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

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

Another show to be excited for!

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

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.

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.

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

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.

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

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!

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.

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.

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.

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...