WRAC Holds Successful Event with the Musical Suffs and Representative Marcy Kaptur
by Margaret Eigsti, WRAC Managing Director
WRAC was pleased to host its first fundraiser and public event on February 15th in partnership with Playhouse Square’s showing of the musical Suffs. Consistent with WRAC’s commitment to preserve and share significant contributions to women’s history, this Tony-award winning musical tells the story of the women’s suffrage movement through a moving and witty score.
Suffs reminds us that progress is born of courage, conviction, and persistence. Stories like those told on stage — and the stories of Catholic Sisters who have shaped education, healthcare, social services, and justice movements across our nation — deserve to be preserved and shared widely. That is why it is imperative that we safeguard these historical records. Through letters, photographs, journals, and institutional records, we ensure that future generations will know the truth of these women’s contributions and the impact of their faith-filled service.
We were especially honored to have in attendance Ohio’s Ninth Congressional District Representative Marcy Kaptur, the longest-serving woman in congressional history. Her presence and remarks embody the very spirit celebrated in the Suffs performance. Representative Kaptur shared the impact that Catholic sisters had on her life of service and their role in empowering women throughout American history. She is a graduate of St. Ursula Academy, a sponsored ministry of the Ursuline Sisters of Toledo, and continues to stay connected to the sisters.
We are grateful to all who joined us at Playhouse Square for our special performance of Suffs in support of the Women Religious Archives Collaborative. It was an unforgettable evening of inspiration, community, and shared purpose.
If you are interested in learning more about the show and some of the parallel themes found in the history of the women’s suffrage movement and the history of women religious, listen to a two-part podcast by Dr. Amity Bryson:
Part I
Suffs: So the Stories Can be Told
https://divasingenuesandvixens.podbean.com/e/suffs-so-the-stories-can-be-told
Part II
Still Here: So the Stories Can Be Told
https://divasingenuesandvixens.podbean.com/e/still-here-so-the-stories-can-be-told/