Find A Way Lyrics

Song Facts:

• Genre: Musical Theatre


• Lyricist: Shaina Taub


• Composers: Shaina Taub


• Musical: "Suffs"


• Year: 2024

Annotations and Meaning of Find A Way:

The track Find A Way from the musical "Suffs" delves into the early organization efforts of the women's suffrage movement, highlighting the determination and creativity required to push for change.

Hou
Alice!
Thank God.
I got your telegram and came as soon as I could.
What's the emergency?

These lines preface-set, with an aura of urgency, Alice Paul and her friend Lucy Burns as they face their quintessence in planning for America's first national protest march.
Two months from today-so there is no time to lose.
Welcome to our new office. Do you remember that committee that arranged the suffrage parade?
This time, she begins by underlining the, showing their new headquarters and the urgency to organize the march.

Holy cow, how many in it?
Counting you?
Don't say two.
Two.

But beneath this funny exchange lies the challenge that this small team has had to deal with the 'underdog status' headings they have.

How will we do it when it's never been done?
How will we find the way where there isn't one?

These repeated refrains sum up the basics of this song by spelling out the way certitude and creativity became imperatives for a way out when there hadn't been one, for guaranteeing women's rights.

First pursuit is to recruit Inez Millholland.
The Inez Millholland?

The mention of Inez Millholland introduces a key figure in the suffrage movement, known for her charismatic and influential presence.

The papers call her glamorous, dazzling, all the things I'm not.
We need a public face. It's gotta be Inez Millholland.

Alice recognizes the importance of having a high-profile advocate to draw public attention to their cause, despite feeling she lacks those qualities herself.

I'm Alice Paul, and this is my best friend Lucy Burns.
We were field hockey teammates at Swarthmore.

This introduction provides a glimpse into their personal history, illustrating their strong bond and teamwork.

It's really nice.
We want you to be the grand marshal of our suffrage march.

Alice and Lucy’s invitation to Inez Millholland to lead the march as the grand marshal emphasizes their strategy to use her public appeal to boost the movement.

My steed should be white, a feminine reclaiming of the armored knight.

Inez’s vision of riding a white horse symbolizes a powerful and noble reclaiming of traditional masculine imagery, recontextualized for the suffrage cause.

How will we do it when it's never been done?
How will we find a way where there isn't one?

The repetition of this refrain reinforces the determination and innovative spirit required to achieve their unprecedented goals.

A socialite, a socialist.
Bruja Vin Slavska.
Bruja Vin Slavska?

This line introduces another ally, Bruja Vin Slavska, highlighting the diverse backgrounds and perspectives within the movement.

My fellow workers, we must strike.
Came from Poland when she was seven.
We must strike for safe conditions.
In a mill since she was eleven.
This is her fight too. Not just us fortunate few.

Bruja’s background as a labor activist adds depth to the suffrage cause, linking it to broader social justice issues and emphasizing inclusivity.

Look, I've won no part of your polite little suffragette parlor games.
Well, that's perfect because when we take on a tyrant, we burn him down.
Or they march.

This dialogue showcases a clash of strategies, with Bruja’s more radical approach contrasting with Alice’s structured planning, yet both aiming for the same goal.

How will we do it when it's never been done?
How will we find a way where there isn't one?

The final repetition of this refrain underscores the resilience and unity of the suffragettes as they face an unprecedented challenge together.

**Song Title: "Find A Way"**

Shaina Taub discussed the development of "Find A Way," one of the earliest songs written for the show in 2018. Initially, it was a lengthy 12-minute piece, now refined to about seven minutes. Taub drew inspiration from "Opening Doors" from *Merrily We Roll Along*, envisioning a sequence that captures a period in the characters' lives as they strive to make progress and build their friendships.

Another influence was the recruitment scenes from the *Mighty Ducks* movies, where characters are assembled in their environments. This inspired the structure of "Find A Way," where each character is introduced and brought into the suffrage movement. The musical themes for characters Ruza Wenclawska and Doris Stevens came quickly, with Ruza's defiant polka and Doris's eager pulse. However, the themes for Lucy Burns and Inez Milholland took longer to develop and were shaped by the portrayals of Ally Bonino and Hannah Cruz.

Taub emphasized the importance of distillation in this song and throughout *Suffs*, aiming to create the leanest version that effectively assembles the crew and builds momentum leading into the next number, "Wait My Turn."

Overall, Find A Way captures the spirit of innovation, collaboration, and determination that defined the early women's suffrage movement.