The Suffragette's Murder

The Suffragette's Murder

The Suffragette's Murder

By Sandy Rustin
Inspired by the chapter “The Vegetarian Boarding-House (As It Was)” of The Physiology of New York Boarding-Houses by Thomas Butler Gunn

The Suffragette's Murder

The Suffragette's Murder

By Sandy Rustin
Inspired by the chapter “The Vegetarian Boarding-House (As It Was)” of The Physiology of New York Boarding-Houses by Thomas Butler Gunn

Overview

It’s the morning of July 5, 1857, and the tenants of the Mayhew Boarding House on New York’s Lower East Side are getting ready for a busy day. They’re an odd bunch, given their surroundings. Among them are a mute man, an Irishman, a gay Black man, two Southern belles and the Mayhews themselves – a husband and wife team committed to advancing the women’s suffrage movement. As they prepare to host an important gathering, they receive an unexpected visit from a constable. One of the tenants has been murdered. Hilarious hijinks ensue amidst the backdrop of a murder mystery as the tenants band together to conceal their involvement in the suffrage movement and improvise an elaborate ruse to throw the constable off their scent. The investigation, however, reveals much more than murder motives and rabble-rousing. It becomes an examination of human rights, the struggle to define “a woman’s place“ and political systems that have historically sought to snuff out feminist voices.

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Details

  • Genre: Mystery/Thriller, Period
  • Time Period: 19th Century
  • Cast Attributes: Role(s) for Black Actor(s), Ensemble Cast, Multicultural Casting
  • Target Audience: Adult

Authors

Sandy Rustin

Sandy Rustin is an actress and award-winning playwright named by American Theatre Magazine as one of the “Most-Produced Playwrights of the ’22-’23 season.” Her stage adaptation of the film Clue is one of the most-produced plays in the U.S., with over 3,000 productions worldwi ...
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