Hillary Clinton and Malala launch a new Broadway production for women’s voting rights

Thursday night saw the Broadway premiere of Suffs, the musical that Nobel Peace Prize laureate Malala Yousufzai and former US presidential contender Hillary Clinton co-produced, marking the incredible union of two powerful women.

The New York Times claims that Broadway has shifted its attention to stories that center on women and are led by women. Under the direction of two internationally renowned women, Suffs is a brand-new musical that explores women’s suffrage and traces the history of the movement back to the early 1900s. As producers, Malala and Hillary work with Rachel Sussman and Jill Furman. Jesse Green, the top theatrical reviewer for the New York Times, describes Suffs as “smart and noble and a bit like a rally.”

Attending the premiere of her new play with husband Asser Malik, Malala stated, “This show reminds us that women fought hard for their right to vote, and it’s not something that we should take for granted.”

Malala makes her Broadway debut in Suffs. The Nobel winner claimed that Matilda the musical was crucial in her adjustment to life in the United Kingdom. Malala left Pakistan for the UK after being shot by the Taliban for advocating for girls’ rights to an education. “I could see another girl from another place, and I could relate to her,” declared Malala. Malala said, “Since then, my passion for theater has grown, and I’ve been watching musicals.”

Malala narrated how she first became interested in the idea of Suffs after seeing it at the Public Theater in 2022. She stated, “This was a story that everybody needs to see and everybody needs to hear,” indicating that she was aware that she wanted to be part in getting the production to the Broadway stage.

In keeping with Broadway’s women-focused objective, Suffs also features a mostly female backstage crew, according to The New York Times. The book, music, and lyrics for the musical were composed by singer-songwriter Shaina Taub a decade ago. In the show, Shaina portrays Alice Paul, one of the movement’s founders. Prior to its 2022 premiere at the Public Theatre, the project underwent several years of development, as is the case with all significant theatrical performances.

Before Broadway shows started, more rewrites and a new opening number were added. “I’m thrilled that we can now establish a community around the show,” Shaina said, encouraging viewers to “make sure that you are registered to vote if you are inspired by this story.”

Hillary expressed her happiness that the musical was now being shown to theatergoers as well. She said, “I’m so happy that people are enjoying this story.” “It depicts the relationships among these women who fought so hard to get us the right to vote and is both historical and relevant. It’s also very emotional.”

The show’s focus on voting rights and its arrival in the US during an election year have maintained viewer interest in Suffs. Based on how many seats were occupied, Suffs was among the top 10 Broadway plays out of 36 the week prior, and there’s a lot of talk that its popularity will only grow.