Cherry Hill High School West Wins Chance to Produce Broadway's Suffs

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Nina Baratti, Public Information Officer, Cherry Hill Public Schools
PHONE: (856) 429-5600 x4325
EMAIL: nbaratti@chclc.org

Cherry Hill High School West wins chance to produce Broadway’s Suffs

Cherry Hill High School West was one of 12 schools awarded grant

Cherry Hill  December 1, 2025 — The Educational Theatre Foundation (ETF) and Musical Theatre International (MTI) have awarded Cherry Hill High School West the Suffs: The Young are at the Gate grant. As one of twelve schools nationwide to receive this honor, Cherry Hill High School West gets to be one of the first groups to produce this important story, following only the Broadway and first national tour productions. 

The grant, announced in partnership with Suffs’ creator Shaina Taub at the International Thespian Festival (ITF), called upon schools to design their own outreach program connected to their production in the spirit of the theme “the young are at the gates.” Winning schools were selected based on how creatively and meaningfully they incorporated the theme into their proposal. The twelve schools received complimentary licensing and production materials to produce the hit musical during the 2025-26 school year. The applications were adjudicated by representatives from the Broadway Suffs production including Shaina Taub, Rachel Sussman, Leigh Silverman, Mayte Natalio, and Jill Furman, director of the Stagedoor Manor pilot production of Suffs Matt Gehring, and representatives from MTI and ETF.  

Cherry Hill High School West will be partnering with the Alice Paul Center for Gender Justice in Mount Laurel, New Jersey to engage students and the community in exploring the history and themes behind the school’s upcoming spring musical, Suffs.

The initiative aligns with Cherry Hill High School West’s commitment to using the arts as a platform for education, empowerment, and community connection. Together with the Alice Paul Center, the school hopes to encourage thoughtful dialogue about equality, leadership, and activism—values that remain as relevant today as they were a century ago.

 About the Educational Theatre Foundation 

The Educational Theatre Foundation (ETF) is the philanthropic arm of the Educational Theatre Association (EdTA) and the International Thespian Society. ETF advances the field of educational theatre by broadening representation and increasing access for all. ETF’s programs support students, educators, and the broader field by advancing three strategic goals: funding underserved and emerging student theatre programs, providing professional development for theatre educators, and commissioning research that demonstrates the value of theatre education. ETF is committed to fostering sustainable theatre programs that can thrive long-term, ensuring lasting impact for students, educators, and communities. Learn more at foundation.schooltheatre.org.

About Music Theatre International  
Music Theatre International (MTI) is one of the world's leading theatrical licensing agencies, granting theatres from around the world the rights to perform the greatest selection of musicals from Broadway and beyond. Founded in 1952 by composer Frank Loesser and orchestrator Don Walker, MTI is a driving force in advancing musical theatre as a vibrant and engaging art form.  

MTI works directly with the composers, lyricists and book writers of these musicals to provide official scripts, musical materials and dynamic theatrical resources to over 100,000 professional, community and school theatres in the US and in over 150 countries worldwide.  

MTI is particularly dedicated to educational theatre, and has created special collections to meet the needs of various types of performers and audiences. MTI’s Broadway Junior® shows are 30- and 60-minute musicals for performance by elementary and middle school-aged performers, while MTI’s School Editions are musicals annotated for performance by high school students.  

MTI maintains its global headquarters in New York City with additional offices in London (MTI Europe) and Melbourne (MTI Australasia).   

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