Broadway got meta over the weekend when news of a shakeup for the upcoming U.S. presidential election dropped moments before July 21 matinees began their performances. Current President and expected nominee Joe Biden released a letter announcing he was ending his campaign and would not seek the nomination. Moments later, he endorsed his Vice President, Kamala Harris, to take over in his place. A win for Harris would make for the country's first female President.
The moment felt especially poignant at the Music Box Theatre, where Suffs, a musical about the fight to earn women the right to vote, plays. And don't forget—the show counts former female presidential candidate Hillary Clinton among its producing team, too. Audience members marked the moment by turning the performance into an impromptu Kamala Harris rally as the curtain went up on the afternoon performance, shouting "Kamala! Kamala! Kamala!" before letting the performance continue.
Watch the moment, as posted to Instagram by company member Jenn Colella, below.
Set in the years leading up to the 19th amendment, Suffs explores the Women's Suffrage movement's victories and failures with a 2024 Tony-winning book, music, and lyrics by Shaina Taub.
Taub stars in her own musical as Alice Paul, alongside Tony winner Nikki M. James (The Book of Mormon) as Ida B. Wells, Tony nominee Colella (Come From Away) as Carrie Chapman Catt, Grace McLean (Natasha, Pierre and The Great Comet of 1812) as President Woodrow Wilson, Hannah Cruz as Inez Milholland, Kim Blanck as Ruza Wenclawska, Anastacia McCleskey (Waitress) as Mary Church Terrell, Ally Bonino as Lucy Burns, Tsilala Brock as Dudley Malone, Nadia Dandashi as Doris Stevens, and Tony Award nominee Emily Skinner (Side Show) as Alva Belmont/Phoebe Burn.
Director Leigh Silverman is at the helm, leading a creative team that includes music supervisor and music director Andrea Grody, choreographer Mayte Natalio, scenic designer Riccardo Hernández, costume designer Paul Tazewell, lighting designer Lap Chi Chu, sound designer Jason Crystal, and orchestrator Michael Starobin. 101 Productions is the general manager.
Jenn Colella and company of Suffs
Jenn Colella in Suffs
Nikki M. James in Suffs
Grace McLean in Suffs
Hannah Cruz in Suffs
Emily Skinner in Suffs
Jenn Colella and Shaina Taub in Suffs
Company of Suffs
Tsilala Brock and Grace McLean in Suffs
Kim Blanck and company of Suffs
Hannah Cruz and company of Suffs
Anastacia McCleskey, Laila Erica Drew, and Nikki M.James in Suffs
Nikki M. James and company of Suffs
Shaina Taub in Suffs
