A new musical about the sacrifices behind the American women’s suffrage movement will premiere Oct. 22 at Texas Woman’s, where the Musical Theatre program is presenting The Suffragist as part of the university’s 125th anniversary year.
The musical, by composer Nancy Hill Cobb and writer-lyricist Cavan Hallman, focuses on advocates whose struggles came years before the 19th Amendment was ratified. The production will run for three performances from Oct. 22-24 in Margot Jones Performance Hall on the Denton campus.
The story centers on Alice Paul, who changed tactics in the American suffrage movement, and her work with Carrie Chapman Catt, president of the National American Woman Suffrage Association, and Ida B. Wells, who championed African American women’s place in the fight. The show also includes a tap dancing Woodrow Wilson.
Cobb said the idea began when she learned more about the violence and hardship suffragists faced, including imprisonment, train trips and parades.
“I was over 60 years old and I was hearing all of these stories I had never heard about how hard it was to get the right to vote, because we take these things for granted I think,” Cobb said. “There were train trips, parades and the women were being imprisoned. When I heard these stories I was like, ‘this is a musical’.”
The production is directed by Lizz Bashore, who said she has spent much of the time before rehearsals researching the lives of the women featured in the show and incorporating historic reference material into the adaptation.
Paul, the protagonist and lead character, traveled to England during her higher education studies, learned about the Suffragettes and joined those movements. After returning to the United States, she used those experiences to shape the next wave of the American movement, sometimes clashing with others over how to advance women’s rights.
“All of these women are very smart in how they do things and they’re also very snarky,” Bashore said. “They aren’t polite in their actions — they’re as polite as they have to be to be heard and survive, but they are persistent and not afraid of conflict and I love that.”
Hannah Rhodes, a senior vocal performance major, plays Paul. She said the role has taught her about inner strength.
“During the callback process I came to the realization that she’s really scared to be doing a lot of the things that she’s doing, but I don’t think the people around her know because of how headstrong she is, and sometimes she doesn’t know,” Rhodes said. “Getting the right for women to vote is so important to her that she doesn’t let fear stop her in any way.”
Rhodes said having the role in her final semester, in a female-centered production that coincides with the university’s 125th anniversary, makes it especially meaningful.
The historical context will extend beyond the script. Bashore is including projection work to show historical context, and the costuming will show how restrictive corsets function as a depressor in society.
“TWU has a legacy of championing women and they have had a history of forefronting for our sex, and I think this is another piece that is going to do that,” Bashore said. “This will be a new, cool piece that TWU is producing and sponsoring that’s both a history and a reflection.”
Performance details
- Production: The Suffragist
- Presented by: Texas Woman’s Musical Theatre program
- Dates: Oct. 22-24
- Location: Margot Jones Performance Hall on the Denton campus
- Tickets: $20 for general admission, $5 for seniors, free for TWU students and children under 12
- Ticket status: On sale now