by Beverly Dane, In The Spotlight, Inc.
SUFFS at The Bushnell has an outstanding cast of 17 women playing a variety of roles that tell the 100-year-old history of women’s suffrage, from Carrie Chapman Catt, the successor to Susan B. Anthony, to the younger Alice Paul’s efforts to create the National Woman’s Party and the attempt to pass the Equal Rights Amendment (yet to be codified).
The show is a musical history lesson, so comparison to the more successful Hamilton is inevitable. The names of these pioneering suffragists should be better known. For that reason, it’s easy to overlook some of the weaknesses in the script—particularly regarding historical accuracy. However, SUFFS is highly entertaining and the cast and musicianship of the orchestra more than make up for the weaknesses in the narrative.
Every singer if top-notch, but some of the actresses who take this touring cast to Broadway level include Marya Grandy as Carrie Chapman Catt; Maya Keleher as Alice Paul, the primary protagonist of the story; Jenny Ashman as President Woodrow Wilson; Danyel Fulton as Ida B. Wells; Trisha Jeffrey as Mary Church Terrell; and a surprising crowd pleaser, Livvy Marcus as the young, bookish Doris Stevens. Marcus’ duet with Brandi Porter playing President Wilson’s aide, Dudley Marcus, “If We Were Married” at first sounds contrived, but the two singers commit to such longing and desire, the number is practically a showstopper, and clearly a favorite for audience members.
The music combines the efforts of a group of four lead musicians, supplemented with eight local musicians who produce one of the best pit bands in Bushnell history. Coupled with the efforts of Music Coordinators Kristy Norter and Julie Ferrar, the musicians work seamlessly with Randy Cohen’s Electronic Music Design and Jason Crystal’s Sound Design.
Mortensen Hall at the Bushnell is a tricky place for good sound/music quality, and this group of talented individuals produce a masterpiece of sound. Every word can be distinctly heard, and every instrument blends together for an exceptional background for the incredible voices on stage.
The production team for this touring show is of the highest caliber. The book, music, and lyrics by Shaina Taub (who played Alice Paul on Broadway) is complemented by the very talented director Leigh Silverman. Costumes by Paul Tazewell, lighting design by Lap Chi Chu, and touring set, adapted by Christine Peters, uses silhouettes as veritable snap shots of pictures of time in history.
The lengthy Act I (an hour and a half) lays out the background for the real drama in Act II and suffers from too many similar sounding anthems, but Act II explodes with power and is very satisfying. While not perfect, SUFFS illuminates a very important part of women’s history, and undeniably gives hope at this time in history.