historical fiction based on real people, and events, with book, music, and lyrics, written by Shaina Taub.

Women’s struggle for equality is as relevant today as it was a century ago, Suffs recognizes the early advocates, and the lengths they went to be heard preparing us for the long journey still ahead.

The History of The Women’s Movement

Alice Paul (played by Hawley Gould in the performance we saw, is typically performed by Shaina Taub), a headstrong 27-year-old, insistent that it’s time for a change, approaches the 53-year-old leader of the American woman suffrage movement, Carrie Chapman Catt (Jenn Colella), demanding immediate action. Chapman, a protégé of Susan B. Anthony, was set on the slow steady approach. Paul insists that this approach has not worked, and shakes things up, organizing the first woman’s march down Pennsylvania Avenue in 1913 lobbying for a constitutional amendment that would give women the right to vote. After meeting with President Wilson (Dana Costello) multiple times and asking for his support, in vain, they attempt to block his reelection.

Calling themselves the Silent Sentinels they picketed the White House in silent protest for 2 ½ years. In 1917, after America entered WWI, Alice Paul and other protesters were arrested and imprisoned for obstructing traffic. The women went on a hunger strike.

In 1918 the Suffrage Bill was introduced with the support of President Wilson. In 1919 it passed the House and Senate. In 1920 Tennessee became the 36th state to ratify the amendment and it became the 19th Amendment to the Constitution.

Drama and Controversy

You could not create a more colorful and diverse group of women, ripped from the annals of history, these personalities melded together champions for the women’s right to vote. The show introduces black suffragists, Ida B. Wells (D’Kaylah Unique Whitley) and Mary Church Terrell (Anastacia McCleskey), who will not wait their turn but agree to walk in the back to keep the peace. The movement becomes a fight for all women and their place in society.

Suffs reminds us how much society has changed in 100 years. It celebrates a woman’s right to be more than prim and proper, to be proud to be a ‘Great American Bitch’. This was a radical concept in the 1920s when a woman’s place was in the home, subservient to their husband.  In ‘If We Were Married’ Doris (Nadia Dandashi) explains to President Wilson’s Chief-of-Staff Dudley (Tsilala Brock) that women forfeit their rights when they marry. In 1916, all joint property belonged to their husband, a woman couldn’t hire a lawyer or open a bank account, and contraception was illegal.

The lyrics are clever, and the music is infectious. We found ourselves humming the tunes.

Taub’s characters are charismatic, Inez Milholland (Hannah Cruz), vocal labor lawyer and socialist becomes the face and spokeswoman for the group. Her persona is larger than life, riding a horse at the 1913 rally and going cross country trying to prevent Wilson’s reelection. But the trip was too much for her, with dramatic last words she asks – how long must women wait for liberty? … till it’s too late. Her death prompts the Silent Protest.

The audience cheered the suffragists, applauding wildly in solidarity and appreciating the amazing performers. These women show the importance of finding a way to do something that has never been done before. They remind us of the futility of continuing along a path that is not producing results. We watch as younger, passionate women replace the old guard, impatient to try new approaches and demanding full equality.

The Fight Continues

There is still work to be done to create a society where women are guaranteed equal treatment under the law. The Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) was authored by Alice Paul in 1923 to guarantee equality regardless of sex, but never became law.

Paul and the suffragists realized they could only tackle one issue at a time, they succeeded in getting women the right to vote. The baton has been passed forward there is still more to be done.

Suffs is a must-see musical for all women, especially during an election year.

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Two Sues on the Aisle bases its ratings on how many challahs (1-5) it pays to buy (rather than make) to see the play, show, film, book, or exhibit being reviewed.

Suffs: Musical received 5 Challahs

Running time is 2hr 30min including a 15min intermission