A NEW AMERICAN MUSICAL
Alice Paul is a young radical.
Carrie Chapman Catt is a seasoned organizer.
This inspirational and absorbing true story dramatizes their struggles against the government, society, and each other. It is a hard-fought battle with both women moving towards a shared goal: winning the vote.
Book + Lyrics by Cavan Hallman
Music by Nancy Hill Cobb
Contact us now to inquire about licensing for
professional, amateur, and academic productions.
The Suffragist brings a vital and often-overlooked part of
American history to life with soaring musical numbers
and dramatic insight. You can become part of the story
of our nation's struggle to achieve true equality.
You can also read about our innovative Iowa premiere,
a collaboration between multiple Broadway veterans,
Iowa professional artists, and university students here.
A FORGOTTEN AMERICAN REVOLUTIONARY
Alice Paul was a bold iconoclast challenging conventions of femininity, leadership, and the Quaker ideals of her upbringing. She organized the first ever protests outside the White House, for which she was fined, jailed, and subjected to over twenty force-feedings at the hands of the US government. A relentless champion of women, Paul was a key architect of the Equal Rights Amendment after her successful advocacy of a federal solution to female suffrage.
CHARTING A WAY FORWARD
"The Suffragist" follows Alice Paul, Carrie Chapman Catt, Lucy Burns, Inez Milholland, Ida B. Wells, and others as they struggle to justify the means for their ultimate goal: winning the franchise for women. This battle of ideas and leadership is painted in intimate human moments, and with musical spectacle, bringing to life the parades, rallies and protests these revolutionary activists used to advance their cause.
DID YOU KNOW?
American women were the first people to hold organized protests outside the White House. They were jailed and repeatedly tortured by the government, simply for demanding the right to vote.
A MUSICAL FOR TODAY
Women make up 51% of the US population, but receive 1/3 fewer principal roles in professional theatre. The time is ripe to share this passionate and inspirational female-driven musical with a large audience.
100 YEARS IN THE MAKING
The debut of "The Suffragist" at Gallagher Bluedorn Performing Arts Center coincides with the 100th anniversary of the ratification of the 19th Amendment, granting women the right to vote.
SUPPORT FOR OUR PRODUCTION
The July 2021 production was made possible through partnerships with the Cedar Falls Tourism and Visitors Bureau, CRST International, University of Northern Iowa, "Hard Won Not Done", and The Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs.