League of Women Voters on Stage with Tony Award-Winning Musical Suffs to Honor Women Suffragists

WASHINGTON  — The League of Women Voters of the United States partnered with the Broadway musical Suffs in recognition of Women’s Equality Day, the day commemorating the adoption of the nineteenth amendment to the United States Constitution in 1920, which gave some women the right to vote. 

A star-studded state roll call that recognized notable figures such as League of Women Voters CEO Celina Stewart, Comedian Dana Goldberg, and Pulitzer prize-winning playwright Suzan-Lori Parks, representing each of the 36 states that ratified the 19th amendment capped off the event. This special “League Night” also included a panel discussion featuring the League’s incoming CEO, historian Kimberly Hamlin, journalist Erin Geiger Smith, and Suffs cast members Kirsten Scott and Dana Costello that focused on how women have shaped democracy since the suffrage movement and what’s at stake in the 2024 election. 

“We are proud to partner with Suffs to highlight how women have shaped progress in this country for more than a century,” said Celina Stewart, CEO of the League of Women Voters of the United States. “We have come a long way, but the fight is far from over. The League of Women Voters believes in the power of women to create a more perfect democracy, and as a women-led organization, the League remains steadfast in our commitment to empower voters to take part in our democracy.”

“The League of Women Voters is an incredible organization, and we are proud to have partnered with them throughout our time on Broadway,” said Suffs producers Jill Furman and Rachel Sussman. “This special night serves as the culmination of our Women’s Equality Week events, and there is no better way to celebrate the legacy of the suffragists while looking forward to all we can accomplish in this election year and beyond. We hope this special roll call demonstrates to the audience how far we have come and encourages them to keep marching, keep voting, and keep making their voices heard.”

Suffs is the Tony Award®-winning musical that’s making history on Broadway! Created by Shaina Taub, who is now the first woman to ever independently win Tony Awards for Best Book and Best Score in the same season, Suffs has also been named Best Musical (Outer Critics Circle Award), received two Drama Desk Awards including Best Score, and is “unquestionably the most emotionally stirring musical of the season” (Chicago Tribune). 

It’s a given that the women of the suffragist movement — who called themselves “Suffs” for short — were brilliant, but as they fought tirelessly for the right to vote, they were also flawed, stubborn, passionate and funny. Suffs tells their story: the remarkable friendships, the heartbreak, and how this movement brought them together — or, in some cases, tore them apart. Produced by Hillary Clinton, Malala Yousafzai, Jill Furman, and Rachel Sussman, Suffs is a “theatrical masterpiece that demands to be seen” (Forbes) and a reminder that progress is always possible but never guaranteed.

“League Night” at Suffs took place on August 24th at Music Box Theatre. Find photos of the event here. 

Photo Credit: Rebecca J. Michelson

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Press Contacts:

Shannon Augustus, League of Women Voters Press Secretary

[email protected]