By Steven Cheslik-deMeyer, Tim Maner, and Alan Stevens Hewitt
"A punk-rock spectacular... In every moment of this sung-through show, in every style, the cast shows off its considerable musical prowess, travelling from somber, melodic restraint to all-out punk rage....It would be easy to believe that Lizzie was written expressly for this cast — that’s how well each actor embodies her character...Meghan Randolph exhibits her signature vocal pyrotechnics...Kelsey Anne Johnson is astonishing...Liz Griffith shines...Erin McConnell channels a sexually-charged mischievous streak...Costume designer Jenni Schwaner Ladd and hair and makeup designer Julia McConahay have outfitted the cast for war, and these women bring it — backed up by a kickass band and a boatload of righteous indignation. But don’t take my word for it. Go see for yourself. And rock out."
-The Isthmus (read full review here.)
Tickets: $28 General Admission, $20 Students (ID required)
Late Night Show Tickets (August 25 at 10:30pm): $20 General Admission, $18 Students (ID Required)
Ordering Options:
Order online here
Order by phone at 608-265-ARTS (2787)
Order in person at the Campus Arts Box Office, 800 Langdon St. (Click here for hours and information)
Please note: There is a $4.00 per ticket convenience fee to order online or by phone, which goes to the Union Theater. This fee may be bypassed by buying tickets in person during box office hours or on the night of the performance.
Performance Schedule:
August 17: 7:30 p.m.
August 18: 7:30 p.m
August 19: 7:30 p.m. (MISCAST to follow)
August 24: 7:30 p.m
August 25: 7:30 p.m. and 10:30 p.m.*
August 26: 7:30 p.m.
*At the late night performance, understudies will perform the roles of Emma Borden and Bridget Sullivan.
Presenting Sponsors:
Performance Location:
Fredric March Play Circle, 2nd Floor of the Wisconsin Union. Enter through the doors at the corner of Park and Langdon Streets. The box office and elevator are just inside that entrance, and the theatre itself can be reached by taking the elevator up one floor.
Click here for a map and directions
Click here for parking options
Click here for info on the Union Terrace
Supporting Sponsors:
"Lizzie Borden took an axe, gave her mother forty whacks.
When she saw what she had done, she gave her father forty-one."
Lizzie Borden, one of America's most notorious alleged murderers, comes chillingly to life in LIZZIE, a glorious rock musical performed by a quartet of power house women. Go back to August of 1892 on a wild ride of sex, conspiracy, and murder in this musical gem that's sweeping the globe.
On a sweltering summer morning in 1892, in a small New England city, a prominent businessman and his wife were brutally axed to death in their home. Their daughter Lizzie Borden was the prime suspect. Lizzie’s trial was a coast-to-coast media sensation, and her story has become an American legend. In this remarkable piece, we explore what led up to that bloody day through the eyes of troubled Lizzie, her sister Emma, their maid Bridget, and Lizzie's friend and lover Alice. This blistering rock musical owes its inspiration to both the intricate character studies of Stephen Sondheim and the heart pounding sounds of Bikini Kill, Heart, and the Runaways. Don't miss the hottest ticket of the summer!
"The greatest American musical since Sweeney Todd." -British Theatre
“A gothic rock ritual with a ‘riotgirl’ attitude … an eerie hybrid of rock club and a turn-of-the-century New England parlor.”
“Presented with wall-rattling glee…deliciously watchable." -The New York Times
“Lush tunes which retch sex, rage, dyke heat, misanthropy, and incest … Surreal glee and gallows humor … Finally, a rock musical you’d wanna mosh to.” - The Village Voice
Learn more about other productions of LIZZIE and hear songs from the show at www.lizziethemusical.com.
LIZZIE runs 95 minutes including one intermission. A strobe light is used during the performance.
Audience advisory: LIZZIE contains strong insinuations of violence, as well as allusions to mental and sexual abuse by a parent. One song includes frequent swearing. Contact info@mtmadison.com if you have questions to help you decide if this show is right for you or a child/loved one.
Photos and Video
Show clips
Behind the scenes look
Did Lizzie do it?
Click here to see the "Backstage with Bruno" TV segment
Check out our YouTube Channel and Facebook page for rehearsal clips
Show photos by Brett Williams and Julia Luebke. Click to enlarge.
"In the house of Borden, there's a lock on every door. In every room a prisoner of a long, silent war."
Meghan Randolph as Lizzie Borden
Liz Griffith as Emma Borden
Erin McConnell as Bridget Sullivan
Kelsey Anne Johnson as Alice Russell
"Mrs. Borden...R.I.P."
"Somebody will do something..."
"In the house of Borden somebody left us quite a mess..."
"And she ain't gonna get all the dough now, is she?"
"Burn the old thing up"
Publicity photos by Brett Williams. Costumes by Jenni Schwaner Ladd, hair and makeup by Julia McConahay. (Click to enlarge).
Erin McConnell, Liz Griffith, Meghan Randolph, Kelsey Anne Johnson
Meghan Randolph
Liz Griffith
Erin McConnell
Kelsey Anne Johnson
"I'm afraid that somebody will do something..."
"Let me bring back your smile."
Costume renderings by Jenni Schwaner Ladd (click to enlarge)
Designed by Jenni Schwaner-Ladd
Designed by Jenni Schwaner-Ladd
LIZZIE press
Check back frequently for updates!
Backstage with Bruno: LIZZIE (TV segment)-Channel 3
Musical rocks the tale of Lizzie Borden-The Wisconsin State Journal
Music Theatre of Madison takes a whack at LIZZIE, a new rock musical - The Capital TImes
LIZZIE on the Madstage podcast
Five types of people who will love LIZZIE -Wisconsin Union Theater blog
Campus Celebrity: Alyssa Beasley - Her Campus
Dana Pellebon Looks To Add LIZZIE To Her String Of Successes -Madison Magazine
Actress Kelsey Anne Johnson on Channel 57's Girl Talk
Within the Twisted Reach podcast on LIZZIE with director Dana Pellebon
Summer Theatre: Pick a genre, any genre. The Isthmus, May 25
The Story of Lizzie Borden
Famously immortalized in a macabre children's nursery rhyme, Lizzie Andrew Borden has elicited worldwide fascination and been portrayed in numerous films, television shows, plays, operas, and musicals. Her story is one of the most notorious unsolved murder mysteries in American history, with theories abounding on whether or not the quiet, dull Massachusetts spinster brutally axed her parents to death.
Explore the links below to learn the story behind this riveting case.
Lizzie Borden (Biography full episode)
Lizzie Borden Warps and Wefts (Detailed info!)
Excerpts from the trial transcripts (UMKC Law)
9 things you may not know about Lizzie Borden (History.com)
Lizzie Borden Bed and Breakfast Museum
How Lizzie Borden was punished despite her aquittal (Time Magazine, 2015)
The Lasting Fascination with Lizzie Borden (The Guardian)
The Lizzie Borden trial (UMKC Law)
Overview of case and glimpse inside the house where the murders happened (video)
Borden house floor plan showing where bodies were found
