OFFICIAL: SUFFS to open at Music Box Theatre, April 18, 2024

[quizking101]

Posted: 10/18/23 at 9:18am

Per Theatremania

https://www.theatermania.com/news/shaina-taubs-suffs-to-get-broadway-run-this-spring-with-hillary-clinton-among-producers_1718427/

Among the producers for the Broadway run are Hillary Rodham Clinton and Malala Yousafzai, joining lead producers Jill Fuhrman and Rachel Sussman. Casting for the Broadway run has not been announced.

Updated On: 10/18/23 at 09:18 AM

[RippedMan]

Posted: 10/18/23 at 9:44am

Great theater for this. 

I'm guessing we'll have a Suffs vs Lempicka Tony race?

[Dylan Smith4]

Posted: 10/18/23 at 9:48am

Another show to be excited for!

[quizking101]

Posted: 10/18/23 at 10:02am

RippedMan said: "Great theater for this.

I'm guessing we'll have a Suffs vs Lempicka Tony race?"

I mean, I think it’s too early to tell anything. Especially since we don’t know where HERE LIES LOVE and GUTENBERG will fall in the Tony categories (new vs. revival)

[jkcohen626]

Posted: 10/18/23 at 10:17am

Worth noting that this appears to be an almost entirely new production. Taub, Silverman, and Sun Hee Kil (who has been demoted to associate sound designer) are the only creatives carrying from the Public. 

Public team: 

• Directed by Leigh Silverman
• Choreographed by Raja Feather Kelly
• Music Direction by Andrea Grody
• Orchestrations by Mike Brun
• Scenic Design by Mimi Lien
• Costume Design by Toni-Leslie James
• Lighting Design by Natasha Katz
• Sound Design by Sun Hee Kil

Broadway team:

• Directed by Leigh Silverman
• Choreography by Mayte Natalio 
• Music supervision and music direction by Andrea Grody
• Orchestrations by Michael Starobin
• Scenic design by Riccardo Hernández
• Costume design by Paul Tazewell
• Lighting design by Lap Chi Chu
• Sound design by Jason Crystal with associate Sun Hee Kil

[RippedMan]

Posted: 10/18/23 at 10:29am

quizking101 said: "RippedMan said: "Great theater for this.

I'm guessing we'll have a Suffs vs Lempicka Tony race?"

I mean, I think it’s too early to tell anything. Especially since we don’t know where HERE LIES LOVE and GUTENBERG will fall in the Tony categories (new vs. revival)"

They'll both be new.

[Alex Kulak2]

Posted: 10/18/23 at 10:29am

This brings the count to 12 new musicals we're getting on Broadway this year! That's as many as we got in 2016-2017, when all the transfers that didn't want to compete with Hamilton went up.

[HenryTDobson]

Posted: 10/18/23 at 10:32am

jkcohen626 said: "Worth noting that this appears to be an almost entirely new production. Taub, Silverman, and Sun Hee Kil (who has been demoted to associate sound designer) are the only creatives carrying from the Public.

Public team:

• Directed by Leigh Silverman
• Choreographed by Raja Feather Kelly
• Music Direction by Andrea Grody
• Orchestrations by Mike Brun
• Scenic Design by Mimi Lien
• Costume Design by Toni-Leslie James
• Lighting Design by Natasha Katz
• Sound Design by Sun Hee Kil

Broadway team:

• Directed by Leigh Silverman
• Choreography byMayte Natalio
• Music supervision and music direction byAndrea Grody
• Orchestrations by Michael Starobin
• Scenic design by Riccardo Hernández
• Costume design byPaul Tazewell
• Lighting design byLap Chi Chu
• Sound design byJason Crystalwith associateSun Hee Kil

"

Interesting. I wonder if this means we're getting a new cast as well. 

[DaveyG]

Posted: 10/18/23 at 10:40am

RippedMan said: "Great theater for this.

I'm guessing we'll have a Suffs vs Lempicka Tony race?"

Suffs and Lempicka got middling reviews in their pre-Broadway productions. I think The Notebook is the one to beat. 

[willep]

Posted: 10/18/23 at 11:03am

HenryTDobson said: "jkcohen626 said: "Interesting. I wonder if this means we're getting a new cast as well."

When I spoke to someone involved with the Public production a year ago, they said that some cast were in it for the long haul and others were not. Of course, that was a year ago and anything can change in that time, so I won’t mention names. But I would imagine it will be a mix.

[ErmengardeStopSniveling]

Posted: 10/18/23 at 11:11am

Hiring new designers is all well and good, but it feels like a way of saying to potential investors "look at the changes we're making!!!!" Those are cosmetic changes. What Toni-Leslie James did at the Public vs what Paul Tazewell does on Broadway will probably both be interesting and not a major factor in the reception of the show.

The actual written material of the show, the scenic design, and the choreography are larger matters, as is the addition of orchestrator Michael Starobin, who might help bring a more melodic musical theatre sound to the score.

I found the cast to be strong at the Public, and I know some of them continued on in workshops. But there's also a question of how the roles have evolved since then.

It'll be a big test for Leigh Silverman to see if she can handle a musical. I know many of us have doubts about her. Not everyone is ideal for musicals. We'll see what happens, but I'm looking forward to seeing it all new and improved.

Updated On: 10/18/23 at 11:11 AM

[Kad]

Posted: 10/18/23 at 11:22am

I’m fairly sure that, at the very least, the actors’ contracts for the show at the Public will require them to get right of first refusal in the event the production was to further develop and/or transfer. 

[hearthemsing22]

Posted: 10/18/23 at 11:22am

willep said: "HenryTDobson said: "jkcohen626 said: "Interesting. I wonder if this means we're getting a new cast as well."

When I spoke to someone involved with the Public production a year ago, they said that some cast were in it for the long haul and others were not. Of course, that was a year ago and anything can change in that time, so I won’t mention names. But I would imagine it will be a mix."

Curious! I wonder who is in it for the long haul. 

[HenryTDobson]

Posted: 10/18/23 at 11:31am

It'll be a big test for Leigh Silverman to see if she can handle a musical. I know many of us have doubts about her. Not everyone is ideal for musicals. We'll see what happens, but I'm looking forward to seeing it all new and improved.

Leigh Silverman has directed musicals in the past. She was Tony nominated for Violet. I have really enjoyed her work thus far. 

[Kad]

Posted: 10/18/23 at 11:37am

I thought Silverman ably directed Soft Power, even if I didn’t think the show as written was particularly successful. 

[ErmengardeStopSniveling]

Posted: 10/18/23 at 11:38am

I'm aware of Leigh's credentials, but her less-than-great work on SUFFS (and, to some extent, SOFT POWER - I'm opposite of Kad, I actually think it's a better piece of writing than directing) left some of us wondering if her success with VIOLET was a fluke. I'm hoping she and everyone else have figured out the problems of SUFFS.

Updated On: 10/18/23 at 11:38 AM

[dramamama611]

Posted: 10/18/23 at 11:43am

Kad: Are you saying this is standard for PUBLIC productions?  Off Bway in general?  (I'm really asking, curious about the process.)

 

I'm excited.  I really enjoyed this at the public, and walked away wanting to understand more, as well as get to see it again!

[Kad]

Posted: 10/18/23 at 12:03pm

dramamama611 said: "Kad: Are you saying this is standard for PUBLIC productions? Off Bway in general? (I'm really asking, curious about the process.)"

Off Broadway in general- the Public uses AEA’s Off Broadway agreement. There used to be two types of Off-Broadway contracts: ANTC, which was used by the non profits, and then general Off-Broadway, but they were merged into one agreement around five years ago. 
 

It’s been several years since I’ve dealt with these contracts, so my memory may be faulty and things may have changed. But there are often protections for the actors if a production is set to transfer to ensure they have first refusal and/or are compensated if they are not used. There could be a loophole with this if the subsequent production is not a direct transfer- ie, if it’s a whole new production. Again, I’m not 100% sure. 

[ErmengardeStopSniveling]

Posted: 10/18/23 at 12:04pm

Right of first refusal is pretty normal for pre-Broadway productions at a nonprofit theater with a commercial producer attached. The specifics can vary person to person and production to production, but if they choose not to offer them the Broadway run, then the actors usually get 2-4 weeks' Broadway pay. Same with the designers who they're not moving ahead with.

[dramamama611]

Posted: 10/18/23 at 12:07pm

Interesting....thanks to both Kad and Ermengarde for the explanations.

[JSquared2]

Posted: 10/18/23 at 12:12pm

Kad said: "I’m fairly sure that, at the very least, the actors’ contracts for the show at the Public will require them to get right of first refusal in the event the production was to further develop and/or transfer."

 

ROFR is something that is negotiated with each actor -- it's never guaranteed.  Also that's why buyouts exist.

[RippedMan]

Posted: 10/18/23 at 12:24pm

I loved Soft Power! What a weird show. This feels like something up her alley. It's a musical. But it's not "Some like it Hot."

And I forgot about The Notebook! Pretty stacked season of new musicals.

[Kad]

Posted: 10/18/23 at 12:25pm

ROFR is absolutely guaranteed on some AEA agreements and codes. 
 

I’ve been able to find the 2012-2016 version of the Off Broadway contract, and under the conversion rights clause, it is unambiguous that in the event of a transfer, offers must be extended to the cast or payouts must be made. 

[A.J.]

Posted: 10/18/23 at 12:44pm

Here’s hoping they revist some design elements to bring some life, colour and texture into the look of the show…. Make it look a little less dusty.

 

[Mr. Wormwood]

Posted: 10/18/23 at 1:12pm

It's interesting that there's so many new musicals this season but no one seems to have any idea what will be the biggest Tony contenders yet. Time will tell...