The luscious, exquisite harmonies of *Suffs* come in many forms—whether sleek two-parters or vast expanses that showcase infinite layers of tonal majesty. The mellifluous voices carry a lovely, velvety texture, but don’t be fooled. The sound is fueled by rage, born from women unsettled by merely existing for others to decide their fate. It is their time to rip down the establishment.
The passionate musical *Suffs*, running through November 9 at BroadwaySF’s Orpheum Theatre, is about fighting for your life in 1913 with zero guarantee of victory. Shaina Taub is the multi-hyphenate dynamo responsible for the show’s book, music, and lyrics in a production that has experienced critical growth since its original off-Broadway run.
The show does not shy away from drawing direct lines to today’s Constitution-shredding destruction of democratic and societal norms. This contemporary relevance is delivered through Taub’s sheer skill, with song styles varying from strong recitatives to insightful arias and battle cries. Alongside fantastic director Leigh Silverman’s distinctly smooth staging, the show’s evolution is clear.
At the heart of the story is Alice Paul (Maya Keleher), who is running out of patience with a national women’s suffrage association and its leader, Carrie Chapman Catt (Marya Grandy), waiting for state-by-state permission to claim what should have already been theirs. Being young and idealistic is Paul’s superpower, and the fire in her belly inspires others to join her new organization, the National Women’s Party.
These young revolutionaries include college chum Lucy Burns (Annalese Fusaro), socialite Inez Milholland (Monica Tulia Ramirez), Polish organizer Ruza Wenclawska (Anna Bakun), and college student Doris Stevens (Livvy Marcus) as the group’s secretary.
Despite Alice’s best intentions, her blind spots can be glaring and harmful. A critical march the day before Woodrow Wilson’s presidential inauguration hinged on state delegations segregating White women and Black women as participants. This led renowned journalist Ida B. Wells (Danyel Fulton) to sharply criticize Paul’s willing compromises and dismissiveness.
Many aspects of the story work smartly and efficiently, particularly the production’s point of view. This is not a story where women battle men, but rather struggle within themselves to figure out the most cogent way forward. “How will we do it when it’s never been done, how will we find a way where there isn’t one,” the group sings in “Find a Way.” The desire to stand on the correct side of history is a heavy motivator.
Those imperfections apply to the conflicts within Paul, masterfully interpreted by Keleher. The role is loaded with range, each moment pushing a specific, nuanced emotional demand. Paul’s youth and vigor come with high risks—the work of prior revolutionaries threatened to be set back many years.
Changing the world is not just about brooding brutality and a willingness to shed blood at every obstacle. Levity as a storytelling device carries its share of joy. The charm of Marcus’ performance as the wide-eyed Doris culminates in the absolute horror she feels when called a “bitch.” Yet for these women, who are constantly being told much worse, it’s a badge worthy of the highest honors.
Songs like “Great American Bitch” provide both unapologetic feminism and ever-present wit and hilarity, while “Show Them Who You Are” and “Insane” play like anthems from women ready to fight hard.
Not to be outdone, Fulton’s Wells captures the fury and complexity in “Wait My Turn,” where Black women are reminded that unified progress moves at a different speed. Ramirez’s Milholland takes the fight to the opponent on her terms, with even more charm exuded by Wilson’s chief of staff Dudley Field Malone (Abigail Aziz) as he and Doris see a relationship begin to blossom.
History and progress rarely follow a straight line. “How long must women wait for liberty?” is one of the many questions the musical asks. The show is dedicated to the sacrifices made by suffragettes—the hunger strikes, blood on the brow, bodies collapsing from exhaustion—but what’s not to be forgotten is that mothers, daughters, and sisters were there for legacy.
When all was said and done, the 19th Amendment was secured. But unless the fight continues, those inalienable rights may just disappear.
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**‘SUFFS’**
Book, music, and lyrics by Shaina Taub
Presented by BroadwaySF
Through: November 9
Where: Orpheum Theatre, 1192 Market St., San Francisco
Running time: 2 hours, 30 minutes with an intermission
https://www.mercurynews.com/2025/10/28/review-suffs-musical/