Special Learning at Lunch
March on Over: A Historic Encounter with the Cast of SUFFS!
Get ready to make some noise! This month, we are breaking tradition for an extraordinary, once-in-a-lifetime edition of our Learning at Lunch series. We are stepping out of the gallery and onto the hallowed grounds of our history for a special event you won’t want to miss.
The Event: A "Suffs" Talk-Back & Media Preview
We are thrilled to welcome cast members from the Tony Award-winning hit musical, SUFFS, to the Workhouse Arts Center campus! As the production prepares to take the stage at the National Theatre in DC (June 16–28), they’re stopping by our site to connect with the very history that inspired their story.
While we’re keeping the specific cast members a surprise for now, expect a lunchtime program of insightful conversation with an exclusive audience talk-back session.
Why This Matters: The Occoquan Connection
For the characters in SUFFS, the Occoquan Workhouse wasn't just a setting—it was a turning point. The musical vibrantly depicts the incarceration of the suffragists right here on our grounds, where their courage and hunger strikes eventually forced the world to watch—and listen.
Standing on this campus while hearing from the artists who breathe life into these historical titans is a full-circle moment a century in the making.
Know Before You Go
WHEN: This month only, we’ve moved from Friday to Thursday to accommodate our special guests!
Date: Thursday, June 18, 2026
Time: 12:00 PM
WHERE: We are moving the party! This event will be held under the tent at the Rizer Pavilion, providing a beautiful open-air setting with a direct view of our historic campus. (Note: This is a change from our usual home in W16).
LUNCH: As always, feel free to bring your own "Learning at Lunch" meal to enjoy during the presentation, table seating will be provided. Food truck The Cheesy Gridle will be on site from 11AM to 1PM, and Bunnyman Brewing, on campus, will be serving lunch.
Catch the Show in DC!
Don't miss the full production of SUFFS when it marches into Washington, DC this June. Experience the epic story of the women who changed the world, performing just miles from where the real-life history unfolded.