Written by Patrick Chavis
(All photos by Doug Catiller, True Image Studio)
“Lizzie Borden took an axe
And gave her mother forty whacks.
When she saw what she had done,
She gave her father forty-one.” -anonymous
I had heard of Lizzie Borden before this production, and I had previously heard the folk rhyme that I posted on the top of this article. However, that was the extent of my Lizzie Borden knowledge. While I can definitely say I know a little bit more now after watching the show, I wouldn’t say Lizzie the Musical is the place to satisfy your itch for accurate history. What I would say is this: unlike Rent, which was a rock musical with lots of theatricality and some rock thrown in, the Lizzie production at the Chance Theater felt like a rock concert with a small dose of theatricality thrown in — but most importantly — it does ROCK!!!
While I can understand the heart behind the production of Violet, the realism the playwright tries to bring into this story is so far off it would have been better if it was just imaginary. However, this production’s talented cast keeps the audience’s attention with well-practiced action and drama.
