Review: LIZZIE at Tower Groves Abbey

Stray Dog Theatre’s twenty-fourth season continues with Lizzie, a gothic-tinged horrorfest that kicks axe. Set during a warm Massachusetts summer in 1892, this musical follows the events that lead up to a famous grizzly murder that shocked the nation. Lizzie chronicles the famous murderess who, pushed to the brink by physical and emotional abuse, handled family dysfunction on her own terms.

The drama revolves around the Bordens, a rural family living in a house full of secrets. At the center of the story is Lizzie a tortured young woman who has an axe to grind. Smothered by a cruel father and scheming stepmother, she is a prisoner of a long, silent war.  

Thanks to cruel parenting, Lizzie spends most of her time sequestered in her room. Far from the world, she spends her isolation befriending pigeons and dreaming of freedom. The only joy Lizzie has is the company of her friend Alice Russell. The two become inseparable. They visit during the day and stay up all night. As their friendship deepens, the bond between them grows.

Also feeling like an inmate is Emma, her older sister and surrogate mother figure. Frustrated and angry with her domestic life, she constantly explores ways to win liberation for her and her sister.

The drama crests halfway in Act One after Emma discovers that their stepmother has manipulated their father into eliminating their inheritance. Filled with thoughts of vengeance, Emma and Lizzie plot her demise.

The intensity reaches a breaking point when Emma leaves Lizzie at home alone. Fed up and desperate to be free, Lizzie teeters on the brink. From there, things spiral out of control as the youngest Borden sister brutally murders her parents. With Bridget, the family maid, and the rest of the community stunned, the crime is initially blamed on an intruder.

With their small town neighbors shocked, the Bordens and their maid spring into action to hide the truth. Unfortunately, their efforts are hindered by Alice, who is uncomfortable with the entire situation. As events escalate, Lizzie finds herself taken away by the authorities.

A suspenseful second act finds Lizzie in jail and a captive public waiting with bated breath for the results of the trial.  After being found not guilty, Lizzie, her sister and Bridget are left on their own to rebuild their lives. With the trial behind them, these women, as well as Alice, are left to process what has happened. Traumatized but resilient, they begin to put their lives back together. This period is particularly interesting for Lizzie, whose anti-hero street cred has made her a cult hero.

Directed by Justin Been, Stray Dog Theatre’s Lizzie is more than a blood and guts splatterfest. Instead, this well-paced production focuses on shattering the period’s Victorian values while also exploring the traumatic events that led to the murders.

Told mostly through music, the production's drama is sprinkled with with riot grrl attitude and punk rock mayhem. Accompanied by a scorchingly hot band of musicians, the cast snarls and sneers their way through several exceptional numbers, including The House of Borden, Mercury Rising, Somebody Will Do Something and Burn the Old Thing Up. Unfortunately, some of the show’s other numbers aren’t particularly strong. Luckily, they are saved by fantastic work from the ensemble, each of whom are gifted vocalists.

Leading this powerful saga of Lizzie Borden is Nadja Kapetanovich. Her return to the company finds her commanding the stage with a  vulnerable and rebellious.portrayal of the killer that highlight her range as a performer.

Also exceptional is Grace Seidel as Alice. Her scenes with Kapetanovich are filled with textures that make their relationship relatable to the audience. Her wonderful performance, filled with a conflict between loyalty and duty, is the emotional core of the production.

Adding to the talented cast is Katherine Garett, who shines as Emma. Her dynamic blend of empowerment and confidence makes the elder Borden sister a firebrand to be reckoned with.

Stealing several scenes is Lisa Hinrichs as Bridget, the all-knowing member of the Borden household staff. Her blend of drama and physical comedy makes for an auspicious appearance here.

Arriving in time for the spooky season, Lizzie is a mash-up of gothic horror, rock concert theatrics (complete with moving microphones, sizzling songs, banging percussion, and searing guitars), grizzly murders, and feminist liberation.

Historic, Hitchcockian, and sharp, Stray Dog Theatre’s latest offers audiences an excellent thriller that features a stellar cast singing spirited numbers with a backing band that crushes it.

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