THE BLOODY DEED OF 1857 Opens Tonight

Following two weeks of sold out previews, The Bloody Deed of 1857 opens tonight at the landmark Colonnade Row for an open ended run. The new play is based on the actual murder of Dr. Harvey Burdell on January 30, 1857 on nearby Bond Street. The scandalous crime captivated the city, filling the columns of every newspaper for months because all evidence pointed at his rejected lover, a devoted mother and conniving widow named Emma Cunningham. But the jury didn't believe a woman could commit such a violent act. Officially, the case remains unsolved, leaving restless ghosts behind to sort through the truth for eternity.

The show begins at Astor Place where guests will learn a brief history about the neighborhood at that time. They will then be led to an ornate secret parlor where the spirits of those connected to the crime now reside in limbo. Minnie Seymour and Charlotte Worthington will conjure the trapped souls so that their story can be heard by the living in order for their souls to rest.

The work was selected as the featured piece in the Tectonic Theatre Project's Advanced Moment Work Master Class with Moisés Kaufman in May 2017. Ken Davenport, the veteran Broadway producer, consulted on this unique immersive experience including script and overall project development.

The cast includes Philip O'Gorman, Elise Gainer, Connor Scott, Flynn Colburn, Brian Kelly, Lindsay Zelli, Hannah Roze, Alexandra Gellner, Betty McCall and Matt Corry.

Show times are Fridays and Saturdays at 8PM. Tickets are $99 and $120 (includes an hour tour of the neighborhood's ghostly sites including a visit to the murder location OR a voucher good for a Ghosts, Murder & Mayhem Walking Tour). Only 28 seats per performance. The venue is a historic landmarked building and is non-ADA compliant. For info and tickets, please visit bloodydeed1857.