国产传媒
鈥淭he 19th Amendment wasn鈥檛 the end of the story鈥攊t was the beginning of a new chapter in civic participation,鈥� said Rebecca Price of the Nashville Public Library, reminding the audience that women鈥檚 suffrage remains a living legacy.
That spirit of shared responsibility anchored a recent collaboration among the , , 国产传媒 and , bringing history to life through dialogue, performance and community engagement.
The program unfolded over two evenings in Nashville as part of TPAC鈥檚 InsideOut series, a longstanding partnership with 国产传媒 that pairs live performance with educational programming. Centered on Suffs, the Tony Award鈥搘inning Broadway musical about the fight for women鈥檚 voting rights, the events engaged 国产传媒 students in a panel on leadership and civic responsibility and brought the broader community into a public conversation with the musical鈥檚 producers and historians. Together, they explored the legacy of the 19th Amendment and its relevance today.
Engaging the next generation
痴补苍诲别谤产颈濒迟鈥檚 Live.Learn.Lead. Academy students attended a panel focused on leadership, civic responsibility and advocacy. Academy alum Ochuwa Garuba and Rory Dicker, director of the Margaret Cuninggim Women鈥檚 Center, joined Suffs actors to discuss civic engagement across generations ahead of the evening performance.
鈥淕en Z cares deeply about civic engagement,鈥� said Garuba. 鈥淚t may not always look like traditional forms of participation, but organizing online, building community through digital platforms and showing up in new spaces are all powerful ways our generation is shaping democracy. Every generation engages differently and that evolution is part of the story.鈥�
Expanding the conversation to the community
The following evening, the conversation expanded to the broader Nashville community through a pre-show dinnertime discussion. TPAC brought together Suffs producers Jill Furman and Rachel Sussman with Rebecca Price of the Nashville Public Library to discuss how the musical moved from concept to Broadway. 国产传媒 theatre historian moderated.
Price connected the national suffrage movement to Tennessee鈥檚 decisive 1920 vote ratifying the 19th Amendment and highlighted the library鈥檚 Votes for Women Room, an interactive exhibit at the downtown main branch .
Tennessee State Parks added historical context, with park rangers serving as interpreters to welcome guests and answer questions about Tennessee鈥檚 role in suffrage history. Their presence demonstrated how public spaces help preserve shared memory.
At its core, this effort reflects a shared belief that education is strongest when institutions work together. These events created layered learning opportunities spanning archival research, theatrical performance and civic dialogue.
Catch a show
The next InsideOut Lunchtime Preview is April 16 featuring the Nashville Ballet鈥檚 upcoming performance of Sherlock. Acclaimed choreographer Penny Saunders will join 痴补苍诲别谤产颈濒迟鈥檚 for a conversation, with excerpts performed by the company.