By JESSICA NEU
Beginning with a 2022 run at the New York Public Theater, SUFFS, like Six and Hamilton, features fictionalized versions of historical figures. However, instead of Henry VIII’s ex-wives or the Founding Fathers, Suffs takes us to early 1900s America to explore the political drama surrounding the American women’s suffrage movement.
SUFFS was reworked for its Broadway debut in 2024, and this current version comes to the Pittsburgh CLO to complete the organization’s final summer series. Directed by Leigh Silverman and with book and music by Shania Taub, Suffsdelivers an inspiring message, emotional moments, and a thought-provoking lesson about a time not so long ago.
It’s 1913, and suffragist Carrie Chapman Catt (Marya Grandy) leads a small, passionate yet demure group of women with the plea to “let mother vote.” Catt’s logic is simple – female votes that combine informed policy with a touch of maternal instinct will make the world a better place. It is then that Catt meets young, ambitious activist Alice Paul (Maya Keleher). Paul is a college graduate whose deceased mother took her to Catt’s early suffrage movements. The two women are equally determined but maligned in their approach. Paul desperately wants to organize and lead a women’s march on Washington, but Catt will not support the aggressive protest strategy. The idea of a march defies Catt’s motto of “slow and steady, when the country is ready.” Paul is vocal about the need for direct action. At the same time, Catt feels that President Woodrow Wilson (Merrill Pieffer) will be more persuaded by a subtle approach that favors women’s virtue over Paul’s brazen tactics. Approach aside, Paul recognizes the need to expand the movement and invites other courageous young women to join her efforts. Inez Milholland (Monica Tulia Ramirez), Doris Stevens (Jenna Lea Rosen), Ruza Wenclawska (Joyce Meimei Zheng), and Lucy Burns (Gwynne Wood) all unite in solidarity to help transform our nation’s history.
SUFFS: Maya Keleher as Alice, Paul Marya Grandy as Carrie Chapman Catt
(Image: Joan Marcus)
Underlying the main theme of female voter rights is an astute, powerful discussion of racism, race relations, gender identification, and misogyny. Topics including domestic violence, torture, and force-feeding are part of the production but are beautifully depicted through Mayte Natalio’s choreography instead of any overtly gratuitous depictions. Furthermore, Paul and her team grapple with the difficult decision of whether to include African American suffragists in their group, as they feared that this inclusion would subsequently alienate white Southern women. Paul attempts to reconcile this conflict by having African American women march in the back of the line. Tensions peak early in Act I when Paul confronts the respected African American activist and suffragist Ida B. Wells (Danyel Fulton). Paul suggests that Wells should prioritize her gender over her race to do what’s best for the movement and “wait her turn” to be able to march in the front or with white women at all. Fulton plays this moment with a stoic poker face, but an internal anger that encapsulates the theater. Keleher plays Paul’s racism as obliviousness rather than an inherent character flaw, allowing her to remain the protagonist we not only like, but root for. Keleher’s Paul approaches every conversation, idea, and action with grit and determination. She walks slightly hunched at the shoulders, allowing her head to lead her interaction; a visible representation of her unyielding dedication to the cause. Paul’s slightly scrappy nature only makes Catt appear that much more poised and, at times, stiff. As Catt, Grandy is intentional and always carries the weight of her past, fears of becoming irrelevant, and the very real awareness of her gender with her.
(Image: Joan Marcus)
This character foil calls forth the question of a woman’s role in society – one that continues to be heavily debated to this day. Paul questions whether the movement should be agreeable or insistent. The ensemble helps answer this question: they are fierce warriors, writers, and activists, but also desire to be sophisticated and yearn for male companionship. Together, they help reclaim the word “bitch,” but also question whether you can lead a revolution and still be home in time to put your children to bed.
(Image: Joan Marcus)
As an ensemble, the women bring their own unique talents to each role. Wood brings a commanding presence and standout vocals to Lucy Burns, Paul’s best friend from college and closest confidant. Ramirez delivers a powerful Inez Milholland and proves how ahead of her time this brilliant labor lawyer and socialite was. Zheng is a hilariously fierce Eastern European activist who has no doubt seen more in her early 20s than most do in a lifetime. Tami Dahbura is moving as Mollie Hay, Catt’s second in command. Pieffer is a delightfully diabolical President Wilson, who promises to campaign for the suffragists and declares his love for women, but continues to ignore the movement until he can personally benefit from their cause.
Similar to Hamilton and Six, SUFFS also occasionally forgoes facts in favor of entertainment. There is no mention that the original suffragists trained with the British activists and modeled many of their tactics after this powerful militia. However, when immersed in the show, these intentional oversights make it easy to embrace the repeated refrain “how do you do what’s never been done before?” Suffs explores an important part of American history that often gets ignored. We are reminded of, or introduced to, women whose shoulders we still stand on 100 years later, and women’s marches are still occurring. As they march, they decree that they want their mothers, daughters, nieces, and friends to know that they were there. SUFFS allows us all to know that they were there.
And now we are here slightly more than 100 years after their historic achievement. Perhaps this notion of time and progress is one of Suffrage’s greatest achievements. The past 100 years have brought us unprecedented change and progress, but seeing the suffragists’ story reminds us that there is still work to be done. 102 years after Paul met Catt in 1913, I held my daughter as I cast my vote for the first female Presidential candidate. Paul was not around to see Hillary Clinton’s historic run, but if she were, she would likely take several minutes to toast a glass of champagne (“giggle juice”) and then remind us all to get right back to work.
“We demand to be heard! We demand to be seen! We demand equality and nothing in between!”
Learn more about SUFFS:
An intereview with ‘SUFFS’ Tony-Nominated Director Leigh Silverman
Preview: Six Things to Know About ‘Suffs’ in Pittsburgh
TICKETS AND DETAILS
Pittsburgh CLO’s presentation of SUFFS is at the Benedum Center now through July 26, 2026. Tickets available at: https://trustarts.org/production/104085/suffs
Categories: Arts and Ideas, Reviews
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