{"id":360,"date":"2019-06-28T02:59:19","date_gmt":"2019-06-28T06:59:19","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.nehsjc.org\/Catalyst\/?p=360"},"modified":"2019-06-28T02:59:20","modified_gmt":"2019-06-28T06:59:20","slug":"playwright-seeks-to-revive-story-of-womens-suffrage","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.nehsjc.org\/Catalyst\/2019\/06\/28\/playwright-seeks-to-revive-story-of-womens-suffrage\/","title":{"rendered":"Playwright Seeks to Revive Story of Women’s Suffrage"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Gloucester playwright Laura Harrington is working on a revival of her 1996 production \u201cThe Perfect 36,\u201d which reminds generations of the efforts made in the early 1900s to secure women\u2019s right to vote.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The musical tells the story of renowned suffragists such as Carrie Chapman Catt and Elizabeth Cady Stanton, as well as the movement overall. Harrington is seeking financial backing for the revival in time for next year\u2019s 100th anniversary of the 19th amendment\u2019s ratification because she strongly believes the subject still bears resonance today. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe\u2019re in a very different era,\u201d Harrington said. Citing the #MeToo movement and the presence of women currently running for president. \u201cSuddenly this show seemed incredibly topical and on-point.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Playwright
Playwright Laura Harrington<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

She is, at the moment, working on gathering funds and support for the production.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe are kind of taking the grassroots approach of taking one little step at a time, reaching out to all the people we know, and hopefully being able to raise the money to do that.\u201d She is also planning to create a concert reading of the show in both Nashville and D.C. \u201cIt\u2019s a challenge. It\u2019s always a challenge in the theater\u2026I just have to believe that we\u2019re going to make it happen.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The original play, which was commissioned by the Tennessee Repertory Theatre, steps back in time, reliving the moment of the suffragists\u2019 triumphs. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

It is \u201ca story of people coming together, working together, men and women, Republican and Democrat and Independent, to make political change and they, against all the odds, succeed,\u201d Harrington said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sharing her views on the right to vote, she said \u201cIt opens the door to people connecting, and it opens the door to our working together, and it opens the door to our talking together. Once we have voices, we have more points of view.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Despite the suffragist movement\u2019s spirited focus on women, there were issues concerning a lack of representation notably present at the time. While \u201cThe Perfect 36\u201d doesn\u2019t particularly focus on racism and classicism, Harrington said she recognizes these issues, and mentioned that her play opens and closes with African-American figures, such as Sojourner Truth, telling their story. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

When asked how \u201cThe Perfect 36\u201d connects with people today, Harrington said: \u201cThe message you come away with is these struggles are ongoing. One of the great things about women getting the right to vote is you can look at that as one of the first shots in the civil rights movement.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Harrington noted that people tend to think that the past was both kinder and nicer, but it wasn\u2019t. Still, she is hopeful. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt\u2019s been 100 years, some things are staying the same,\u201d Harrington said. \u201cWe don\u2019t want to lose sight of the progress that has been made, nor what we\u2019re learning now.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n