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 the Pulitzer.

Charles Alexander, writer Time Magazine

LIZZIE BORDEN LIVE! 

a solo play

Written and performed by Jill Dalton

Directed by Jack McCullough

Music by Larry Hochman (Tony/Emmy winner)

LIZZIE BORDEN LIVE! was commissioned by the East Lynne Theatre Company in Cape May, NJ.  It premiered on August 1st 2007 for a successful five-week run garnering stellar reviews and standing ovations. 

Ms. Dalton received

THE JACOBY AWARD

THE CAPE MAY GAZETTE, January 17, 2008

CAPE MAY THEATER COMPANY, CAPE MAY, NJ (2007)

Dalton enacts a Lizzie such as never before been portrayed anywhere in stage, screen or literature.  Her accomplishment may be by far the most accurate, the most thoroughly researched, and the most brilliantly complex Lizzie created for dramatic purposes.

Richard Behrens, The Hatchet: A Journal of Lizzie Borden and Victorian Studies

Lizzie Borden Live! at the East Lynne Theater Company, Cape May, NY 2007. Photo by Gayle Stahlhuth

Dalton runs the gamut of emotions in the play from a supposedly mild Christian woman to that of a ruthless murderer.

Jacob Schaad, Jr, Cape May Gazette

Review in the Cape May Gazette, August 9, 2007

Lizzie Borden Live at the East Lynne Theater Company, Cape May, NY 2007. Photo by Gayle Stahlhuth

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 and Wave

Review in Cape May Star Wave, August 20, 2007

CANYON MOON THEATRE, SEDONA AZ. (Oct. 2008)

Lizzie goes to Sedona!

Lizzie Borden Live! @ Canyon Moon Theatre, Sedona AZ. Photo by Gene Egan

Dalton gives a 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

Airport vortex, Sedona, AZ c. 2008

I loved Sedona.  The land of red rocks, vortexes, and magical sunsets.

People come to see Lizzie expecting to find a monster and instead they find themselves.

Jack McCullough, director Lizzie Borden Live!

Lizzie Borden Live! @ Canyon Moon Theatre, Sedona, AZ. Photo by Gene Egan

Haunting the performance is music written by Tony and Emmy-award winning orchestrator and composer, Larry Hochman…

Susan Johnson, Red Rock News

Program Canyon Moon Theatre, Sedona, AZ. c. 2008

Photo by Gene Egan, Canyon Moon Theatre, Sedona, AZ. c. 2008

And special thanks to the talented and generous photographer, Gene Egan, who took these amazing photos of Lizzie, and gave them to me out of the kindness of his heart.  They served me well.

THE COLUMBUS THEATRE, Providence, RI (Nov. 2008)

Next Lizzie travels to Providence, RI.  A mere ten miles from where the murders took place in Fall River, MA.

With a masterful, sometimes humorous, and always compelling portrayal, Miss Dalton has taken the two-dimensional  picture most of us have of Lizzie Borden and fleshed her out into a living, breathing, complex human being–sometimes frightening–sometimes sympathetic.  The audience was spellbound – and all too soon it was over.  This is one not to miss.

Shelly Dziedzic, Lizzie Borden:  Warps and Wefts

Lizzie Borden Live! @ The. Columbus Theatre, Providence, RI 2008. Photo by John Boomer

Since the November shows had sold out we decided to come back to the Columbus in time for the Ides of March.  Unfortunately, the global financial collapse had just occurred.  We did okay, but people were really afraid to spend any money.

THE COLUMBUS THEATRE, Providence, RI (March 2009)

The Columbus Theatre, Providence, RI 2009. Photo by Jack McCullough

Lizzie Borden Live! @ The Columbus Theatre, Providence RI 2009. Photo by Jack McCullough

EAGLE PERFORMING ARTS CENTER, Fall River, MA 2009

LIZZIE BORDEN LIVE! 

comes home to Fall River.

SOLD OUT! 

Jack McCullough (director Lizzie Borden Live) in front of the Eagle Performing Arts Center, Fall River, MA 2009.

Jill Dalton, who plays Lizzie and wrote the play stunned audiences members with her delivery, which featured many laughs, many somber notes and a compelling tragedy.

Rick Oliveira, OJornal

Lizzie feeding the birds in Maplecroft. Photo by Jack McCullough

Mayor Robert Correia praised the play saying it was powerful and exceptionally performed.

Rick Oliveira, OJornal

Lizzie showing the instrument of the murders. Exhibit A. Photo by Richard Behrens

Lizzie during her European tour. Photo by Richard Behrens.

“Morphine…glorious morphine.” Lizzie was given morphone after the murders and all during the trial. Photo by Richard Behrens.

The Mutton Eaters.

One of the things I love about theater is it’s a collaborative art and we need each other to make it happen.

THANK YOU!

Thank you to the Mutton Eaters who milled about before our shows in Providence and Fall River as characters in the story.  They added another dimension to the show.

And a special note of gratitude goes to my friend,  Richard Behrens, who is heartbreakingly no longer with us.  He was such an amazing person and loved Lizzie Borden Live.  He gave of his time, energy, and expertise in so many ways.  He video taped the show more than once, took photos, wrote an in-depth article in “The Hatchet,”  did a podcast about Lizzie and interviewed me twice for it, and even created a website for Lizzie Borden Live with Stefani Koorey, .

And how can I ever thank Stefani Koorey for all she did and continues to do.  She built the website with Richard, promoted Lizzie Borden Live at every turn, and generously gave of her time,  knowledge, and insights about the life and times of Lizzie Borden.  She is a true marvel.

And thank you to Kristee Bates the former owner of Maplecroft who restored Lizzie’s home to it’s opulent self with such love and care and for her generosity of spirit and love of Lizzie Borden Live.

Lee-ann Wilber and Donald Woods who own 92 Second Street and now Maplecroft as well for being so generous with allowing Jack and I to explore the premises and spend time there.  And Shelly Dziedzic for all her support and love of Lizzie Borden Live!

Also Michael Martins and Dennis Binette from the Fall River Historical Society who were more than happy to share their expertise on Lizzie.

And then there’s John Boomer who did our amazing lighting design and ran the shows for us in Providence, Fall River, and elsewhere.

And  of course, Jack McCullough, my friend and partner in crime who directed the piece.  Jack would always say, “I’m merely here to observe and suggest, observe and suggest.”   But he did so much more than that.  Jack loved Lizzie.  He built and designed sets, took photos, did research, did interviews, publicity, had her new wardrobe built.  He is a force of nature and Lizzie would not have been Lizzie without him.  He always said, “People come expecting to find a monster, but instead they find themselves.”

Many thanks to everyone who helped us and supported us along the way.  I am truly grateful.

92 Second Street, Fall River, MA. c. 2009

So much love and research went into writing and telling Lizzie’s story.  I didn’t want to objectify her.  That’s been done to death.  I wanted to understand her story and tell it from her point of view.  I read the entire trial transcript twice.  I read as much original source material as I could get my hands on.  I wasn’t interested in other people’s theories of what happened.  I used the actual words that people spoke during the trial.  Lizzie, however, didn’t speak at her trial except to say,

I am innocent. I leave it to my counsel to speak for me.

Lizzie Borden

So I wanted to give Lizzie her day in court.  I wanted her to tell her side of the story and I used humor because  like Richard Pryor said,

Tragedy plus timing equals comedy.

Richard Pryor

LIZZIE BORDEN LIVE! returns to Fall River.

BACK BY POPULAR DEMAND!

NOW WE PAUSE FOR A 7 YEAR INTERMISSION . . .

 

Maplecroft was purchased and returned to its original splendor by Kristee Bates.  I had the honor to see the home before it was to be reopened to the public. 

 

 

 

Resurrecting LIZZIE BORDEN LIVE!

Polaris North, NYC (2016)

Program for Resurrecting Lizzie Borden Live! @ Polaris North c. 2016

L to R: Stefani Koorey, Jill Dalton, and Kristee Bates c. 2016

Hanging with these amazing women.  Stefani Koorey (L) and Kristen Bates (R).  So much gratitude for all their support.

“Lizzie Borden Live, a one-woman show” Feature Article in The Hatchet: A Journal of Lizzie Borden and Victorian Studies written by Richard Behrens c. 2007

“Lizzie Borden Live, a one-woman show” Feature Article in The Hatchet: A Journal of Lizzie Borden and Victorian Studies by Richard Behrens c. 2007