Just Plain Lizzie

  • Fitchburg Sentinel Aug. 13, 1892

    November 13, 2010 /

    Yet another version of the “pansy brooch” photo with a reference to Lizzie’s BROWN hair and heavier figure.   An interesting thought- did Andrew discourage gold digger suitors prospecting for his hard-earned dollars?

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  • Congratulations to Ric and Company!

    October 25, 2010 /

     

    The Alliance for Community Media has given Lizbeth the Award for Best Documentary. Congratulations to all involved in the project.  The documentary will air this coming Saturday on PBS at 7 pm and Sunday at 11 pm. Some still shots may be seen below taken on the day of the shoot last Spring.

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  • Lizzie Borden on your iPhone?

    October 24, 2010 /

     

    It was bound to happen sooner or later.  Here’s the announcement as written:

    “Syfy is launching it first Ghost Hunters iPhone app according to a press release issued by the Network. The app will use the iPhone’s GPS capabilities to guide the user to more than 100 locations investigated by the Ghost Hunters team, which are open to the public. The app will direct users to the nearest haunted hotels restaurants, museums and tourist attractions and will include the history of the location and the results of the Ghost Hunters’ investigation of the location.

    The app will include locations such as Alcatraz Island in San Francisco Bay, Calif., Lizzie Borden’s House in Fall River, Mass., Mansfield Reformatory from The Shawshank Redemption in Mansfield, Ohio, St. Augustine Lighthouse in St. Augustine, Fla., and The Stanley Hotel from The Shining in Estes Park, Colo.”

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  • Lizzie’s Hatchet is one artist’s inspiration

    October 22, 2010 /

     

    River’s Edge Library in North Jersey is the venue for a unique art exhibit running through the end of the month.  Works by the artist are inspired primarily by fictional things such as the Mad Hatter’s teacup, arranged as an artistic “artifact” to give a feeling of reality to a literary character.  Lizzie’s hatchet is one of the two items which draws upon reality for its inspiration.

    ‘”Arcanifacts” is a collection of 21 works taken from a larger project River Edge resident Scot Ryersson began in 2007. Ryersson said he invented the term from the Latin words arcanus (secret) and factum (thing made) to describe an artifact containing both mystery and truth.”

    For more about the exhibit visit http://www.northjersey.com/news/105409913_Exhibit_inspired_by_fictional_characters.html

    No, the statue above is not Lizzie Borden- but she is to be found in Massachusetts- in the town of Haverhill at GAR Park.  Her name is Hannah Duston and her fame commenced in 1697 after an incident with a local Native American tribe.  Hannah’s statue is said to be the first erected to a woman in America.  For more about this grisly and bloody true story, visit this very informative and entertaining New England folklore blog.

    http://newenglandfolklore.blogspot.com/2010/04/hannah-duston-heroine-of-haverhill-part.html

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  • And it’s Swinging Lizzie in the homestretch!

    October 19, 2010 /

    On September 17, 1971, the Baker Street Irregulars, that distinguished club of Sherlockians, held a special race at New York’s Belmont Racetrack.  Called the “Silver Blaze” race, after the Sherlock Holmes story of the same name which involved a racehorse, the Irregulars were anxiously inspecting the racing form for a horse to bet on.  The race for fillies included a snappy nag called Swinging Lizzie  in the lineup.  Swinging Lizzie was sired by- Axe II– naturally.  Did she win the race?

    Read all about the outcome in the pdf file clipping at this link!  SwingingLizzie

    Thanks to our Baker Street Irregular correspondent, and BSI archivist for sending along this charming tidbit!

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  • Belle of Fall River

    October 16, 2010 /

    Amherst, Mass.  may have its “Belle” a.k.a. Emily Dickinson, but if it’s October in Massachusetts, with Halloween just around the corner, Emily takes a back seat to Miz Lizzie. Stand by for a plethora of programs on the sharpest gal in town from the Discovery Channel, PBS and the Travel Channel.  Jeffrey Arrowood, an attorney and former police chief will appear on Discovery Channel’s “Ghost Lab,” acting as prosecutor in a trial scenario at 8 p.m. Oct. 28th.  The filming was done this past May at the house on Second Street.

    http://www.nwfdailynews.com/news/local-33950-attorney-ghosts.html

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  • Lizzie Borden is Halloween’s New Pin-Up Girl

    October 5, 2010 /

    As Halloween draws nearer every year, there seem to be more and more “Lizzie sightings”.  Whether in haunted corn mazes, horror theme attractions, Halloween costumes or a proliferation of Lizzie Borden-based plays- the little gal with the hatchet is everywhere from August right through to All Saints Day!

    The Discovery Channel has set the Ghost Lab show of the investigation of the Borden house for Oct 25th, with a preview on the 19th. The Travel Channel repeated its look at America’s Most Terrifying Places again this past weekend, Nance O’Neil is coming to a close this weekend in Manhattan and coming soon- a new play, Lizzie Borden Took An Axe, by Garrett Heater will be the debut production of a brand new theatre group.

    http://blog.syracuse.com/entertainment/2010/10/new_theater_company_stages_ori.html

    Stay tuned for all-new Lizzie & Family productions coming this Fall on the Discovery channel, a landmark book on Fall River and Lizzie coming from the Fall River Historical Society, and the Borden case documentary shot by Ric Rebelo this past spring will be airing Saturday, October 30th at 7pm on Rhode Island PBS– the day before Halloween.  And Sunday night, the 31st,  is ALWAYS a special night at #92 Second Street and is sold out a year in advance!

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  • West Coast loves Lizzie

    September 27, 2010 /

    Lizzie Borden has jumped the bounds of just New England lore. West Coasters love Lizzie too!  The popular play, Blood Relations is on tap for December in Olympia, Washington.  http://www.olytheater.com/index.htm  Not only transcontinental, Miss Borden and that hatchet are on the way to becoming transglobal, thanks to the Internet and the Travel Channel!

    Blood Relations by Sharon Pollock
    Directed by Tim Samland
    December, 2010
    Venue: The Midnight Sun“In 1892 Lizzie Borden was tried for the double murder of her father and stepmother. She was acquitted but the crime was never solved. 10 years later,     at tea with an actress, Lizzie suggests a game in which the actress will portray Miss Lizzie and Lizzie will take the role of Bridget, the family’s maid.”

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  • New crop of Lizzie shows for Halloween

    September 24, 2010 /

    The Travel Channel kicked off Ghost Adventures tonight with an episode filmed at the Lizzie Borden B&B this past May- one of several which will be airing between now and Halloween.  This episode’s 7 minute clip from the shoot comes at the end of the show and features B&B guest interviews, comments from house co-owner, Lee Ann Wilber, seance highlights with Liz Nowicki, a local Fall River medium/psychic, and features house/museum employees in the roles of Abby and Lizzie.  The Rev. Bob Richardson plays Andrew Borden.  The episode will be airing several more times over the next few weeks.  For the schedule, visit the link below.

    Most Terrifying Places in America

    http://www.travelchannel.com/Schedule

                                                                 Kathleen Troost-Cramer as Lizzie Borden

     

    Rev. Bob Richardson as Andrew Borden

    Shelley Dziedzic as Abby Borden

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  • Another Lizzie Borden ditty

    September 24, 2010 /

    On MTV news in August 2010- just in case you missed it. “How Heavy the Axe” by Sword. You may want to turn down the volume a little first if you are over 40. If you can catch the lyrics- you have great ears! First, you’ll need to endure a commercial for Cotton- the Fabric of our Lives- not a bad connection to Fall River, the former Cotton Capital. Link below.

    how heavy the axe

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  • Lizzie Borden Rides Again

    September 24, 2010 /

    Chances are you have not heard of the Garst Museum in Greenville, Ohio unless you are a fan of  Greenville- born world traveller and TV star Lowell Thomas whose adventures enthralled millions on radio and later television.  Or perhaps sharpshooter Annie Oakley, about whom the Garst has produced a world-class exhibit about her life. 

    As part of their autumn lecture series, another famous lady will be featured as subject of a one-woman show as Christy Igo takes on Lizzie Borden- no sharp-shooting pistol, but a hatchet just as deadly.

    (photo of Ms. Igo from http://www.lizzieborden.info/_wsn/page2.html)

    “Sunday, October 10, 2010 at 2:00 p.m., Christy Igo’s program “Lizzie Borden: A Life” is coming to the Garst. It is full of laughter, mystery, and horror as she brings  Lizzie Borden to life to tell HER STORY of the murder of her beloved  father and step mother. This crime is one of the bloodiest, most notorious and mysterious crimes of the 19th century!
    In 1892 Lizzie Borden was found NOT guilty by a jury of her peers. Most of the towns folk of Falls River, Massachusetts DISAGREED. The trial received worldwide media attention. Lizzie became a celebrity. The gruesome details played out in the daily newspapers.

    Did she or didn’t she? Modern law students still argue the case. You be the judge.
    Christy Igo trained at Ohio University’s Professional Actor Training Program as well as at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in New York City. She has worked professionally all over the North Eastern United States.  She has worked in film, commercials and documentaries. She formed HerStory productions in 1999 to produce and perform original one woman shows about inspirational women from history.

    The Garst Lecture Series are free to the public, thanks to a grant from the HOPE Foundation and the Harry D. Stephens Memorial Trust. This lecture may be more suitable for mature audiences. For more information please call 937-548-5250 or online at www.garstmuseum.org.”
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  • Lizzie Borden The Rock Musical

    September 23, 2010 /

    This just in from Andy Propst via Theatermania.com for all those wondering about Lizzie Borden, the rock musical which is included as part of  new theatre projects during the National Alliance for Musical Theatre’s Festival of New Musicals in Manhattan this fall.

    The annual Festival of New Musicals will held in New York City on Thursday, October 21 and Friday, October 22, 2010 for a select audience of NAMT members, producers and other musical theatre industry professionals

    http://www.namt.org/

    “Steven Cheslik-DeMeyer, Alan Stevens Hewitt and Tim Maner’s musical about murderess Lizzie Borden will feature Carrie Cimma in the title role, along with Jenny Fellner, Marie France Arcilla and Beth Malone. The piece will be staged by Victoria Bussert, with music direction by Matt Hinkley.”  The production website is at   http://lizziebordentheshow.com/index.php/axe/about/ for more.

    For a sampling of some of the musical selections  http://lizziebordentheshow.com/index.php/axe/media/

    “A rock roadshow retelling of the bloody legend of America’s first and favorite axe-wielding double-murderess and Victorian hometown girl
    by Steven Cheslik-DeMeyer, Tim Maner, and Alan Stevens Hewitt.”

    Most recently the show ran for six weeks in fall 2009 at the Living Theatre in New York as a full-length original rock musical, produced by Took An Axe Productions.

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  • After the Axe

    September 21, 2010 /

    (photo by Beau Allulli) “Nance O’Neil”: Rachel Brown (standing) and Jonna McElrath in this play at Access Theater

    Reviews still coming in for the new production by the Blue Coyote Group.  Much praise has been lavished on the costume designer, and word has leaked that a “theory” about the crime is suggested in the production.   The interaction between Lizzie and her sister Emma is praised by critics  as a strong element in the play, and the play in general is receiving positive reviews. Get down to the Access theatre soon , for the play closes October 9th!

    David Rooney’s review: http://theater.nytimes.com/2010/09/21/theater/reviews/21nance.html

     

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