Audience members stirred as the cast and crew of “Suffs,” a Broadway musical, prepared for their Sunday matinee. Little did they know, the musical would soon become a political rally before the curtains even rose.
Just before the show began, the news was released that then-President Joe Biden had dropped out of the 2024 presidential election and was endorsing Vice President Kamala Harris. The audience shouted Harris’ name over and over again before letting the performance begin, according to Playbill.
Jenn Colella, an actress in “Suffs,” posted a video of the rally on Instagram, dubbing it the first Harris rally and calling the experience unforgettable.
“Suffs” is a Tony-award-winning musical that recently closed on Broadway in January 2025. Detailing parts of the American women’s suffrage movement, it focused on the 1913 Woman Suffrage Procession while also celebrating women’s rights activist Alice Paul. The musical acted not only as a powerful commentary on U.S. history, but also as a timely reminder for women to keep standing up for their rights.
Former presidential candidate Hillary Clinton, one of the co-producers of the musical, said in an interview with NYC Speaks, “What we hope is that ‘Suffs’ inspires many women to keep on marching, speaking up, and to keep on voting.”
Elizabeth Berg, Carlmont’s drama teacher, feels that art, especially theater can drive and impact social change.
“Art can be used to explore contemporary issues, giving people a window into new worlds. It gives one the opportunity to put themselves in someone else’s shoes,” Berg said.
The production team of “Suffs” took the importance of voting in the 2024 election seriously. They launched ticket initiatives on Election Day, giving age-specific discounts to voters under 25 as well as prospective future voters under 18. The producers felt that the musical itself would promote and teach younger audiences the importance of voting and action, according to Playbill. They expressed beliefs that art could cause social change.
“I think that music and theater bring people together,” said Mia Judkins, an advanced drama student. “It’s really nice to see women in musical theater speaking up and using their talent for good.”
“Suffs” remained culturally significant to Broadway-goers, especially during the election.
“My sister saw ‘Suffs’ on election night,” said Samantha Ayoob, choreographer of Carlmont’s 2025 musical. “She said that watching the musical while Donald Trump was winning was the craziest experience she’s ever had. The entire audience was in tears.”
As Election Day passed by, the U.S. was not able to see a woman elected in 2024.
“Personally, I wanted to see a female president. I think that would’ve given us more rights and just made women across the country feel more secure and safe through daily life,” Judkins said.
Directly after the election, “Suffs” skyrocketed in popularity, as ticket sales and overall grosses spiked during the week of the election.
By bringing women’s suffrage to life, the musical encouraged women to march and fight for their rights. They represented activism through songs like “The March (We Demand Equality),” in which the suffragettes march in Washington D.C. and demand the president give them the right to vote.
From the song “Keep Marching,” the closing number, “The gains will feel small and the losses too large. Keep marching.”
A little over a century later, women in America are still marching for their rights. On Jan.18, the weekend preceding Trump’s inauguration, the Women’s March congregated on Jan. 18 for the People’s March, mainly in Washington D.C.
“‘Suffs’ is an amazing representation of what women can do together,” Ayoob said, “It’s exactly what Broadway needs right now.”
