Release Date: 2026-05-08(PBS Great Performances)

Director: Leigh Silverman

Cast: Shaina Taub, Jenn Colella, Nikki M. James, Hannah Cruz, Grace McLean, Ally Bonino, Emily Skinner, Tsilala Brock, Kim Blanck, Anastacia McCleskey

Production: Jill Furman Productions, Rachel Sussman Productions, PBS Great Performances

Synopsis of the Suffs The Musical

Suffs is a fully realized filmed theatrical recording debuting in 2026, adapted directly from the award-winning Broadway musical entirely crafted by multi-hyphenate creator Shaina Taub, who single-handedly penned the book, composed all musical scores, wrote every lyric, and takes center stage as trailblazing suffragist Alice Paul. Originally staged for Broadway under the creative direction of Leigh Silverman, this definitive captured performance was professionally filmed inside New York City’s iconic Music Box Theatre throughout December 2024, commissioned exclusively for PBS’s prestigious Great Performances broadcast anthology series. The sprawling historical narrative unpacks the grueling, years-long, deeply fractured grassroots campaign that fought tirelessly to ratify the Nineteenth Amendment, federal legislation that would finally secure voting rights for women across the United States after generations of disenfranchisement. At the emotional and strategic heart of the story stands Alice Paul, whose razor-sharp tactical planning and unyielding militant protest tactics stand in stark contrast against the measured, establishment-focused advocacy led by Carrie Chapman Catt, portrayed powerfully by Jenn Colella. A vital, often overlooked thread woven throughout the production centers on Ida B. Wells, brought to vivid life by Nikki M. James; Wells fiercely challenges white suffrage leaders to stop sidelining Black women’s struggles and demands racial equity be embedded within the movement’s core mission rather than cast aside as an afterthought for expediency. Taub’s layered, historically meticulous songwriting anchors every pivotal beat of the story, swinging between thunderous, unified ensemble anthems that mirror street protest rallies and quiet, vulnerable solo scenes that lay bare the personal sacrifices each activist endured. The musical unflinchingly explores how women united by a shared goal of enfranchisement could still clash sharply over ideology, pace, race, and acceptable protest methods, framing solidarity not as seamless harmony but as hard-won compromise amid competing priorities. The original Broadway run earned extraordinary industry recognition, boasting six Tony Award nominations overall and two landmark wins for Shaina Taub’s book and original score—marking her as the first female creator ever to claim both top writing trophies as a sole individual. High-profile advocacy backing bolstered the stage production, with former First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Malala Yousafzai joining the producing team to amplify its feminist messaging. The 2026 filmed iteration retains the complete original Broadway principal cast without recasting, featuring standout turns from Hannah Cruz as iconic march leader Inez Milholland, Grace McLean delivering a memorable impersonation of President Woodrow Wilson, Ally Bonino as Paul’s closest confidante Lucy Burns, and Emily Skinner tackling dual supporting character roles with nuance. Behind the scenes, Mayte Natalio handled dynamic period choreography while Michael Starobin arranged the full orchestral accompaniment that elevates Taub’s compositions. Clocking in at over two hours, the recorded performance premiered nationwide on PBS streaming and broadcast channels on May 8, 2026. It serves a vital cultural purpose: bringing a landmark piece of contemporary political musical theater to global audiences unable to secure live Broadway tickets, preserving a fiery stage call to action as an enduring, accessible living archive of women’s suffrage history and intergenerational feminist struggle.