She Persisted
The Musical!
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Script and Lyrics by Adam Tobin
Music by Deborah Wicks La Puma
Adapted from the book by Chelsea Clinton, illustrated by Alexandra Boiger
Published by Music Theatre International.

Upcoming Productions

She Persisted
Farmers Alley Theatre, Farmers Alley, Kalamazoo, MI

Synopsis

Naomi’s fourth-grade trip to the museum turns into a time-travelling adventure where she gets to meet inspirational women overcoming barriers and making history.

History

She Persisted: The Musical was commissioned by Bay Area Children’s Theatre and premiered in February 2019 under the direction of Khalia Davis, with music direction by Erica Maier D’Ambrosio.  It next enjoyed a celebrated Off-Broadway run at the Atlantic Theater Company in 2020, receiving the Off-Broadway Alliance Award for Best Family Show.

“An exuberant, time-traveling history lesson that instills confidence! The optimistic takeaway for the youngest generation is clear: Persevere. You’ve got this.” – Laura Collins-Hughes, The New York Times
The cast of Bay Area Children’s Theatre. Photo Credit: Alessandra Mello

Musical Numbers

1. PERFECT/NOT - Naomi and Ensemble
1. PERFECT/NOT - Naomi and Ensemble

2. THEY CHANGED THE WORLD - Ms. Chan and Ensemble

3. PERFECT/NOT Reprise - Naomi

4. ANOTHER SOLUTION - Sonia Sotomayor
4. ANOTHER SOLUTION - Sonia Sotomayor

5. THAT'S THE SCORE - Dr. Virginia Apgar and Ensemble
5. THAT'S THE SCORE - Dr. Virginia Apgar and Ensemble

6. HOPE - Harriet Tubman and Ensemble
6. HOPE - Harriet Tubman and Ensemble

7. ANOTHER SOLUTION Reprise - Sonia Sotomayor
7. ANOTHER SOLUTION Reprise - Sonia Sotomayor

8. RUN MY RACE - Florence Griffith Joyner and Ensemble
8. RUN MY RACE - Florence Griffith Joyner and Ensemble

9. ISN'T IT COOL? - Sally Ride and Ensemble
9. ISN'T IT COOL? - Sally Ride and Ensemble

10. WALK ON - Ruby Bridges and Naomi

11. PERFECT/NOT Reprise II - Naomi

12. WALK ON Finale - All
12. WALK ON Finale - All

 

“A piece of children’s theatre that is both entertaining and relevant. The show leaves us with an unforgettable rallying cry: “We insist, we resist, nevertheless we persist!” – Jordan Freed, Theatrius

Auberth Bercy and Amber Jaunai at the Atlantic Theatre Company. Photo Credit: Ahron R. Foster

Production Elements

Cast: 6 Women

Heather Sawyer, Auberth Bercy, Amber Jaunai, Jianzi Colón-Soto, Cynthia Nesbit and Amanda Corday. Photo Credit: Ahron R. Foster

Actress 1 (African American): NAOMI, 10

Actress 2 (Asian American): MS. CHAN and TIME, a child
Actress 3 (Latina): SONIA SOTOMAYOR and ensemble
Actress 4 (African American): HARRIET TUBMAN, FLORENCE GRIFFITH JOYNER and ensemble
Actress 5: (Caucasian): DR. VIRGINIA APGAR, SALLY RIDE and ensemble
Actress 6: (African American): RUBY BRIDGES and ensemble
Gabriela Momah and Loreigna Hawkins at Bay Area Children’s Theatre. Photo Credit: Alessandra Mello

Music: Various styles.  Scored for Piano, Violin, Guitar, Bass and Drums.  Accompaniment tracks available.
Musical Difficulty: Moderate
Technical Requirements: Minimal

Suggested Audience: Young Audiences/Families

“Inspirational! A call to action for families raising young feminists, She Persisted celebrates real-life sheroes while demonstrating that everyone has the power to make a difference.” – Raven Snook, Time Out New York

Authors

Chelsea Victoria Clinton is an American author and global health advocate.  She has authored and co-authored best-selling children’s non-fiction books, receiving numerous awards and honors, most recently the Children’s Defense Fund Children’s Champion Award in 2019.  Her first children’s book, It’s Your World: Get Informed, Get Inspired and Get Going!, was published by Philomel Books in 2015.   In 2017 she reached No. 1 on the New York Times Children’s Picture Books Best Sellers list with She Persisted: 13 American Women Who Changed the World, illustrated by Alexandra Boiger.   She went on to write two more companion books, also published by Philomel and illustrated by Boiger, entitled She Persisted Around the World: 13 Women Who Changed History and She Persisted in Sports: American Olympians Who Changed the Game.   The daughter of former U.S President Bill Clinton and former Senator and Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, she lives in New York City with her husband Marc Mezvinsky and their three children Charlotte, Aidan and Jasper.  

Adam Tobin (book and lyrics) is a writer, improvisor, and teacher. He is a Senior Lecturer teaching television and screenwriting in the Film & Media Studies Program at Stanford University. Before coming to Stanford, he received an MFA in screenwriting from USC School of Cinematic Arts and worked in the entertainment industry in Los Angeles and New York. He created and produced the half-hour comedy series About a Girl and the reality series Best Friends’ Date for Viacom’s The-N network (now TeenNick). Tobin won an Emmy for writing on Discovery Channel’s Cash Cab, has worked in script development for Jim Henson Pictures, and for the entertainment division of the National Basketball Association. He also teaches improvisation and has taught script development at animation studios Twentieth Century Fox/Blue Sky Studios, Aardman Animation, and Dreamworks Animation.

DEBORAH WICKS LA PUMA (music) – see her bio page

Purchase

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or contact us via our contact page.

Carolina Morones, Bay Area Children’s Theatre. Photo Credit: Alessandra Mello

Vocal Work Out! CD

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