It's August 1919, and local Women's Institute activist, Miss Bessie Carruthers of Kent Street in Charlottetown, has a very special guest for her weekly Study Club gathering: British musician, composer and renowned suffragette, Miss Ethel Smyth. While this is a fictional event, the characters are based on actual women.

Bessie Carruthers played an important role in persuading political leaders of the era to grant women the right to vote in PEI.

Produced by local company Pirate Jenny Productions, The Bessie Carruthers Study Club stars Suzanne Campbell (Mezzo-soprano) as the titular suffragette with Jennifer King (pianist) as English composer Ethel Smyth.

This play performance won PEI's Heritage Recognition award for 2024.

'a playfully thoughtful and amusing look back at women's earlier struggles, made more appealing by the Campbell/King duo's fine singing and King's formidable piano skills. Their slate of period tunes includes several audience sing-along numbers, making the show more immersive and fun' - Sean McQuaid, The Buzz