Hillary Clinton greeted with ovation at Tony Awards

Former Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton received a standing ovation Sunday night when she introduced a musical number from "Suffs" at Broadway's annual Tony Awards.

“I have stood on a lot of stages, but this is very special,” Clinton told the surprised audience at Lincoln Center's David H. Koch Theater in New York City, then added: "I know a little bit about how hard it it is make change."

Clinton was identified as one of the producers of "Suffs," a musical written by Shaina Taub that tells the story of Alice Paul (played by Taub) and other suffragists — Clinton referred to them as "American originals" — fighting for the right to vote during Woodrow Wilson's presidency.

The former secretary of State and U.S. senator from New York also said the show's message was timely in this presidential election year.

"We need to be reminded about how important it is to vote," Clinton said.

Last month, Clinton appeared on MSNBC's "Morning Joe" with Taub to discuss the production.

“In this election year, we need a lot of joy to be honest,” she said of the show.

Clinton is not the only famous activist associated with the musical. Nobel Peace Prize winner Malala Yousafzai is also listed as a producer on the show, and longtime activist Gloria Steinem took part in April in a post-show discussion about Paul's legacy.