[NEohioPAL] Berko review: LIZIE BORDEN @ 14th Street Theatre (BW/PHSq)

[Roy Berko]

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*LIZZIE BORDEN an intense evening of theatre at the 14th Street Theatre*



Roy Berko

(Member, American Theatre Critics Association, Cleveland Critics Circle)



“Lizzie Borden took an ax, gave her mother forty whacks, when she saw what
she had done, gave her father forty-one.”  That line from a caustic poem
not only attempted to describe the 1892 murder of Borden’s parents, but
became a limerick used gleefully by girls for jumping rope.



The grizzly murder, which, much like the modern day O.J. Simpson case, was
sensationalized.  And, like Simpson, Lizzie, with a clever defense, was
acquitted.



The trial revealed the tale of a girl who might have been molested by her
supposed miserly father, emotionally put upon by her step-mother, and might
have been involved in an ongoing affair with her female next door neighbor.
Even today, curiosity over the case has amateur sleuths searching for the
truth.



Doesn’t sound like the basis for a musical, does it?  Well, in the hands of
music and book conceivers Steven Cheslik-DeMeyer, Tim Maner and Alan
Stevens Hewitt, it turns out to be a fascinating topic.  Add to that the
dynamic talent of Baldwin Wallace College’s musical theatre students, and
the creative and focused direction of Victoria Bussert, place the whole
thing in the intimate 14th Street Theatre, and you have one hell of an
exciting evening of theatre.



The score, composed of traditional and modern rock, as well as several
ballads, carries the burden of the script.  Few lines are spoken.  The
pounding music highlights the moods of the characters as well as beating
the audience into psychological submission.  The viewer is carried away
emotionally with the unending intensity.



This is the kind of script that Bussert does so well.  It’s quirky, allows
for creativity in staging and character interpretation, and is well written.



The four-woman cast has been well-honed by Bussert.  They are emotionally
present at all times, never wavering from their excitement of telling the
tale.  The story is often visually gruesome, yet, there is comic
relief.   Lizzie,
for example, pulverizes her father and step-mother’s skulls by her whacking
away at pictures of the duo attached to watermelons.  Audience members in
the first few rows are given plastic ponchos in order to avoid the flying
melon inners.  Some appropriately overdone scenes add sadistic mirth.



In order to give students the needed live theatre experience, there are two
casts.  I saw the “Axe” group, so my comments can only describe that cast.



Shannon O’Boyle is pretty, innocent looking, and a perfect Lizzie.  She
doesn’t appear to be capable of such a heinous deed, but when she lets
loose vocally and emotionally, you can believe that she whacked away.
Her *Maybe
Someday/Gotta Get Out of Here* was well-sung, foreshadowing what was to
come.



Sophie Brown, as Bridget Sullivan, the family’s maid, played the role to
the hilt.  Her overdone butch demeanor helped create comic relief.   Her *The
Fall Of The House of Borden* was excellent.



Beautiful Ciara Renée, with her flashing eyes, menacing voice and severe
body movements, gave a clear indication of the inner negative thoughts of
Emma, Lizzie’s older sister.  *Sweet Little Sister*, which was sung with
O’Boyle, was beautifully interpreted.



Pretty Rachel Michelle Jones, as the Borden’s next door neighbor, and
possibly Lizzie’s love interest, was convincing as Alice Russell. *Will You
Stay*, sung with O’Boyle, was a beautifully interpreted love song.



The voices were universally wonderful.  These young ladies are Broadway
ready!



If there was one flaw in the production, it was the musical direction of
Matthew Webb.  Though the band was excellent, Webb failed to keep the
musicians in check.  Often the heavy sound of the music drowned out the
performers.  This is not a rock concert.  We need to hear the words of the
singers in order to grasp the meaning.  In addition, he often upstaged the
performers with his dancing while directing.



*CAPSULE JUDGEMENT:*  *LIZZIE BORDEN was yet another of those special
productions resulting from the collaboration of PlayhouseSquare and BW.  It’s
too bad that the show was only presented for 4 performances, because this
is the type of production that would have built a cult following.  Bravos
for Vickie Bussert and her BW students for a rocking evening of fine
entertainment.***

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