Interview: Jenna Lea Rosen on the Road with SUFFS

I last spoke with Jenna Lea Rosen when she was preparing to open as Elsa in Frozen earlier this year, marking her Broadway national tour debut. The talented triple-threat performer has also appeared as Fanny Brice in Funny Girl, Wednesday in The Addams Family, understudy for Anne in Anne of Green Gables, and has done voices for over 30 animated characters for Disney and HBO. And now she is performing as an ensemble member and understudy for two major roles in the national tour of SUFFS, with the national tour stopping at the Hollywood Pantages from November 18-December 7.

Jenna Lea Rosen. Photo credit: Gabriel Kearns Photography

No doubt there are a lot of Broadway World readers interested in hearing about life on the road as an ensemble member while understudying two roles, wondering what it takes to be prepared at a moment’s notice to step into a role for which you may not have had a lot of rehearsal, as well always being ready to go on in the ensemble, performing many songs and dance routines.

I decided to speak with Jenna Lea about her experience living life on the road, currently on tour in San Francisco and then to Salt Lake City, prior to arriving at the Hollywood Pantages Theatre in her original hometown (well it’s Orange County, really).

Marya Grandy as Carrie Chapman Catt and SUFFS Company
Photo credit: SUFFS Tour

Thanks, Jenna Lea, for speaking with me again! How have you been keeping busy since I last spoke with you about Frozen in June 2025?

So nice to speak with you again! After Frozen with McCoy/Rigby, I went home to NYC, where I played a role in the workshop of the new musical adaptation of 10 Things I Hate About You, written by Lena Dunham and directed by Christopher Wheeldon! I started SUFFS rehearsals the day after we finished the workshop! It was a crazy time. 

How did you find out about auditioning for SUFFS?

This past Spring, I received an audition from my managers for the tour, and I was so excited! I had seen the show on Broadway and was so moved by it, I just knew I needed to be in it one day! 

How many call backs did you go through prior to getting cast?

There was quite a bit of time in between my initial self-tape for the show and when I actually got invited to an in-person callback. About a month had gone by and I hadn’t heard anything, so when I was invited to audition for the creative team, I was thrilled. After that, I had two days of back-to-back callbacks where I sang, read sides, and danced. Then, it took about another month or so to get the official offer! 

Jenna Lea Rosen in SUFFS. Photo courtesy of the artist

Were you cast in the ensemble first and then offered the understudy roles? Or cast in all from the beginning?

Some of the tour was already cast at the time of my callback, so the track I was seen for was ensemble and understudy for Alice Paul. It was a nice surprise when they offered me the cover for Doris Stevens as well.

When offered understudy roles, are you ever offered a certain number of guaranteed performances?

It depends on the production. Sometimes people will have pre-scheduled performance dates in their contract. 

For an actor starting out with local musical theater credits, what’s your best advice for getting considered for a national tour?

Making connections and getting in front of New York-based teams is so important if you want to be considered for a tour or any project that casts solely out of NYC. Luckily, one of the good parts of self-tapes is that they allow you to initially audition from anywhere, and fly into NYC for callbacks. There are so many more opportunities to be seen for initial rounds of casting without having to be physically present. This is especially helpful for actors who work regionally. 

Monica Tulia Ramirez as Inez Milholland and SUFFS Company
Photo credit: SUFFS Tour

How long was the rehearsal process for the ensemble prior to taking SUFFS on the road? And where did you first start rehearsing?

We rehearsed with the show’s original creative team for a little over a month at New 42 Studios in Manhattan. We started in July, and we officially hit the road to tech in Yakima, Washington at the very end of August. 

How much time have you had to rehearse your understudy roles with the cast?

You typically don’t start understudy rehearsal until the show opens since you have to do a lot of work on your own during the rehearsal process to make sure you’re prepped and ready for when understudy rehearsals begin. Once we started, we typically rehearsed two to three days a week. Since all of us on the tour cover multiple roles, there is a lot of rehearsal initially to make sure everyone is adequately prepped to go in for all their assorted characters.

In Arizona, I had what is called a “put-in rehearsal” which means I performed the role of Alice without an audience in costume with sets, lighting, and the rest of the cast. Occasionally, you won’t even get a full put-in rehearsal before you have to go on! It’s all a big adventure and every show process is different. 

Jenna Lea Rosen backstage. Photo courtesy of the artist

When/where/and for what part did you first go on as an understudy?

I got to make my Alice Paul debut at the Orpheum Theatre in San Francisco on October 26th. My mom and some of my other mentors were able to fly in. The whole cast, crew, and production team were incredibly supportive and I will remember that day forever! 

So will I since October 26th is my birthday! How much notice did you have that you were going on in that performance?

I was notified the night before that it would most likely be happening for the matinee the following day. 

What do you find is the most challenging part of going on in an understudy role?

The hardest part of being an understudy is staying prepped and ready to perform the role while you aren’t performing it or rehearsing it in understudy rehearsals. It takes a lot of patience, hard work, and rehearsal on your own to make sure you stay sharp and are ready to perform when you are needed. For example, the role of Alice Paul (played by the brilliant Maya Keleher) is a beast both acting-wise and vocally. It’s difficult to maintain stamina for a role like that when you are not performing it regularly. Staying prepared and healthy is key. 

The company of SUFFS.  Photo credit: SUFFS Tour

And getting enough sleep, no doubt. Do you have an understudy for your ensemble role when you go on as an understudy for the leads?

Sleep is essential! I do have an understudy from our incredible group of swings in our company who cover the ensemble roles as well as principal tracks. They are superstars, and I am so in awe of their ability to switch between 6 or 7 tracks with ease! 

What’s the best thing about life on the road with such a big touring company?

The best thing about touring with this company is the way we all support each other and lift each other up while on the road. For a lot of us, including myself, this is our first time touring. There are many new and interesting challenges that come with being away from home and your loved ones. I also work in voiceover, so finding recording studios in every city has been an experience!

Taking care of yourself can be difficult on the road, and it can feel isolating. I would say the best part about touring so far though has been getting to visit different friends and family on our tour stops. 

How do you stay prepared to go on as one of the leads if you are always onstage in the ensemble?

It is helpful to go over blocking charts weekly. I also watch the archival video, and I like to say the dialogue along with the audio during the show backstage while I’m in my regular track and have down time. 

What’s your usual routine for a tour performance date?

To be completely honest, I am still figuring that out! Sleeping, eating a good meal, hydrating, and getting to the theatre about an hour early is typically what sets me up for success. If I’m on for a principal role, I will usually spend the day preparing and prepping! 

Do you always travel by bus between cities? Or is air travel involved?

We typically travel by plane, but for shorter journeys, we will go on a charter bus. 

What do you think makes now the perfect time to take SUFFS on the road?

The world needs SUFFS now more than ever since it illustrates that our rights can be lost, and the fight for equality is eternal. Each generation must pick up the banner and “keep marching” towards a more equitable and just world. Shaina Taub has created a masterpiece where the script and the score perfectly illustrate the struggles of the suffragist movement. 

What message do you hope audiences take home with them?

I hope audiences walk away feeling braver, louder, and more courageous than they were when they walked in the door. 

Will you have time off during the holidays? And where do you go with the show in 2026?

Yes! We will have about a month lay-off over the holidays, and then we will head to the East Coast and Midwest cities. 

How long will you be on the road continuously?

The tour is contracted through August of 2026.

What’s your game plan for after the SUFFS tour ends? Another tour or staying put for a bit?

I’m not sure at this point in time! I have some projects that I am working on that I’m hoping will have an extended life in 2026, so stay tuned. I know for sure, I will be spending a lot of time with my family and my friends and loved ones! 

What do you think a young performer needs to know about life on tour before they decide to audition for one?

Young performers need to be prepared for the challenges and complexities that go along with taking a show of this scale on the road is. It is a whirlwind of experiences and expectations, requiring a very high level of focus, professionalism, discipline, and flexibility to perform eight shows a week consistently in ever-changing environments. 

And what questions should they ask about the tour during those auditions?

They should look very carefully into the touring contract and make sure they are being compensated fairly and that what is being offered, and that it works for them and their life circumstances. There are many different tiers of Equity touring contracts, so it’s very important to understand which contract you are on and to ask questions before you accept.

What’s your best advice to others when life on the road starts taking an emotional or physical toll on you?

Stay connected with the outside world. Don’t overpack. FaceTime with your friends and make dates to see your friends and family while you are in adjacent cities. Plan for things ahead of time for layoffs, so you have something to look forward to! TRY NEW FOOD! Work on new audition material. Take adventures with your cast mates and sight see when you can - that’s the best part of touring!!

Anything else you’d like to add about touring with SUFFS?

I am very grateful for the opportunity to be touring with such an important and beautifully written show. I love each and every one of these incredible people in our cast and crew. I hope everyone will come out and see us at the Pantages this holiday season – and keep marching on! 

Thanks so much! See you onstage soon!

As of September 30, 2025, the tour cast includes Maya Keleher as Alice Paul, Danyel Fulton as Ida B. Wells, Marya Grandy as Carrie Chapman Catt, Jenny Ashman as President Woodrow Wilson, Monica Tulia Ramirez as Inez Milholland, Gwynne Wood as Lucy Burns, Joyce Meimei Zheng as Ruza Wenclawska, Livvy Marcus as Doris Stevens, Trisha Jeffrey as Mary Church Terrell, Brandi Porter as Dudley Malone, Laura Stracko as Alva Belmont/Phoebe Burn, Tami Dahbura as Mollie Hay, and Victoria Lauren Pekel as Phyllis Terrell/Robin. Rounding out the company are Abigail Aziz, Anna Bakun, Ariana Burks, Annalese Fusaro, Marissa Hecker, Kaitlyn Jackson, Amanda K. Lopez, Merrill Peiffer, Jenna Lea Rosen, Gretchen Shope, and Aquila Sol.

Created by Shaina Taub, the first woman to ever independently win Tony Awards for Best Book and Best Score in the same season, this new musical boldly explores the triumphs and failures of a struggle for equality that’s far from over. It’s a given that the women of the suffragist movement—who called themselves “Suffs” for short—were brilliant, but as they fought tirelessly for the right to vote, they were also flawed, stubborn, passionate, and funny. SUFFS tells their story: the remarkable friendships, the heartbreak, and how this movement brought them together—or, in some cases, tore them apart.

SUFFS features book, music and lyrics by Tony Award®-winner Shaina Taub, direction by Tony Award-nominee Leigh Silverman (Violet, Yellow Face), choreography by Mayte Natalio (How to Dance in Ohio), and music supervision by Andrea Grody. The national tour is booked by The Booking Group with casting by The Telsey Office: Rachel Hoffman, CSA.

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