Posted: 2/12/26 at 10:56am
9 PM EST as part of "Great Performances."
Interesting that they're airing this as the first national tour is still ongoing.
Posted: 5/8/26 at 7:05pm
Who’s watching this tonight?
I have it on tape, and I plan to skim through it to catch the two principal performers that I missed when I caught this live.
Posted: 5/8/26 at 9:11pm
The website is crashed for me. It's not on our local PBS station tonight, so I have to try to see it online as a PBS member.
Posted: 5/8/26 at 11:25pm
Just finished it. Found the show to be quite empowering. Now that I’ve seen most of the 2024 Tony nominees for Best Musical one way or another (Illinoise being the only exception), I have to say…
The Outsiders winning over everything else has got to be one of the most questionable outcomes of all time!
Updated On: 5/8/26 at 11:25 PM
Posted: 5/9/26 at 1:12am
Jeffrey Karasarides said: "Just finished it. Found the show to bequite empowering. Now that I’ve seen most of the 2024 Tony nominees for Best Musical one way or another (Illinoisebeing the only exception), I have to say…
The Outsiders winning over everything else has got to be one of the most questionable outcomes of all time!"
Suff's big issue for me was that Silverman's direction was bland and boring and the physical production very cheap and ugly. But the material was very strong. The Outsider's is directed within an inch of its life.
I have a strong feeling we will see the full potential of Suffs at many regional theatre's over the next few years.
Updated On: 5/9/26 at 01:12 AM
Posted: 5/9/26 at 1:40am
Yea the direction of SUFFS left a lot to be desired, but it still should've won best new musical, it is a way better piece than The Outsiders and I'm excited for Taub's next musical.
Posted: 5/9/26 at 10:16am
Jeffrey Karasarides said: "Just finished it. Found the show to bequite empowering. Now that I’ve seen most of the 2024 Tony nominees for Best Musical one way or another (Illinoisebeing the only exception), I have to say… The Outsiderswinning over everything else has got to be one of the most questionable outcomes of all time!"
If you'd seen Illinoise, I think you'd be even more perplexed!
Posted: 5/9/26 at 10:19am
kdogg36 said: "Jeffrey Karasarides said: "Just finished it. Found the show to bequite empowering. Now that I’ve seen most of the 2024 Tony nominees for Best Musical one way or another (Illinoisebeing the only exception), I have to say…The Outsiderswinning over everything else has got to be one of the most questionable outcomes of all time!"
If you'd seen Illinoise, I think you'd be even more perplexed!"
Nope, still found it lacking. Some of that dialogue....woof. Felt like I was at a lecture, not a performance. I enjoyed the show much more at the Public (and I know I'm in the minority here.
Posted: 5/9/26 at 10:33am
I thought this was great. Shaina Taub's sound as a composer really scratches an itch with me, I'm always excited to hear anything she works on.
Posted: 5/9/26 at 10:42am
Glad I was finally able to see this (I wish we got PBS proshots for every show). I agree with the others - the direction and physical production are not great but the music is strong and the book works in places, and then doesn't in others. No offense to Shaina Taub because I think she has written a great musical but I do wish we would have had another actress for Alice. It's a tricky part and I think the acting could have used a little nuisance.
But ultimately, so glad I saw this and I can't wait for the many, many, MANY productions we are about to get all over the country.
Posted: 5/9/26 at 10:48am
I saw this at the Public and Now Will Watch the Broadway version, I liked The Outsiders but Im almost sure Suffs deserved that award more
Posted: 5/9/26 at 11:19am
I haven't watched the proshot yet, but I saw Suffs at the Public, on Broadway, and the first national tour in Boston (which was an incredible production, first-rate!). I was just so-so on the show at the Public, but I loved how Taub revised the show for Broadway. Plus, if anyone has the chance to see the tour, grab it!
Updated On: 5/9/26 at 11:19 AM
Posted: 5/9/26 at 1:21pm
The staging is adequate, often repetitive with similar stage pictures of silhouettes against a cyclorama and flat wall set pieces. The acting and singing is strong by all the principal characters, the harmonies particularly well sung. The score feels hit and miss with many expository musical numbers in an almost recitative style that advance ideology and plot points, but that do not always "sing" the emotion of the character. Too many musical numbers sounded alike, so the score lacked variety. The show needed a more emotional score like Ragime's for Act 2 moments since the story is very powerful but the score does not quite capture that power in soaring ways The PBS prophet is excellent. The touring production cast garnered more emotion than the PBS version, not sure why -- maybe this is a show one needs to see in person for its full effect.
Posted: 5/9/26 at 7:02pm
The show is up on YouTube and it’s beautiful.
Posted: 5/11/26 at 11:46am
A show this solid deserved more money visually. This show in the 90’s would’ve been 10 times more lavish. But wow will every school and college do this show which is fabulous for the future.
You can be certain many history teachers will use this pro shot in class as well
Updated On: 5/11/26 at 11:46 AM
Posted: 5/11/26 at 2:26pm
Loved this show so much saw it 3 times on Bway. SO glad it is preserved so beautifully on camera. I will always say it deserved Best Musical over The Outsiders.
Posted: 5/11/26 at 2:35pm
As I said when I saw this live, SUFFS as written is a great musical, but this production didn't live up to its full visual potential. Silverman's direction also sticks out.
The camera shots for this proshot are much, much better than MERRILY. It doesn't rely heavily on close-ups and we get a much more full, clear picture of everything and everyone.
I didn't get to see Grace McLean and Kim Blanck, so it was a pleasure to finally catch their performances. Both hilarious.
Posted: 5/11/26 at 6:02pm
MadsonMelo said: "I saw this at the Public and Now Will Watch the Broadway version, I liked The Outsiders but Im almost sure Suffs deserved that award more"
1000% more than The Outsiders. This is a decent pro-shot and I'm so glad it exists. Pro-shots seem to be hit or miss. Merrily and Hamilton were terrible versus Come From Away and Waitress, which were both excellent throughout.
Posted: 5/11/26 at 6:51pm
Meh.,.
Posted: 5/11/26 at 7:36pm
Watching this really reminded me how much I hate the set. It’s so bland and boring.
While there’s a lot to like I think the tone is very uneven. Between goofy camp and drama and I don’t think the balance quite works.
I also think the women playing men feels gimmicky and not quite justified. I get wanting the show to be all women but it just becomes a cartoon whenever a man is onstage
Posted: 5/11/26 at 10:19pm
EDSOSLO858 said: "As I said when I saw this live, SUFFS as written is a great musical, but this production didn't live up to its full visual potential. Silverman's direction also sticks out.
The camera shots for this proshot are much, much better than MERRILY. It doesn't rely heavily on close-ups and we get a much more full, clear picture of everything and everyone.
I didn't get to see Grace McLean and Kim Blanck, so it was a pleasure to finally catch their performances. Both hilarious."
I'm honestly a bit baffled by Kim Blanck's performance. It's funny at times, but also just very cartoonish and over-the-top, like she's playing an alien impersonating a human.
I agree it's a great musical, and while I love this production, I do think it will one day get a revival with a visionary directory that really taps into its full potential. I would love to see a less literal production that isn't weighed down by the period costumes and sets. More abstract, more choreography, more electricity.
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