THE SHOW

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Jeannette electrifies the life and history of suffrage activist, social worker and Montanan, Jeannette Rankin. Elected to Congress in 1916—three years before women are granted the right to vote—Jeannette finds herself to be the only female voice within the halls of power to vote on women’s suffrage. Written by America's most produced playwright Lauren M. Gunderson and pop sensation Ari Afsar, Jeannette heralds one person’s radical voice in America’s ongoing journey toward equal rights for all.

One hundred years ago, Americans were battling a global pandemic and gearing up for the Presidential election of 1920. The show is more timely now than ever, and theatrically combines then and now through its music, choreography, design, and humor.

Jeannette is more than a musical—it’s a mission. A story about equal representation for all Americans. The cast is comprised of performers who are Black, Brown, Asian, White, Indigenous, gay, straight, and trans. We are committed to anti-racist, anti-homophobic, and anti-sexists practices, and to gathering BIPOC designers, staff, and producers so the show will benefit from diverse viewpoints and experiences. We are leading the way for a more inclusive Broadway, both onstage and off. 

Jeannette was one of three musicals selected (from 400+ applications) for the Eugene O’Neill Theater Center’s National Music Theater Conference in June 2019. In February 2020, Jeannette was featured at Broadway Across America’s annual conference. Of the 11 new musicals at the conference, Jeannette was the only original musical (not based on a book or movie) and the only show written by a BIPOC composer and lyricist.

In the summer and fall of 2020, Ari and Lauren did a 20-minute virtual performance at online fundraisers for progressive candidates and non-profit organizations, including Senator Mark Kelly, Representative Cori Bush, Level Forward, and Supermajority.

Jeannette is thrilled to partner with City Year Philadelphia to launch The Jeannette Experience, a week-long interactive curriculum that brings the story of Jeannette Rankin to students in grades 5-8. The program will launch Monday, March 22 at Lewis C. Cassidy Academics Plus School in Philadelphia, PA. 

The curriculum combines a virtual performance featuring selections from Jeannette: A New Musical alongside multimedia and video focusing on Congresswoman Rankin, and covers topics including women's suffrage, the 19th Amendment, voting rights, gerrymandering, and Jim Crow laws. The program was created by Ari Afsar, producer Jen Bender, and educator Coreena Coleman.