A rock musical about the infamous
Lizzie Borden, who was charged with and acquitted of killing her parents with an ax in 1892, why not?! It premiered in 2009, and Open Eye Theatre is finally bringing this super fun girl power rock musical to #TCTheater (Minneapolis Musical Theatre was planning to do it in 2020, but we know how that story goes). It's really more of a song cycle than a musical, it's almost entirely sung-through in 90 minutes or so (with an intermission, because these actors are singing their faces off and deserve a break). It feels more like a rock concert, like a visceral experience that you feel in your bones. If you sit in the front row (like I did because that's where you sit when you see a show with
The Stages of MN) you'll experience, fog, smoke, bright lights flashing and shining directly into your eyes, and blaring music (ear plugs available at the box office). The design, direction, and performances are just spot on for what this show should be - wild and feminist and bright and loud. But underneath all that the show deals with some serious issues of women's rights, incest, abuse, sisterhood, complex family dynamics, and love. Opening weekend is already entirely sold out, so don't wait to long too get your tickets to this show that is sure to become a phenomenon (
continuing through November 2).
We hear the familiar story of Lizzie Bordon through four characters: the maid Bridget/Maggie (Marley Ritchie), Lizzie's neighbor and love interest Alice (Grace Hillmyer), Lizzie's sister Emma (Abilene Olson), and Lizzie herself (Lux Mortenson). The show begins with an exposition song that sets the stage and gets us familiar with the general story, then we start at the beginning and the songs walk us through more or less chronologically in this fictionalized version of history. There's very little spoken dialogue, but through the songs we learn about Lizzie's abuse at the hands of her father, Emma's discovery that their father's will leaves his fortune to their stepmother if he dies first, and Lizzie and Alice's relationship. At the end of Act I Lizzie reaches the breaking point, and we see the murders played out in silhouette behind a curtain. Act II brings us through the aftermath, the trial and verdict. But the musical is less about historical facts than visceral emotion, and getting us inside Lizzie's life to understand why she may have (allegedly) committed this brutal act.
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the Act I look (Grace Hillmyer, Lux Mortenson,
Marley Ritchie, and Abilene Olson, photo by Bruce Silcox) |
Open Eye's Artistic Director Joel Sass directs the show with just the perfect tone that's a mix of camp, glam rock, dark comedy, and deep emotions. He also designed the set (natch) and it's stunning in combination with the sound and lighting design. Open Eye's tiny stage is open to the very back wall, where the rockin' four-piece band led by Music Director Amanda Weis sits. The only set piece is a creepy miniature house, that when turned around is a throne. A cabinet on one side holds various props, the arch is framed with ornate ironwork covered in lights, with creepy portraits of the Bordens on either side. The show is lit like a rock concert, with bright and sometimes flashing lights that match the mood of each song. The sound is loud but clear, with the cast singing into hand-held mics, continuing the rock concert vibe. (Lighting design by Michael Murnane and sound design by Dan Dukich.)
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the final look - freedom (Grace Hillmyer, Lux Mortenson,
Abilene Olson, and Marley Ritchie, photo by Bruce Silcox) |
This cast is incredible, each one a powerful singer with strong character choices. When they sing together in harmony, it's just gorgeous. Their costumes start off as traditional period dresses, but as the show goes on, and especially in Act II, they turn into a glam rock modern version of it, with corsets and layered handkerchief skirts in bold colors. A fun feature is the microphone holder attached to the waist (a la
SIX, to which this show bears more than a little resemblance in its modern feminist retelling of HERstory), so that they can perform hands-free, including some modern powerful dance moves. (Costume design by Samantha Haddow and choreography by Abby Magalee.)
Lizzie: The Rock Musical is a really fun, feminist, modern, and inventive musical. And I really can't imagine a better production than this one, with this talented team all contributing to create this one-of-a-kind theatrical experience.
