Lizzie Borden: Warps and Wefts

Today’s South Coast Today puts Lizzie in the Press again with coverage of last night’s “Mock Trial”. Read the story at http://www.southcoasttoday.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20090925/NEWS/909250337

Reviews are coming in fast and furious for the new rock musical taking New York by storm. The musical is described as  “A rock roadshow retelling of the bloody legend of America’s first and favorite axe-wielding double-murderess and Victorian hometown girl” and is a very fresh and imaginative approach to the old familiar case of 1892. The Internet is humming with praise for the musical which is running

Sept 10-Oct 17, 2009
Thurs-Sat at 8pm
Fri & Sat at 10:30pm at The Living Theatre, 21 Clinton Street, New York .

Visit the web site at http://lizziebordentheshow.com/index.php for a sampling of what is in store.  Now if we can only get the production to visit Lizzie’s hometown- Fall River is ready!  Read two reviews from  appreciative bloggers at http://showshowdown.blogspot.com/2009/09/lizzie-borden.html and http://blogcritics.org/culture/article/theater-review-nyc-lizzie-borden/

Today’s ProJo (Providence Journal) carried a story about the recent Lizzie Borden merchandise patent granted to the owners of the Lizzie Borden Bed and Breakfast Museum in Fall River.  There’s bound to be more about  it in the future!

http://www.projo.com/news/bobkerr/kerr_column_26_08-26-09_BVFGNSH_v14.38acb8c.html

Lizzie Borden Live returned to an appreciative audience this evening in Fall River.  Miss Dalton was- superb! Tickets available for Saturday night’s performance at the Eagle at the door or pre-paid at this link http://www.lizziebordenlive.com/Schedule.html.

LIZZIE BORDEN LIVE

Winner best actress:  JACOBY AWARD

Back by popular demand.  LIZZIE BORDEN LIVE is returning to The Eagle Performing Arts Center, 35 North Main Street, Fall River, MA for two performances in August. Friday the 21st at 8:00 p.m. and Saturday the 22nd at 8:00 p.m.. 117 years ago on these dates Lizzie Borden was sitting in the Taunton County Jail, where she resided for 10 months, awaiting trial.  Tickets ($30).  Purchase on line at www.lizziebordenlive.com (click on Schedule page) or at the door.

Lizzie Borden Live debuted in Fall River at the Eagle in June to a sold out house. Ms. Dalton said, “We are thrilled to finally bring Lizzie Borden Live to Fall River and the response was overwhelming.”  Jerry Donovan, who recently restored the Eagle, said “The play and its sell-out mark the beginning of a new era in the city. ”  Mayor Robert Correla praised the play saying it was powerful and exceptionally performed.  Bristol County District Attorney Sam Sutter, who attended the play with his wife Dottie. Said, “If she was innocent, that was an incredible price to pay.  If she was guilty, she got what she deserved.  But it raises aspects and a side of this story I never had considered.”

“Jill Dalton, who plays Lizzie and wrote the play stunned audience members with her delivery, which featured many laughs, many somber notes and a compelling tragedy.”  Ric Oliveira, O Journal

On a hot August morning the bodies of Andrew Borden and his wife were found bludgeoned to death.  Their youngest daughter, Lizzie, became the only suspect.  Innocent in a court of law.  Guilty in the court of public opinion.  Condemned by society.  The legend comes to life with humor and insight as the real Lizzie steps on stage.

“Dalton is nothing less than superb in her depiction of the character, as her Lizzie is alternating sweet, innocent, witty and savagely murderous.  The audience is left to decide which Lizzie is the real one.”  Ed Wismer, Cape May Star Wave

 Jill Dalton, (writer/performer) an award winning New York actress with a long list of television and theatre credits, was commissioned by the East Lynne Theater Company in Cape May, N.J. to write the play where it had a successful five week run garnering praise and standing ovations from audiences and critics alike.  Ms Dalton won the 2007 Jacoby Award for her portrayal of Lizzie in Lizzie Borden Live.  Ms. Dalton wants the audience to decide for themselves if Lizzie Borden was guilty of killing her father and step-mother on August 4, 1892.

The true crime thriller is set 13 years after the double murder in Maplecroft, the mansion Lizzie bought with money inherited from her father.  “Dalton gives a compelling performance enacting the humanity, humor, irony and sadness of a woman who’s had time to reflect on horrific events.” Susan Johnson, Red Rock News

Jack McCullough, (director) born in Fall River, said, “We had to get down to the very marrow of the bone, otherwise there’s no point in telling the story.  People come to see Lizzie expecting to see a monster and instead they find themselves.”

 Haunting the performance is music written by Emmy winning and Tony nominated orchestrator and composer Larry Hochman, who created his original pieces based on the script and his personal observations during rehearsals.

 Dalton’s credits include:  Law and Order, Law & Order: Criminal Intent, Rachel Getting Married, Veronika Decides to Die (2009), Wall Street, Another World,  All My Children, One Life to Live, As The World Turns and Saturday Night Live.  Ms. Dalton was also a stand up comic for several years and won the Mary Jo Comedy Show Award for stand-up comedy in NYC. 

 McCullough, a graduate of the Trinity Repertory Conservatory in Providence, R.I., also directed another of Dalton’s solo plays, My Life in the Trenches, most recently at the Kitchen Theatre in Ithaca, NY and at the Ensemble Studio Theatre, the International Midtown Theatre Festival NYC, the One Festival and the 78th Street Theatre Lab in NYC.  As an actor he appeared in Third Watch, Desperate Measures, The Observer, Osmosis Jones, Spenser: for Hire, Mr. North and Providence.

 Seating is limited to 150.  The doors of the Eagle will open at 7:00 PM.   Prior to the performance there will be a cash bar and members of the Mutton Eaters, dressed in period garb, will meet and greet the guests.

  Lizzie Borden Live challenges the audience to rethink the legend that is Lizzie Borden.  Think you know her?  Think again!  

 The Eagle Performing Arts Center

35 N. Main Street

Fall River, MA  02723

 Tickets ($30).  Available at www.lizziebordenlive.com (click on Schedule page) and (CASH ONLY) at the door.

 Press contact:  Jack McCullough (917) 806-3243 or lizziebordenlive@gmail.com

What a wonderful day for Fall River with the newly- renovated Eagle’s building reopening as an arts and events center and the Fall River performance of Lizzie Borden Live.  Fittingly, on the anniversary of Lizzie’s return to Fall River triumphant from her acquittal in the New Bedford court, Jill Dalton brings Lizzie home again.

The old Eagle restaurant, built to look like the interior of the elegant Fall River Line boats was the perfect venue for small stage theatre and Lizzie Borden Live in particular, which has an intimate rapport between actor and audience. 

The Mayor and many other city officials were in attendence to support the event as well as the Mutton Eaters in costume as Borden-related characters who manned the trolleys, served hors d’oeuvres and chatted with playgoers.

The period architecture, polished and restored interiors and wonderful food by White’s restaurant were enjoyed by excited guests mingling on the mezzanine with special Lizzie cocktails created for the evening.  Miss Dalton delivered an impeccable performance, filled with nuance and subtlety-  richness and texture, which ran the gamut of emotions. At times the audience forgot to breathe, at times bursting forth with laughter and applause at little comments which Fall Riverites appreciated especially, as most are familiar with the Borden story.

All too soon it was over, the audience was thrust back into 2009.  But for 80 magical minutes the Past came alive once more as we were all treated to a new perspective on Miss Lizzie Borden and her life at Maplecroft, and Fall River opened a new door to a brighter future for the arts in the city.  Come August, the Eagle will once again host Lizzie Borden Live during the second week of August.  Best wishes to the Eagle as they begin a bright new future, and continued success to Lizzie Borden Live, and Miss Dalton, wherever she and Miss Lizzie play.  Orchids and kudos to the Donovan family for bringing back a real treasure on North Main Street and to Miss Dalton for revitalizing a Fall River legend of a different sort!

(photo by Rick Snizek-Fall River Spirit)

An excellent article in the Spirit proclaims the importance of bringing back “downtown” Fall River as a place for weekend fine dining and entertainment, citing the upcoming Lizzie Borden Live production as an important step in revitalizing Main St.  To see the entire article click on this link http://www.southcoasttoday.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20090618/PUB03/906180393

As more seating is installed at the old Eagle restaurant on North Main Street to accommodate the sell-out crowd for Saturday night, plans have already been finalized for an encore performance in August.  The play, written and starring Jill Dalton has been performed to wide acclaim in NJ, NY, RI and Arizona, and is at long last playing to the place where it all began- Fall River, Massachusetts.  The Saturday event will begin with trolley rides circulating among area restaurants and Lizzie sites, a special Lizzie cocktail will be featured, and when the doors to the Eagle open at 6:30, a light buffet and passed hor d’oeuvre supper will be served by the Mutton Eaters (a costumed Borden history society).  Here is a portion of the Mutton Eaters’ Saturday night cast release from their website:

“The old Eagle restaurant has been beautifully converted for the occasion and a flock of Mutton Eaters will descend to be on hand to meet and greet playgoers in the lobby.  Dr. Dolan has a new derby hat for the occasion and Mrs. Borden will be circulating with a tray of hors d’oeuvres and tips for flaky pie crust!  Alice Russell, Bridget Sullivan, Emma Borden and Mrs. Churchill will have something to say about everything, and undertaker, Mr. Winward will be glancing over the crowd for prospective future business! Best news of all- Miss Lizzie Borden Live  will be returning in August- that all-important month!!”

 ~ Columbus Theatre ~

270 Broadway, 2nd floor ~ Cinematheque

Providence, RI  02903

(Accessible by stairs only)

 …Think you know her?…Think again….

THE LEGEND COMES TO LIFE

Written & Performed by: Jill Dalton

Directed by: Jack McCullough                       Music by: Larry Hochman

Lighting Design by: John P. Boomer

 Friday March 13, 2009 ~ 8:00 p.m.

 Saturday March 14, 2009 ~ 8:00 p.m.

Sunday March 15, 2009 ~ 3:00 p.m.

Advance Tickets ~ $25.00

WWW.LIZZIEBORDENLIVE.COM

Click on “SCHEDULE “

or purchase at the door

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 JILL Dalton As: Lizzie Borden

Winner 2007 Jacoby Award:

MOST OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS

“The nod goes to Jill Dalton for her Lizzie Borden in “Lizzie Borden Live.” She runs the gamut of emotions in her performance from that of a mild Christian woman to a ruthless murderer. Her reenactment of the murder of her mother (it was my stepmother!) and father is a chilling scene in this play and Dalton, who also wrote the script, vividly brings it to the audience.”

Jacob Schaad Jr., The Cape May Gazette

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Dalton is nothing less than superb in her depiction of the character, as her Lizzie is alternating sweet, innocent, witty and savagely murderous. The audience is left to decide which Lizzie is the real one.”   Cape May Star Wave

“I heartily recommend you see Lizzie Borden Live. . . . complex and most interesting Lizzie, in the person of Jill Dalton.   

Cape May Star Wave

“Absorbing performance . . . Dalton runs the gamut of emotions from supposedly mild Christian woman to that of a ruthless murderer.” 

Cape May Gazette

“Everything from Jill’s facial features (like Lizzie herself) to the way her voice can change throughout the play makes for compelling and oddly sympathetic viewing.”   Exit Zero

“Truly superb . . . the script is fascinating. Jill Dalton is an astonishingly talented actress – she changes her mood and characters in a split second. The play should get a Pulitzer.”   

Charles Alexander, writer for Time Magazine

“Miss Dalton’s performance is a tour de force” 

 Richard Behrens, The Hatchet: Journal of Lizzie Borden Studies

“Our audience comes to see Lizzie Borden Live expecting to find a monster….

and instead they find themselves.” Jack McCullough, Director of Lizzie Borden Live

Lizzie Borden Live was originally commissioned by: East Lynn Theater Company, Cape May, NJ