91探花

Fans of true crime and historical mysteries are likely familiar with the story of Lizzie Borden, the woman who was tried and acquitted for the murders of her father and stepmother in 1892. Her story has gone on to become one of the most well-known murder cases of all time, and Borden’s name—with the help of a popular nursery rhyme about an axe and forty whacks—has become infamous.

This Halloween season, the latest musical from Lees-91探花 Theatre Arts, “Lizzie,” dives into this famous case and offers a new perspective on Borden’s life, told through a rock music score and 90s grunge aesthetic.

The musical, which is rated R for strong language, features just four characters: Lizzie, her sister Emma Borden, their maid Bridget Sullivan, and the Bordens’ neighbor and a close friend of Lizzie, Alice Russell. Themes of rage and betrayal propel the story forward as it follows these four women from before the murders, through the events leading up to it, and finally through Lizzie’s trial.

Abby Austin, a senior Theatre Arts major with a Technical Theatre minor, plays the titular role, an experience that she said has stretched her both as an actor and a singer.

“It’s a very challenging role. It’s hard because she is a very complex character. She’s also a real historical figure, and there’s always this challenge of playing real people but still finding ways to make them your own,” Austin said. “An interesting thing in the show is that while a lot of it is not necessarily true to the actual case that happened, there are certain parts of the show where there are true quotes from the case. For those, it’s interesting because you can read those and imagine how they would have said it, but I also have to be able to find my own character in that.”

With just four characters, “Lizzie” is an exercise in stamina as well as acting. The characters rarely leave the stage, and the show is primarily sung through with minimal dialogue between songs, an adjustment that has required additional training for the student performers.

“We’ve had to learn how to sing all these rock techniques without destroying our voices,” senior Musical Theatre major Taylor Blecher, who plays Lizzie’s older sister Emma Borden, said. “I was in ‘The Toxic Avenger’ my sophomore year, which was kind of a rock musical, but not as much as ‘Lizzie’ is. I had some experience doing a little bit of rock music then, but I’m enhancing that with this show, and I’ve learned a lot about how to sing through the music and own the music like a rock singer.”

The music in the show is one of the most exciting challenges “Lizzie” presents. With inspiration drawn from rock legends like Queen, Elvis Presley, Nirvana, and Radiohead, this musical is sure to appeal to rock music lovers of all ages.

“It’s really cool being able to see the little references throughout the show that I think a lot of rock fans will pick up on,” Austin said.

While the show focuses on the murder case, larger themes of self-discovery and the fight for personal freedom drive the characters’ actions. Both Lizzie and Emma are driven by rage, but Austin and Blecher are also invested in exploring the women’s softer sides.

Austin said that while the story is dark on its face, she hopes audiences also take away a sense of joy and a feeling that they can own their own lives. While Lizzie potentially had violent ways of reaching her goals, she strove for something many people can relate to: a desire to be free and to live her life the way she wanted to.

“Lizzie is a story of joy and power and taking back your life and being able to find freedom through that. I think everyone should come see it. It’s going to be a great production and we’ve put in so much work,” Austin said.

There will be three evening performances of “Lizzie” at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 29, Thursday, Oct. 30, and Saturday, Nov. 1. There will also be a matinee performance at 3 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 31. All performances will be in Hayes Auditorium. Tickets for all performances are on sale now.