If you can’t make it to New York this month, PBS’s Great Performances is sharing the full musical, “Suffs” on YouTube until July 31st! Celebrate midterms, reflect on the work of political protest that the suffragists did in the service of the 19th Amendment, and the work of equality which we still have before us, 250 years on, while enjoying this glorious historical musical by Tony award-winning singer, actress, and composer Shaina Taub.
“Keep Marching” is a wildly popular piece from the musical – and this video depicts its recording for the album in New York City. Listening to the lyrics (which are helpfully included in the full PBS performance), it’s clear how relevant they are to our current moment, and how carefully the composer worked to give both the singers and the audience the time and means to take in the meaning with repetition and building on the theme. The singers simply embody it and make it live. As the choir sings, watch how both they and the soloist create with their whole bodies – making unfortunate faces in the service of pronunciation, dropping their jaws and widening their mouths to increase their sound, shoulders dropping, bodies pulsing with their inhales and rhythmic pulses, and pencils in every hand, at the ready. They bring just so much energy to every note and phrase, opening themselves to unselfconsciously becoming the music. Their leaning into and understanding of the music is the gold standard for singers, and every composer’s goal – you can see Taub several times clutching her heart and tearing up, because it’s truly amazing.
Meanwhile, there’s much to do, friends. 🌻Keep marching.