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Broadway-caliber music often begins far from New York’s Theater District. For Dani Lee Hutch, it began in a rehearsal room at ��������.

Hutch, a 2016 Cedarville graduate with a degree in music, serves as music director, conductor and keyboardist for the national tour of “Suffs,” which opens in Dayton on March 31 and runs through April 5. The production, centered on the American women’s suffrage movement, dramatizes the decades-long fight that culminated in the ratification of the 19th Amendment, granting women the right to vote.

The “Suffs” tour has already visited cities across the U.S., including Seattle, Las Vegas, Los Angeles and Cleveland, and will travel next to cities like Baltimore, Chicago and Washington, D.C.

Dani Lee Hutch leads music for the national tour of “Suffs”

Based in New York City, Hutch helps lead the show’s music from the pit each night, guiding the musicians and cast through a score that drives the production. As music director, she ensures musical consistency across tour locations, oversees rehearsals and maintains the artistic integrity of the production — a role critical to the success of any national Broadway tour.

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Her career in musical theater began at Cedarville, where she arrived with a performer’s instincts and a pianist’s discipline. “At the end of high school, I had a vague desire to go on the performance route. I wanted to be an actress and singer and dancer on stage,” said Hutch, “But during my time at Cedarville, I fell back in love with the piano.”

A turning point came her junior year, when she was asked to serve as rehearsal accompanist for the university theatre’s production of “Fiddler on the Roof.” The assignment put her in the middle of both cast and orchestra rehearsals, giving her a greater view of how a musical is built.

“That experience was the big ‘aha moment’ for me,” she said. “It showed me I can do both. I can be a part of the storytelling, but from the music side of things.”

Piano training and leadership skills prepared Hutch for touring

Cedarville’s training also prepared her for the physical demands of the industry. Touring musicians can spend long days at the keyboard, and Hutch said the technique she developed as an undergraduate still supports her work. “My musical training at Cedarville, particularly my piano playing technique, has really helped me throughout grad school and while working professionally,” she said, crediting study with Dr. John Mortensen, professor of music, for helping her play extended hours “and not being injured or hurting at the end.”

She also learned how to lead in collaborative environments. “Music and the performing arts are a team sport,” said Hutch, pointing to the wide range of ensembles and performance settings at Cedarville that trained her to listen, adapt and build trust.

What Dani Lee Hutch does as music director for “Suffs”

On “Suffs,” that teamwork meets real-time multitasking. Hutch conducts while playing, cueing entrances and shaping the sound from the keyboard. “Conducting with whatever limb is available is the joke that I use,” she said. “If both hands are busy, I give lots of head nods and lots of looks.”

Faith and vocation remain central to Hutch’s work

Cedarville’s spiritual foundation has been just as essential as Hutch’s musical preparation. A Bible minor and additional coursework helped ground her as she entered a profession where many colleagues see the world differently. “Every time I interact with someone, the way I interact comes from the idea that they are a fellow image-bearer,” she said. While touring nationally, she prioritizes time in Scripture, maintains connections with Christian community and watches her home church online when travel prevents in-person attendance.

That blend of craft and conviction has shaped how she approaches her work, guiding her leadership in the pit and her life on the road.

Dayton stop shows full-circle impact of Cedarville education

For Hutch, the Dayton engagement is more than another tour stop. It represents the full-circle impact of higher education in music, mentorship and disciplined preparation. Cedarville, she said, prepared her not only for the stage but for a sustainable career in the global performing arts industry.

About ��������

��������, an evangelical Christian institution in southwest Ohio, offers undergraduate and graduate residential and online programs across arts, sciences and professional fields. With 7,265 students, it is among Ohio's largest private universities and is ranked among the nation’s top five evangelical universities in the Wall Street Journal’s 2026 Best Colleges in the U.S. Cedarville is also known for its vibrant Christian community, challenging academics and high graduation and retention rates. Learn more at cedarville.edu.