Lizzie: The Musical
Music and Lyrics by Steven Cheslik-deMeyer
Lyrics, Book and Additional Music by Tim Maner
Music and Additional Lyrics by Alan Stevens Hewitt
Directed by Shyama Nithiananda
Music Directed by Gary Adler
Produced by Theatre 3
Reviewed by Jenny Wood
Inspired by the gothic children’s rhyme, Theatre 3’s Lizzie: The Rock Musical promises to distill the popular women-in-crime legend of Lizzie Borden into a brisk 90 minute “punk rock musical perfect for the Halloween season”.
Lizzie Borden is, as legend goes, the young woman who, in 1892, took an ax and gave her mother 40 whacks. When she saw what she had done, she gave her father 41.
And so begins the play, with a slow dripping of blood from the ceiling onto the floor in the center of the Norma Young Arena Stage, in which Scenic Designer Jeffrey Schmidt has built his Borden Estate - a stylized 1892 farmhouse façade featuring a catwalk through the front yard.
First produced in 2009, the book and lyrics incorporate all the mainstream theories about the case – Lizzie and Emma Borden (and their maid Bridgette) decidedly do not like their stepmother, their father loves Lizzie so much that Lizzie sleeps with one eye open, Lizzie finds solace in the arms of her neighbor Alice Russel, Mr. and Mrs. Borden do not approve of such a tryst.
I cannot overemphasize this: director Shyama Nithianand’s cast and creative team did a fantastic job elevating the material. This show is FUN.
While each actress, Presley Duyck (Lizzie Borden), Ja’Naye Flanagan (Emma Borden), Lauren Urso Gray (Alice Russel), and Lauren LeBlanc (Bridget) are compelling in their solo moments, their group dynamic is what really makes the show a celebration of calculated chaos.
Emily Bernet’s choreography adds nuance in the moments that need it, and otherwise allows her actors to exude bold confidence as they take over the entirety of the space to tell their side of the headlines. Shahrzad Mazaheri has designed gorgeous, adaptive costumes true to both the period and the premise. I would very much like to purchase a dupe of Lizzie’s dress from the closing number.
Extra praise to sound designer Noah Heller. So often, with live bands in smaller venues the music either drowns out the vocals or the volume on the mics is brought up so high that the nuance of the vocal performance is lost. This did not happen - the performance I attended was in perfect balance and I was able to appreciate the skill of each performer. I also particularly enjoyed Aaron Johansen’s dynamic lighting design.
Lizzie: The Musical continues through October 29, theatre3dallas.com for tickets.
Audience Rating: PG13 - language, imagery, content
Run Time: 90 minutes, including a 15 minute intermission
Accessible Seating: Available
Hearing Devices: Not Available
Sensory Friendly Performance: Not Available
ASL Performance: Not Available
Production Sound Level: Comfortable Volume
Noises or Visuals to Prepare For: Strobe Effects, Fog, Screams
Cheers!
Jenny
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