Sophomore Jaime Scott (left at lectern), who is playing Mary Church Terrell, talks about her role in “Suffs” next to junior Jada Caldwell, who is playing civil rights advocate and journalist Ida B. Wells.
West High is one of 12 schools nationwide that got a grant from the Educational Theatre Foundation and Musical Theatre International to put on a production of “Suffs,” a musical about the women’s suffrage movement.
Carolyn Messias, the theater teacher at West and the director of “Suffs”; 10 members of the cast; county Commissioner Jennifer Fleisher; and county clerk Pamela Lampitt recently held a small press conference to discuss the production.
Messias said the show – now in performances at West – pays particular attention to Alice Paul, the Mount Laurel resident who was among leaders of the suffrage movement that resulted in the 19th amendment granting women the right to vote.
“Alice Paul went out and fought for the 19th amendment and got it passed,” Messias noted. “And every women standing in this room has the right to vote because of these women.”
While productions of “Suff” may vary, and the off-Broadway version features only women, West’s production has some male characters. Messias took everyone involved in the show – cast, crew and pit orchestra – to see a live performance in Philadelphia last January.
She believes West was selected for a grant because of its connection to the Alice Paul Center for Gender Justice, also in Mount Laurel, and the educational benefits of the show.
“What they really wanted to hear in the grant application was how we were going to use this as a teaching tool,” Messias explained of “Suffs.” “So that was really important (to) get this message across and what our students can learn. And I can tell you, they have learned a lot.
“I don’t think some of them even knew any of the women … prior to doing the show – or just much of anything.”
Olivia Errico, assistant director of public programs for the Alice Paul Center, noted that the latter partnered with the school district on the educational aspect of the grant.
“They wanted to connect it to educational programing …” he recalled. “… So this is kind of our bread and butter. So it just seemed like kind of a natural fit that we would be the partners to do the education programing …
“It was about using the play to reach the students and teach them about the suffrage movement.”
Jada Caldwell, a junior who plays civil rights advocate and journalist Ida B. Wells, said as a Black woman, she understands how much harder it was for African American females to get the vote. Full electoral equality for Black women – and men – wasn’t achieved until passage of the 1965 Civil Rights Act.
“I did research on my own, and Ida B. Wells, during the suffrage march (of 1913), actually marched near the back,” Caldwell marveled. “And then she found her way to the front. I think that’s very admirable, because she risked her life. And she knew that even if the 19th amendment passed, she still wouldn’t have the right to vote as a Black woman.”
Caldwell, who had never before performed in a musical, was inspired by Messias.
“I’ve always loved to sing,” Caldwell noted.
Fleisher said the show’s characters are the reason she is an elected official.
” … Think about that,” she said. “We have a lot of elected women in Camden County. And you’re all doing your part, playing these women, and that’s how important it was.
“I would not be standing here congratulating you”.
Performances of “Suff” continue on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
