Historical Musical
Date Published: March 2024
Publisher: Through the 4th Wall
Narrators:
Katie Ganem / Millicent Scarlett / Maria Ciarrocchi / Brenda Parker / Meredith Eib
Brian Lyons-Burke / Elizabeth Keith / Sidney Davis / Karen Spigel / Odette Gutierrez del Arroyo
Run Time: 02:36:38
19: The Musical is the dynamic and little-known story of Alice Paul, Ida B. Wells, Susan B. Anthony, Carrie Chapman Catt, Inez Milholland and the other suffragists who fought to get women the right to vote - The 19th Amendment. The inspirational story of these fearless women is brought to life through jazz, traditional musical standards style, spoken word, and hints of gospel. Alice Paul and the suffragist's fight for equality have been re-imagined for a new generation with a poignant and uplifting message that will resonate for years to come.
Originally created and performed on stage, 19: The Musical has been adapted for a new medium to reach a broader audience through audiobooks.
Book & Lyrics by Jennifer Schwed and Doug Bradshaw, Music Composed & Arranged by Charlie Barnett
Interview with Jennifer Schwed & Doug Bradshaw
Have you read anything that made you think differently about fiction?
Every good book I read changes my perspective on storytelling! There are so many books that caused a shift for me; the most recent example I can think of is “Remarkably Bright Creatures” by Shelby Van Pelt. Anyone who can make me laugh, cry and rethink everything I knew about life via the POV of an octopus is simply brilliant.
How do you select the names of your characters?
Most recently, we’ve completed the non-fiction project, 19: The Musical, An American Suffrage Story, so selecting names was a breeze. We used everyone’s real name, no selection process necessary!
Do you hide any secrets in your books that only a few people will find?
With this latest project being non-fiction, I wouldn’t say we hid any secrets. Though the story takes place a hundred years ago, there are many nods to present day, modern culture and some of these moments are more obvious than others.
What was your hardest scene to write?
In retelling history, so many scenes can be difficult. Because our story is about the passage of the 19th amendment and women fighting for the right to vote, we had to write about the abuse and torture they experienced in the American prison system. That was both eye opening and unpleasant to record.
Do you want each book to stand on its own, or are you trying to build a body of work with connections between each book?
19: The Musical is a one-off creation.
What were your goals and intentions in this book, and how well do you feel you achieved them?
Initially, 19: The Musical was a stage production. Our goal in converting the story into an audiobook was to give a wider audience the opportunity to learn more about these women who fought so hard for the freedoms we enjoy today. We had to recraft the story to work as an audiobook without any visual cues, which was very challenging. Feedback suggests that people are finding new and surprising bits of history in our book—which we consider a success!
What inspired you to write 19: The Musical?
We started working on the story back in 2016. We were poised to elect the first female president and it felt like an homage to tell the story of strong, determined women from a century ago who had changed our country.
Can you tell us a little bit about the next books in 19: The Musical or what you have planned for the future?
We’re always working on new projects, including a noir detective drama and a reimagining of an earlier project we did about Edgar Allan Poe.
Can you tell us a little bit about the characters in 19: The Musical
The story engages several historical figures, including Alice Paul, Susan B. Anthony, Ida B. Wells and many other suffragists. All of these women in the story were pivotal in the fight for women to get the right to vote.
What did you enjoy most about writing this book?
Writing 19 was very much a learning process for us. We were aware of some of these suffragists, but we didn’t know how they literally took to the streets and demanded that our government sit up and take notice of inequality. And through torture, abuse and other forms of forced misery, these women never, ever backed down. We enjoyed learning, being inspired by these women and giving them the stage to tell their own story.
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