19: The Musical: An American Suffrage Story, a stage performance now reimagined into an audiobook, is a compelling narrative that uses music and humour to entertain and educate.  It chronicles the lesser-known journey of Alice Paul and other suffragettes, shedding light on the years of marching, arrests, torture, and suffering they endured to achieve the 19th Amendment, a pivotal moment in American history. 

 

The music and lyrics of 19: The Musical: An American Suffrage Story are the work of Jennifer Schwed and Doug Bradshaw, with music composed and played by Charlie Barnett. This talented team has created an interesting musical to listen to. With clear inspirations from other historical musicals such as Hamilton, Six, and Assassins. 19: The Musical: An American Suffrage Story uses modern-day language, rap, and even race-swapping of historical figures, notably Susan B. Anthony, to bring the suffragettes' story to life in a fresh and engaging way. 

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While the audiobook was very educational, it's important to note that it was difficult to follow in some parts, particularly during Act 1. Since musicals usually have a visual component, it was challenging to understand the setting and who was speaking without more extensive verbal descriptions. However, this became less of an issue in Act 2, which could be due to our familiarity with the characters or because it was less dependent on visuals. Being aware of these aspects can enhance your listening experience.

 

Although not entirely accurate, the historical musical covers several critical aspects of the prolonged struggle for women's suffrage. It includes events like women protesters' arrests and forced feeding while they were on hunger strikes in prisons in both America and England, The Silent Sentinels, The Night of Terror, and the 1913 march in Washington D.C, where many women were violently assaulted for demanding their right to vote.

 

In addition, 19: The Musical: An American Suffrage Story effectively highlights the efforts of women such as Alice Paul, Ida B. Wells, and Inez Milholland, which otherwise would have been forgotten in the pages of history. By portraying their courageous actions and long struggle for suffrage and equal rights, the musical brings to light their significant contributions to society. This helps to move beyond a superficial understanding of history where the names of these remarkable women are unknown to us.

 

Although not without flaws, making this content available as an audiobook is a great way to ensure that it reaches a wider audience, rather than just a select few who were fortunate enough to see a live performance. This musical adaptation is an engaging and intriguing way to present history. Although it is a relatively new format for musicals, there is still room for improvement, but it's definitely worth a listen if you are interested in history, Hamilton, or want to learn more about the courageous women who made up the suffragette movement.