Shaina Taub's SUFFS at the Public to feature Phillipa Soo, Nikki M. James, Jenn Colella, Grace McLean, Taub, and more- Page 4

[EDSOSLO858]

Posted: 3/14/22 at 12:26am

2 said: "ErmengardeStopSniveling said: "Out of curiosity, how big is the band? That quick curtain call video sounds like solo piano (but sometimes numbers go into previews before they're fully orchestrated)."

The all-female band joins the cast on stage for the curtain call, which is why it is piano-only. There are 11 players in the band, all sounding great."

My girl Andrea Grody is MD'ing this show! She recently conducted Tootsie and The Band's Visit on Broadway. 

[Menken Fan]

Posted: 3/14/22 at 12:29am

I wouldn’t say it got overly emotional or weepy. More like intriguing and building toward a known result. Think 1776. You do get invested in the characters, their actions and motivations though. And one leading character dies before intermission, but it’s not a major plot point. 

Updated On: 3/14/22 at 12:29 AM

[Menken Fan]

Posted: 3/14/22 at 12:32am

Dupe

Updated On: 3/14/22 at 12:32 AM

[Jakeevan942]

Posted: 3/14/22 at 1:02am

Thescapist29 said: "Just got back from the Public. The show runs every bit of 2 hours and 55 minutes - and it’s nearly sung through. The book and music are terrifically strong and the cast is almost embarrassingly good. Having read a lot of criticism around the possibility of excusing the suffragist movement for not adequately representing non-white voices, I had my fears - but the show addresses the shortcomings of the movement as well as the triumphs. Taub’s performance is stunning, both as performer and composer. I was blown away by Nikki M. James, Cassondra James, and Grace McLean."

I could not have written this better myself. The show could probably use some tightening, but it's a really strong piece of musical theater. Another bit of American history, just like the content that a certain other show that started at the Public covers, that I knew basically nothing about, and am hopeful that an eventual recording of this score will get used to teach the Suffrage movement in schools. I think another extension downtown is likely, so whenever it gets announced, grab tickets-the first extension sold out in a week, I'd imagine the next will sell faster.

And that is my curtain call video from tonight. Thanks for sharing it here.

[Mark_E]

Posted: 3/14/22 at 10:15am

Has anyone got experience of the returns queue/standby line at the Public? I'm thinking that may be my only way to be able to get a ticket this week. 

[rattleNwoolypenguin]

Posted: 3/14/22 at 11:29am

Does it feel like the next Hamilton? 
 

Does it have a huge broadway runaway hit written in its stars? 

[jkcohen626]

Posted: 3/14/22 at 12:39pm

rattleNwoolypenguin said: "Does it feel like the next Hamilton?


Does it have a huge broadway runaway hit written in its stars?"

 

I'm sure everyone could tell you that based on one preview. 

[TaffyDavenport]

Posted: 3/14/22 at 12:50pm

Mark_E said: "Has anyone got experience of the returns queue/standby line at the Public? I'm thinking that may be my only way to be able to get a ticket this week."

Seats popped up for this Wednesday and Thursday. 

[Synecdoche2]

Posted: 3/14/22 at 12:59pm

rattleNwoolypenguin said: "Does it feel like the next Hamilton?

It definitely takes heavy inspiration from Hamilton, but in a very deliberate way. Phillipa Soo's casting is by no means accidental.

[Mark_E]

Posted: 3/14/22 at 1:00pm

TaffyDavenport said: "Mark_E said: "Has anyone got experience of the returns queue/standby line at the Public? I'm thinking that may be my only way to be able to get a ticket this week."

Seats popped up for this Wednesday and Thursday."

Thank you so much! I have just booked a ticket for Wednesday evening in row D orchestra!

[TaffyDavenport]

Posted: 3/14/22 at 1:11pm

Mark_E said: "TaffyDavenport said: "Mark_E said: "Has anyone got experience of the returns queue/standby line at the Public? I'm thinking that may be my only way to be able to get a ticket this week."

Seats popped up for this Wednesday and Thursday."

Thank you so much! I have just booked a ticket for Wednesday evening in row D orchestra!"

Perfect! 

[cjmclaughlin10]

Posted: 3/14/22 at 4:35pm

More tickets just got released (mostly for Saturday’s and Sundays. Shows as far out as April) 

[Jakeevan942]

Posted: 3/14/22 at 5:55pm

While last night was the 4th preview that became the first preview, it felt very much like an invited dress crowd-the entire cast of a current Broadway show in the few rows in front of me, assorted other Broadway performers around the venue, at least one major TV star who has worked with folks involved before, friends of the producers. 

I'd expect to start hearing more buzz from regular folks over the next few days.

[Shubert Alley Cat]

Posted: 3/17/22 at 12:18am

Regular person here.  Saw the show tonight.  LOVED it.  I cannot praise this cast enough.  Congrats to Ms. Taub on this achievement.  I expect big things lie ahead.

[pollster2]

Posted: 3/17/22 at 9:35am

I hate to be the voice of dissent, but I saw “Suffs” last night and was really disappointed. This production has an all-star creative team but to me, it felt cheap and amateurish.

 

I’ll start with what I enjoyed:

-          Shaina Taub. What a joy. She is so wildly talented. Her Alice Paul was terrific, and she is most definitely a leading lady in the making. You just want to root for her.

-          Jenn Colella. Give us more! I was very invested in Alice and Carrie serving as each other’s foils. To me, that made a much more compelling story.

-          Grace McLean. The decision to make Woodrow Wilson a somewhat vaudevillian character was an interesting one but I think it works. McLean does a lot with Wilson that I found to be fun. If you are familiar with Wilson’s life, you will appreciate how McLean and Taub tackle a very specific period in his life. It felt very Witch in “Into the Woods” which I enjoyed.

-          Phillipa Soo. It’s so great to see her back on stage again. Her character is the glue that really holds the piece together and serves as a lynchpin for much of what happens and beyond.

 

And what I think could use some improvement:

-          The book. The show takes place over 7 years and the show certainly feels that long in places, but I found the overall structure of the book to be a bit messy. For example, President Wilson is reelected in 1916 and then suddenly they go back to 1915 where his advisor resigns. There are a few moments like that that did not make a ton of sense to me from a plot perspective. Second, I realize the racial component of the suffrage movement, but I found the focus on the black suffragists to be a bit misguided. I also found the entire romance plot between Wilson’s advisor and one of the suffragists to be entirely unnecessary. I think the second act is infinitely stronger than the first.

-          The music and lyrics. They’re fine and serviceable. Nothing really wowed me or felt like it was ready for a Broadway audience. But the songs were fine…

-          The Hamilton factor. Woodrow Wilson is definitely the King George in this piece. It’s not a carbon copy and some may roll their eyes but I thought it worked. However, there is a sequence in the second act that felt like “Burn” and I rolled my eyes as this sequence began. And when the Tennessee State Senate is voting on the 19th amendment, it is very much like “The Election of 1800.” It works but I wish these moments were their own.

 

I wanted to love this but I just felt let down. I think the book is the biggest issue and the tonal structure of what this show wants to be needs to be better defined. Right now, it feels like a good fringe festival show and nothing more.

[Bobster159]

Posted: 3/17/22 at 1:05pm

Let me add my voice to the glowing side of the aisle. I haven't been more impressed with a new musical in ages. I'm not sure there's much to be gained from getting swept up in hypotheticals of what could happen down the road, but this has a ton going for it.

It's primarily sung-through, and the score and lyrics are first-rate. There are at least a half dozen take-home tunes. I simply cannot wait for the recording. The show opens strongly and genuinely grips. Yes, we know the ending, but there's real tension, and some of the more personal plot points are, I think, less well known (certainly new to me). In at least one case a narrative turn was really quite shocking.

As pretty much everyone has commented, the cast is beyond excellent. They're not just big performers, they're all in the right roles. Shaina Taub leads from the front, and Grace McLean is just plain, outstanding as Woodrow Wilson. It would take far too long to detail everyone, even down to the minor roles the performers deserve awards (e.g. Aisha de Haas is a brief delight as a wealthy donor).

I'd argue the staging is less strong than the musical itself (though it was the second preview, so take this with a pinch of salt). There's some clever use of vaudeville-style elements, which work really well, but much of the rest of the staging is more unimaginative and lacks a bit of pizzazz. The overall design is striking and mostly used effectively. It'll scale well, very easy to see this on a much bigger stage. The lighting is a bit of a bland mishmash though and at times made the show look fairly basic. There's a brief appearance by a horse statue (ridden by Soo!) that I hope gets adjusted soon as it both looked silly and partially blocked her face (I was about halfway back, I'd guess it completely blocked her face for much of the front section).

Despite some of this current staging unevenness, I left on a huge high. It's very zeitgeisty and I can see it being enormously popular with press & celebrities. The narrative does not canonize these characters. It's an honest portrayal of people trying to do their best to make the world a better place. You might not come away wanting to be Alice Paul's friend, but you'd find it very hard not to respect her and what she achieved. There's a positive and inclusive message and one that's earned rather than pushed in your face. Overall, a delightful show that I hope many people get the opportunity to see.

[ColorTheHours048]

Posted: 3/17/22 at 11:37pm

Adding another to the praise pile. I thought this was mostly really great. The score and book are solid, and could use only a bit of trimming to tighten the storytelling up. I don’t know that I’m totally sold on the big I Want song for Alice (“Finish the Fight&rdquo - which isn’t as catchy or anthemic as I think it wants to be - but I loved Shaina Taub’s writing. In particular, a song late in act two (“I Wasn’t There&rdquo stuck in my head and I’ll be thinking about it incessantly until they record a cast album.

Where I felt a little let down was the production itself. It being a world premiere with clear aspirations of future productions, I’ll be interested to see how the physical production evolves. As is, it feels like a rough draft. The set and lights don’t pop in the way the score and story do, so they feel in opposition to each other. If this was intentional, it only serves to undercut the material, and moments that could have been thrilling fell just short. And the direction and staging feel a bit uninspired. I kept wishing the production would meet the quality of the piece, but I think that’s a positive thing for it’s future prospects.

If you’re able to get a ticket, I highly recommend it. It’s not perfect, but it has a HELL of a lot of potential. Shaina Taub is a wonder.

Updated On: 3/17/22 at 11:37 PM

[brenway]

Posted: 3/18/22 at 12:27am

Wow, saw tonight’s performance and am absolutely blown away. I went in with an expectation to like it, but I walked out of the theater humming so many lines of different songs stuck in my head. Needless to say catchy songs, and beautiful performances from the whole cast made this a blow my high expectations out of the water! Echoing what everyone else is saying, the cast is 100% casted correctly and everyone delivers! Really adored Nikki M James and Jenn Colella, both pulled my eye every time they were on stage!

I actually thought the set accomplished a lot and was pleasantly surprised based on some feedback it was getting on here. Like comparing the set to Hamilton (sorry I had to) I actually think it’s way more versatile. 
 
Not going to say much more to avoid spoiling cause I have a very strong feeling this will be all over the place very soon! Get tickets if you can!

Updated On: 3/18/22 at 12:27 AM

[hearthemsing22]

Posted: 3/18/22 at 3:51pm

How are people SO DANG FAST at grabbing rush tickets?? goodness. I watch the countdown on TodayTix and have my finger like repeatedly pressing until I get to the tickets but by then they're all spoken for! Wow. 

[jkcohen626]

Posted: 3/20/22 at 11:16am

Saw this last night and LOVED it!

I think with this and Devil Wears Prada coming up, Shaina Taub is about to blow up and it's going to be so well-deserved! She's amazing! 

The score was wonderful. Highlights were definitely the beginning of act 2 as well as Nikki and Philipa's solo numbers in act 2. I really wish there was a song list in the Playbill because I'm having trouble remembering everything. 

All of the performances were amazing! Shaina did a wonderful job as Alice, Grace McLean was awesome as Wilson, Jenn Collela rocked it as a sympathetic antagonist, and the whole cast was great. However, I think my favorite three were Phillipa Soo, Nikki M. James, and Hannah Cruz (which you might be able to guess from my three favorite songs). Phillipa just so perfectly delivered an Inez that made us understand why all of these other women were so enamored with her, Nikki did a terrific job creating an Ida that built empathy with her frustrations and constant road blocks, and Hannah Cruz just stole the scene on so many occasions. She definitely got all the biggest laughs of the night!

Definitley hoping that this has a long future! 

[Mark_E]

Posted: 3/20/22 at 11:29am

This has been the musical highlight of my trip so far. Absolutely wonderful show and I was totally captured from the start. Shaina Taub stars as Alice Paul - what a find she is, absolutely brilliant performance and she has written a cracking show here. Nikki M. James as Ida B. Wells gets a brilliant number in act one and is fabulous whenever she's onstage. Other highlights include Jenn Colella as Carrie Catt, Grace McLean as Woodrow Wilson and Philippa Soo as Inez Milholland

Musically it's difficult to compare. Bit of Schwartz/Pippin esque at times, and very unashamedly musical theatre. I knew little about the US suffragette movement and came out with a really good base understanding.

Very curious to see where this show goes, I'd be very surprised if it doesn't transfer next season.

[MadsonMelo]

Posted: 3/20/22 at 11:37am

Is there cancellation line for this?

[ErmengardeStopSniveling]

Posted: 3/20/22 at 12:30pm

This show is so f’n brilliant. I was pretty much floored by it. I don’t think it has the populist appeal of HAMILTON, but could absolutely find an audience on Bway (more so than Kimberly Akimbo and A Strange Loop). There’s so much good stuff here. Sure, they could cut 10 minutes, and maybe the music could swell a little more in the act 1 and 2 finales, but it’s a great, serious (and funny!) musical that both honors and interrogates its subjects (and handles the interrogation very, very effectively).

Shaina Taub is so compelling onstage. I had never seen her play a role of this magnitude.

I love the design and most of the staging.

I do think the satire numbers (there are 3 or 4, including the openings to each act) need more of a musical comedy staging and energy to really sell them, which will also be another way to appeal to mass audiences. The writing is there, now the staging needs to match or exceed it. To that end, though Grace McLean is fine as Woodrow Wilson, she’s not a natural musical comedy performer and that role would be a slam dunk for someone with the comedic chops of Jennifer Simard or Carmen Cusack or Laura Benanti (overqualified) or Natalie Walker or someone like that…someone who can ooze charm and charisma and find humor in unexpected places. But that’s a picky note and maybe McLean can even be directed to modulate her performance up by 10-15%.

Move it to Broadway, but wait til next spring when it might have a good chance of getting some Tony attention.

Updated On: 3/20/22 at 12:30 PM

[KJisgroovy]

Posted: 3/20/22 at 12:44pm

Any idea about a short extension? Seems to be quite the hit so at least some extension seems obvious but non-profits can be so weird about these things. 

[jkcohen626]

Posted: 3/20/22 at 12:51pm

Still thinking about this show and had a few more thoughts (I typed out most of my earlier post last night, but fell asleep before posting it):

This show will never escape the Hamilton comparisons (no show about history will), but Shaina definitely seems to have learned from the critiques of that show regarding the lack of discussion of some of the protagonists' faults and swung the pendulum way back the other way. From beginning to end they make you personally dislike Alice while still wanting her to succeed desperately. She's terrible to Ida, they basically imply she kills another Suff, and her ambition and drive are often portrayed as out-of-control flaws she never got control of. I think all of that really worked and I was very glad to see it.

I thought that most of the technical elements were done very well, the set was fantastic. My ONLY set complaint was that there wasn't a fourth column on stage left. The asymmetry bothered me a bit. but really not so much. I thought the lighting was good, but there did seem to be a few awkward preview-ism lighting moments that I'm sure will be tightened up by opening night. 

I do also have to bring up how special it was to me to see a Jewish writer so clearly infuse her secular show with Jewish values. I saw the epigraph with the Talmud quote in the Playbill and thought it was cute, but was so pleasantly surprised to see it so centrally woven into the closing of the show. It definitely left me on an especially high note.