Posted: 1/12/24 at 5:19pm
I loved Soo in the Off-Broadway version, so I'm sad to hear she isn't coming with it. So glad James is coming back. She is definitely a scene-stealer. I'm very curious about Grace McLean as well.
Posted: 1/12/24 at 9:21pm
Did you see Suffs at the Public? I didn't care for the show as a whole, but Phillipa Soo was far and away one of the standouts in the cast (along with Grace McLean and Nikki M. James). I agree that it would be a loss for the production if she doesn't move forward with it.
Posted: 1/16/24 at 4:13pm
The cast will be announced tomorrow at 9 AM, and it is highly rumored that Adrienne Warren will replace Soo.
Posted: 1/16/24 at 4:15pm
EDSOSLO858 said: "The cast will be announced tomorrow at 9 AM, and it is highly rumored that Adrienne Warren will replace Soo."
You need to get better sources. Not even a remote possibility of this happening.
Posted: 1/17/24 at 8:52am
EXCLUSIVE: Composer-actor Shaina Taub will lead the Broadway cast of her musical Suffs, reprising the role she played in the original, sold-out 2022 Off Broadway production.
The casting makes Taub only the second woman in Broadway history to write the book, music, lyrics and star in her own musical. (The first was the late Micki Grant, making Broadway history in 1972 with Don’t Bother Me, I Can’t Cope.)
Joining Taub in the Broadway production – which begins previews at the Music Box Theatre on March 26 ahead of an April 18 opening night – will be Nikki M. James (Tony Award winner for The Book of Mormon) as Ida B. Wells; Jenn Colella (Come From Away) as Carrie Chapman Catt; Grace McLean (Natasha, Pierre and The Great Comet of 1812) as President Woodrow Wilson; Hannah Cruz (MCC’s The Connector) as Inez Milholland; Kim Blanck (Signature Theatre’s Octet) as Ruza Wenclawska; Anastacia McCleskey (Waitress) as Mary Church Terrell; Ally Bonino (Broadway debut) as Lucy Burns; Tsilala Brock (The Book of Mormon National Tour) as Dudley Malone; Nadia Dandashi (Broadway debut) as Doris Stevens; and Emily Skinner (Side Show) as Alva Belmont/Phoebe Burn.
Most of the Broadway cast is making the move from Off Broadway, though Cruz, who played Ruza Wenclawska at the Public, takes over from Phillipa Soo as Inez Milholland, and Skinner is taking over for Aisha de Haas in the Alva Belmont/Phoebe Burn roles.
Rounding out the company are Hawley Gould (Lincoln Center Theater’s Camelot) as the alternate for Alice Paul, Jaygee Macapugay (Here Lies Love) as Mollie Hay, and Laila Drew making her Broadway debut as Phyllis Terrell/Robin. The cast and ensemble will also include Dana Costello, Jenna Bainbridge, Monica Tulia Ramirez, Ada Westfall, Christine Heesun Hwang, Kirsten Scott, Housso Semon and D’Kaylah Unique Whitley.
Updated On: 1/17/24 at 08:52 AM
Posted: 1/17/24 at 9:30am
Phillipa Soo seems to be the only person to have made a wise decision here.
Posted: 1/17/24 at 9:32am
inception said: "Phillipa Soo seems to be the only person to have made a wise decision here."
How is taking a principal role, however brief a run may end up being, ever an unwise decision?
Posted: 1/17/24 at 9:59am
Having seen Hannah Cruz in Only Gold and The Connector at MCC, she's no downgrade. A star in the making. To shine in Only Gold, working with that material, was a triumphant achievement...
Also, Emily Skinner! Is that part big? I have absolutely no recollection of Alva Belmont being more than a brief bit of comedy.
Posted: 1/17/24 at 10:08am
Emily Skinner!
Glad Hannah Cruz is getting elevated, she is talented. And will jump right from The Connector to this.
Posted: 1/17/24 at 10:11am
Fantastic, now the Jenn Collela crazies will be back dominating their rush/lotto.
Posted: 1/17/24 at 10:15am
RippedMan said: "I mean is she doing something bigger?"
Replacing McKenzie Kurtz in Wicked
Posted: 1/17/24 at 10:26am
ACL2006 said: "Fantastic, now the Jenn Collela crazies will be back dominating their rush/lotto."
I am so grateful to not understand what this means.
Posted: 1/17/24 at 10:27am
Soo was the standout at The Public. She is doing something "bigger". The rest of the cast didn't stand out for us including James, who hardly stole scenes. She just had her own song. This casting is disappointing but maybe the show has gotten stronger.
Updated On: 1/17/24 at 10:27 AM
Posted: 1/17/24 at 10:28am
No slight to the cast here, and there are some good new additions, but they’ll probably keep bleeding money through the Tonys and close early in the summer.
Posted: 1/17/24 at 10:33am
hearthemsing22 said: "RippedMan said: "I mean is she doing something bigger?"
Replacing McKenzie Kurtz in Wicked"
Hardly bigger. 900th replacement in a 20 year old show? I don't know that the show will succeed or bomb....but it's hardly a bad choice to participate in a new work....unless she's turning down a guaranteed bigger success elsewhere.
I wonder if part of the reason it took so long to announce is they were still trying to woo Soo. I'm a tad disappointed, but it won't change my mind about seeing the show. (We loved it at the Public, not that it was perfect.)
Posted: 1/17/24 at 10:42am
Missed this at The Public (had a ticket and the show was cancelled due to COVID), so looking forward to seeing this on Broadway. However, I've never really been a Nikki M. James fan. I find her voice to be rather grating.
Posted: 1/17/24 at 10:54am
There was a lot to like about this at The Public. Enough that I’m confident they took the notes and they’re coming to Broadway in much stronger shape.
Mostly I’ll be curious to see how the physical production changes, given the change in design team.
Posted: 1/17/24 at 10:54am
CoffeeBreak said: "Soo was the standout at The Public. She is doing something "bigger". The rest of the cast didn't stand out for us including James, who hardly stole scenes. She just had her own song. This casting is disappointing but maybe the show has gotten stronger."
??? What is she going into??? Any rumors going around???
Posted: 1/17/24 at 11:02am
Book, music, lyrics, and starring...ok. 🤷♂️
Posted: 1/17/24 at 11:12am
auroraspice62 said: "Book, music, lyrics, and starring...ok. 🤷♂️"
Will sting even more when it flops.
Posted: 1/17/24 at 11:20am
ErmengardeStopSniveling said: "Emily Skinner!
Glad Hannah Cruz is getting elevated, she is talented. And will jump right from The Connector to this."
I LOVED Hannah Cruz Off-Broadway and I think she's perfect for Inez!
Posted: 1/17/24 at 11:25am
auroraspice62 said: "Book, music, lyrics, and starring...ok. 🤷♂️"
You do realize Lin Manuel-Miranda did the same with Hamilton right. Why does it matter for Shaina Taub?
Posted: 1/17/24 at 11:30am
I do realize that, and I said the same thing about him. My intent is not to say anything poorly about Shaina Taub, I think she's an excellent writer. But I do think that there are plenty of wonderful actors out there who could fill this role. Do any of you stop to think before you make assumptions about others?
