Seeing Suffs this past weekend reminded me of seeing Hamilton --and that's a very good thing.

It was quite a history lesson, with the main role, Alice Paul, taken by the creator of the musical. Shaina Taub (much like Lin-Manuel Miranda) wrote the book, lyrics, and music for this Broadway show, earning two Tony awards. Telling the story of the women who fought for the 19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which allowed women to vote, and covering events from 1913 to 1920, the story here focuses on the suffragists (not "suffragettes," which they considered an insult), without much detail on the men who opposed them (other than Woodrow Wilson, the villian of the piece).

Although I like to think of myself as an educated and informed person, there was a lot here that was new to me. I didn't know much about the divisions within the movement (debate about how best to effect change, how extreme demands should be, the old guard vs. younger, less patient activists, the intersection of race and gender, how much personal sacrifice for the cause was appropriate). I wasn't familiar with Alice Paul or many of the historical figures portrayed here (Carrie Chapman Catt, Inez Milholland, Ruza Wenkclawska, Alva Belmont, Mary Church Terrell, Lucy Burns, Dudley Malone, and others)--so many fascinating stories, so much to learn. I didn't know that the ratification of the 19th Amendment came down to one vote in Tennessee, and that Harry T. Burn was convinced to support suffrage by his mother who sent a last-minute telegram. I didn't know that the suffragists, after achieving this victory, immediately went to work on the Equal Rights Amendment (although I did know that this effort stalled in the 1980s and alas, that the work is still unfinished).

The actors (all female or non-binary) were excellent. Nikki M. James as Ida B. Wells was a standout for me, as was Hannah Cruz (Inez Milholland) and Christine Heesun Hwang (Ruza Wenclawska) but I had no complaints about the ensemble cast.

Suffs is closing in January, so get tickets now. If you can't make it to New York City before then, fear not: there will be a national tour starting in Seattle in September 2025. March on, Suffs!

Website: https://suffsmusical.com/

Location: Music Box Theatre, 239 W. 45th Street