Video: Leigh Silverman Is Happy to Bring SUFFS to the Finish Line

Suffs' road to Broadway was a long one, and the musical might not have made it to the finish line without the incredible navigation of Tony-nominated director, Leigh Silverman.

"The musical is about a group of women who work really hard to try to get something done over many years," she told BroadwayWorld's Richard Ridge. "And then us, as the creators of the show have worked many years, very hard to get something done. It's starts to feel like a very meta situation."

Silverman was prepped for a career on Broadway at Carnegie Mellon University. "I spent my last few years there as both an undergrad director and a graduate playwright," she continued. "It was so difficult! [Laughs] So much hard work, but it was incredible. It was really there that I learned not only about what it takes to write a play, but how to talk to writers."

"As Head of the School of Drama at Carnegie Mellon University, I am deeply proud of our longstanding history of alumni working on Broadway," said Robert Ramirez, Head of School of Drama at CMU. "From designers to producers, actors to directors, and every vital role in between – if there's a job in the theater, you can bet a CMU grad has done it, and has done it with excellence and integrity. We are honored to be the higher education partner of the Tony Awards and to have the opportunity not only to celebrate our community of alumni on Broadway each year, but also to recognize a deserving theater educator who is making a difference in their community. This year, we are thrilled to shine a light on CJay Philip and the incredible work she is doing through Dance & Bmore in Baltimore. The importance of arts education cannot be overstated, and Carnegie Mellon is proud to champion it through this meaningful partnership."

In this video, watch as Silverman chats more about Suffs' long road to Broadway, recounts her days at Carnegie Mellon, and so much more! Plus, check out who she is up against and catch up on all the latest Tony Awards coverage!

The 77th Annual Tony Awards will air on Sunday, June 16, 2024.