ELECTRIC ROCK MUSICAL LIZZIE TAKES THEATERWORKS HARTFORD STAGE BY STORM
By Kiersten Bjork (October 10, 2023)
The electric rock musical Lizzie by Steven Cheslik-Demeyer, Alan Stevens Hewitt, and Tim Maner, is currently taking the Theaterworks Hartford stage by storm. Directed by Lainie Sakakura and with musical direction by Erika R. Gamez, Lizzie tells the story of famous ax murderer Lizzie Borden, known best through the classic nursery rhyme “Lizzie Borden took an ax, gave her mother forty whacks.” The musical is billed as “a Rock Concert in 40 Whacks,” and certainly lives up to the moniker: the production opens with the rhyme being sung in a haunting, almost angelic fashion, before diving into a score full of aggressive rock tunes, as well as a handful of powerful ballads. The story sheds light on the theories as to why Lizzie did what she did. Whether it was a result of the looming fear of the potential loss of her inheritance, the abuse she suffered at the hand of her father, the sexual oppression she faced as a queer woman in the late 1800s, or even madness, Lizzie twists the different evidence and testimonies of history into a 90-minute rock concert that leaves you feeling, admittedly, uneasy. Watching a stylized, bloody ax murder live on stage will do that to you…
While the production wasn’t what I would consider my “usual cup of tea,” I did find it interesting and well put-together. However, I did find myself wondering what was actually factual or just inferences and embellishments, and more importantly, I found myself wondering about different characters’ motivations and how I was supposed to feel about them. We see or hear about much of what Lizzie goes through, and we can’t help but sympathize with her as she suffers. However, as she spirals, the show also spirals stylistically, at which point I feel like I began to lose some of the narrative threads. Rock songs devolved into screamo, and the band backing up the vocalists also became overpowering in those moments. As a result, I began to lose what the performers were saying. Overall, though, the four performers gave an excellent show, each displaying powerful voices and impressive stage presence. I do wish that there had been even more rock styling to their voices, but I enjoyed their vocals nonetheless.
The electric rock musical Lizzie by Steven Cheslik-Demeyer, Alan Stevens Hewitt, and Tim Maner, is currently taking the Theaterworks Hartford stage by storm. Directed by Lainie Sakakura and with musical direction by Erika R. Gamez, Lizzie tells the story of famous ax murderer Lizzie Borden, known best through the classic nursery rhyme “Lizzie Borden took an ax, gave her mother forty whacks.” The musical is billed as “a Rock Concert in 40 Whacks,” and certainly lives up to the moniker: the production opens with the rhyme being sung in a haunting, almost angelic fashion, before diving into a score full of aggressive rock tunes, as well as a handful of powerful ballads. The story sheds light on the theories as to why Lizzie did what she did. Whether it was a result of the looming fear of the potential loss of her inheritance, the abuse she suffered at the hand of her father, the sexual oppression she faced as a queer woman in the late 1800s, or even madness, Lizzie twists the different evidence and testimonies of history into a 90-minute rock concert that leaves you feeling, admittedly, uneasy. Watching a stylized, bloody ax murder live on stage will do that to you…
While the production wasn’t what I would consider my “usual cup of tea,” I did find it interesting and well put-together. However, I did find myself wondering what was actually factual or just inferences and embellishments, and more importantly, I found myself wondering about different characters’ motivations and how I was supposed to feel about them. We see or hear about much of what Lizzie goes through, and we can’t help but sympathize with her as she suffers. However, as she spirals, the show also spirals stylistically, at which point I feel like I began to lose some of the narrative threads. Rock songs devolved into screamo, and the band backing up the vocalists also became overpowering in those moments. As a result, I began to lose what the performers were saying. Overall, though, the four performers gave an excellent show, each displaying powerful voices and impressive stage presence. I do wish that there had been even more rock styling to their voices, but I enjoyed their vocals nonetheless.
The Cast of Theaterworks Hartford’s Lizzie
(Mike Marques) |
Courtney Bassett, Sydney Shepherd, and Nora Schell in Theaterworks Hartford’s Lizzie
(Mike Marques) |
As the titular character, we primarily follow the plot from the perspective of Lizzie Borden, played with fantastic energy by Sydney Shepherd. Lizzie is chaotic, to say the least, as she swings from fear and anger at her father to an earnest need around Alice, and Shepherd plays that range well. She has an exceptional physicality in the role, accenting the harsher rock songs with thrashing choreography, tearing at her dress and tossing her head. She shifts from hyper-fixated to an almost out-of-body spaciness that evokes Lizzie’s internal struggle with all that she has endured. I enjoyed the journey that Shepherd took us on, really digging into the shift after the act-break as Lizzie sees the light at the end of the tunnel leading up to her acquittal.
Lizzie’s sister, Emma Borden, is played by Courtney Bassett, who brings a formidable presence to the role. Bassett leans into the harder edginess of Emma, and I particularly liked her rendition of “Sweet Little Sister.” There are times when Emma eggs Lizzie on, and there are times when she tries to protect her: Bassett brings all of the facets of the character together with spunk and impressive head-banging hair flips.
Nora Schell plays the Bordens’ Irish housekeeper, Bridget Sullivan (sometimes called Maggie), and really shines vocally in the role. Schell has a powerful voice that they wield with everything they have – in the moments of vicious glee to those of haunting foreshadowing – all while handling a thick Irish brogue.
Kim Onah takes on the character of Lizzie’s neighbor, confidant, and secret lover, Alice Russell. While she still has her time to shine in the rock songs, I was particularly impressed by Onah’s renditions of the softer, prettier ballads. “If You Knew” was sweet, yet heartbreaking, tender yet passionate. Throughout the show she expertly evokes Alice’s yearning, then twists it into a cold, frosty demeanor as she realizes what has come to pass and refuses to be distracted by Lizzie’s attempts to placate her.
Lizzie’s sister, Emma Borden, is played by Courtney Bassett, who brings a formidable presence to the role. Bassett leans into the harder edginess of Emma, and I particularly liked her rendition of “Sweet Little Sister.” There are times when Emma eggs Lizzie on, and there are times when she tries to protect her: Bassett brings all of the facets of the character together with spunk and impressive head-banging hair flips.
Nora Schell plays the Bordens’ Irish housekeeper, Bridget Sullivan (sometimes called Maggie), and really shines vocally in the role. Schell has a powerful voice that they wield with everything they have – in the moments of vicious glee to those of haunting foreshadowing – all while handling a thick Irish brogue.
Kim Onah takes on the character of Lizzie’s neighbor, confidant, and secret lover, Alice Russell. While she still has her time to shine in the rock songs, I was particularly impressed by Onah’s renditions of the softer, prettier ballads. “If You Knew” was sweet, yet heartbreaking, tender yet passionate. Throughout the show she expertly evokes Alice’s yearning, then twists it into a cold, frosty demeanor as she realizes what has come to pass and refuses to be distracted by Lizzie’s attempts to placate her.
Kim Onah and Sydney Shepherd in Theaterworks Hartford’s Lizzie (Mike Marques)
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Sydney Shepherd in Theaterworks Hartford’s Lizzie (Mike Marques)
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Scenic design by Brian Prather is simple, yet incredibly evocative. Prather has created a wall of doors, playing into the language in the show about all of the locked doors in the Borden house, but also the symbolism of the secrets that the family possesses and the feeling of being trapped that Lizzie fights against as she expresses how she’s “Gotta Get Out of Here.” Trussed steel girders frame the playing space, adding a hard, metallic edge (both literally and thematically) to the show, and are used by the performers to achieve additional levels on a mostly flat space, aside from a single raised platform in the center of the stage.
Lighting designer Rob Denton pulls out all the stops. The show is, on one level, a rock concert, and Denton’s design lives beautifully within that idea. A wide range of colors, backlight, shadows, downlight, and more are utilized to create epic visuals. Denton’s design is supported by the projection design from Camilla Tassi. I’m always impressed by Tassi’s work, and Lizzie is no exception. A child’s silhouette skips rope, flames curl, birds fly, and headlines scroll on the projection surfaces to the left and right of the stage, as well as on the upstage wall. The imagery, both static and in motion, is powerful, and the choices throughout provide wonderful stylistic support to the different moments in the story.
Costumes by designer Saawan Tiwari and hair and make-up design by Ashley Rae Callahan are excellent – I loved the shift from the tight, high-collared period clothing in Act I to the gritty, revealing rocker costumes in Act II. Sound designer Megan Culley had a tricky job, as is the case with any rock musical in a small house, and I do wish there had been a better balance on the louder rock numbers. I lost a lot of what was being said/sung during those numbers because of the sheer wall of sound from the band that overwhelmed the vocalists – the closing numbers of the show felt this way in particular. However, the band was stellar!
Lighting designer Rob Denton pulls out all the stops. The show is, on one level, a rock concert, and Denton’s design lives beautifully within that idea. A wide range of colors, backlight, shadows, downlight, and more are utilized to create epic visuals. Denton’s design is supported by the projection design from Camilla Tassi. I’m always impressed by Tassi’s work, and Lizzie is no exception. A child’s silhouette skips rope, flames curl, birds fly, and headlines scroll on the projection surfaces to the left and right of the stage, as well as on the upstage wall. The imagery, both static and in motion, is powerful, and the choices throughout provide wonderful stylistic support to the different moments in the story.
Costumes by designer Saawan Tiwari and hair and make-up design by Ashley Rae Callahan are excellent – I loved the shift from the tight, high-collared period clothing in Act I to the gritty, revealing rocker costumes in Act II. Sound designer Megan Culley had a tricky job, as is the case with any rock musical in a small house, and I do wish there had been a better balance on the louder rock numbers. I lost a lot of what was being said/sung during those numbers because of the sheer wall of sound from the band that overwhelmed the vocalists – the closing numbers of the show felt this way in particular. However, the band was stellar!
Sydney Shepherd in Theaterworks Hartford’s Lizzie (Mike Marques)
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Nora Schell in Theaterworks Hartford’s Lizzie (Mike Marques)
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Lizzie at Theaterworks Hartford is certainly a change of pace from many of the classic musicals, but it lives within an exciting, contemporary rock sound that is certainly entertaining. It’s the perfect eerie tale for an October night, and I recommend taking a chance to see something unlike anything you’ve seen before. It’s dark, it’s gritty, and it’s truly a “rock concert in 40 whacks.” Catch Lizzie at Theaterworks Hartford before it closes on October 29!
Lizzie will run through October 29 at Theaterworks Hartford in Hartford, CT. Curtain times are Tuesdays-Thursdays at 7:30pm, Fridays at 8:00pm, Saturdays at 2:30pm & 8:00pm, and Sundays at 2:30pm. It has a runtime of 90 minutes + 1 intermission. Tickets are available through the Box Office (860.527.7838), or online at twhartford.org.
Kiersten Bjork is a theatremaker and reviewer (Connecticut Critics Circle) from Branford, CT.
Lizzie will run through October 29 at Theaterworks Hartford in Hartford, CT. Curtain times are Tuesdays-Thursdays at 7:30pm, Fridays at 8:00pm, Saturdays at 2:30pm & 8:00pm, and Sundays at 2:30pm. It has a runtime of 90 minutes + 1 intermission. Tickets are available through the Box Office (860.527.7838), or online at twhartford.org.
Kiersten Bjork is a theatremaker and reviewer (Connecticut Critics Circle) from Branford, CT.