The University of Oshkosh-Fond du Lac Campus will present Lizzie by Steven Cheslik-deMeyer, Tim Maner and Alan Stevens Hewitt. The notorious Lizzie Borden was accused and ultimately acquitted of killing father Andrew and stepmother Abby with an axe. More than 100 years later, the murders continue to spark the public’s imagination. Everyone knows the nursery rhyme that starts “Lizzie Borden had an axe.” Lizzie is rage, betrayal and bloody murder set to a blistering rock score owing less to Stephen Sondheim and Andrew Lloyd Webber than to Bikini Kill, the Runaways and Heart.
Lizzie runs Oct. 20-21 and 25-28 at 7 p.m. plus Oct. 22 at 2 p.m. in the Prairie Theatre, 400 University Drive in Fond du Lac. Ticket prices are adults $15; faculty/staff/seniors $10 and students $5. Tickets may be purchased at www.hometowntickets.com/events/lizzie.
Strong language and adult situations make Lizzie best suited for ages 17 and over. Lizzie is sponsored by the Fondy Axe Company, located on Main Street in Fond du Lac.
Director Chris Flieller is a lecturer in theatre at UW-Oshkosh-Fond du Lac Campus. He says, “Lizzie addresses issues of abuse, oppression, body image, love, loss, autonomy and responsibility. The heart of Lizzie beats with rage, rebellion and the passion to repair an impossible situation by burning the whole thing down, just like rock-n-roll. It’s interesting to me that a slang word for a guitar is an axe.”
The cast features the outstanding talents of Emma Romeo Moyer (Lizzie), Eva Thelen-Dunphy (Emma, Lizzie’s older sister), Julia Ragalie (Alice, Lizzie’s neighbor, close friend and companion) and Rose Guelig (Bridget, the Borden family maid). Thelen-Dunphy and Guelig are residents of Fond du Lac; Moyer recently moved to Beaver Dam from Delaware and Ragalie comes to the production from Oak Creek. Musical direction is by Michael Dunphy with Lydia Wiley-Deal (bass), Tori Essmann (drums and percussion) and Kaidyn Rose (guitars). Costume design is by Molly Dewane and Light Design by Andy Brault.
