[On Stage] Two Musicals Based on Horrifying True Crime Cases in the U.S.

Daughter 'Lizzy' Suspected of Killing Parents with Axe
Inheritance Conflict Between Stepmother and Father's Estate

Youth 'Thrill Me' Who Killed Neighbor's Child
"I Am a Superhuman," Committing Crimes Like a Game

Two musicals based on horrific murder cases that shook American society in the late 19th and early 20th centuries are drawing attention as they are being performed simultaneously. ‘Lizzie,’ running until December 1 at Doosan Art Center Yeongang Hall, and ‘Thrill Me,’ playing until the same day at Yes24 Stage 2 in Daehangno, are the productions in question.

‘Lizzie’ is based on the Lizzie Borden case that occurred in 1892 in Fall River, Massachusetts, while ‘Thrill Me’ centers on the Leopold and Loeb case that took place exactly 100 years ago in 1924 in Chicago. The Lizzie Borden case evokes Fyodor Dostoevsky’s (1821?1881) novel ‘The Brothers Karamazov,’ which also deals with patricide.

In Fall River, wealthy elderly couple Andrew Borden and his second wife Abby Borden were found murdered with an axe in their home. Lizzie, Andrew’s second daughter who first discovered the bodies, was identified as the prime suspect. Lizzie was 32 years old at the time. Her older sister Emma, nine years her senior, was not home during the incident. Lizzie and Emma were daughters from Andrew’s first marriage, who had passed away. Andrew intended to leave his inheritance to his second wife Abby, which caused conflicts with his two daughters.

Musical 'Lizzie' performance scene [Photo by Shownote]

There was ample motive for Lizzie to have killed her father Andrew based on various circumstances. However, no decisive evidence was found. Lizzie was acquitted in court. At the time of the Lizzie Borden case, Puritanical ethical consciousness was still strongly present in Massachusetts. Lizzie’s alleged unethical patricide gripped the entire United States. The Boston Globe dedicated three full pages?from the right half of the front page to pages 6 and 7?to coverage of the Lizzie case trial on September 2, 1892.

The Leopold and Loeb case involved Nathan Leopold and Richard Loeb, students at the prestigious University of Chicago, who kidnapped and brutally murdered a child living in their neighborhood. Leopold was influenced by the German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche’s (1844?1900) concept of the ?bermensch (Superman). Nietzsche’s ?bermensch refers to a person who pursues high ideals, constantly strives to surpass themselves, and has the ability to create new values. However, Leopold seemed to interpret the ?bermensch as simply being superior to others.

In the play, ‘He’ believes himself to be the ?bermensch and thinks that, as an exceptional being, he is not bound by any restrictions. ‘He’ commits crimes as if playing a game, convinced that he will never be caught. ‘I,’ who is obsessed with ‘He,’ knows that ‘He’s’ actions are wrong but participates in ‘He’s’ crimes to stay with him. As the severity of crimes such as arson and theft increases, ‘He’ experiences greater pleasure, eventually leading to murder.

Although both plays deal with horrific events, they have formed dedicated fan bases and are popular. ‘Thrill Me’ premiered in Korea in 2007 and has been running for nearly 20 years. Since its premiere, it has only missed five years of performance, being staged almost every year.

Only two male actors, ‘I’ and ‘He,’ appear on stage, showcasing intense psychological conflict and continuously drawing enthusiastic responses from female musical audiences. The continuous live piano performance in the play adds to its appeal. In ‘Thrill Me,’ a pianist performs live at center stage. Depending on the rotation of the stage, the pianist sometimes appears prominently at the front or hides at the back, creating a mysterious atmosphere with the sweet piano melodies.

Musical 'Thrill Me' performance scene [Photo by MP&Company]

‘Lizzie’ has been performed every two years since its premiere in 2020, cultivating a devoted audience. Unlike ‘Thrill Me,’ only four actresses appear on stage in ‘Lizzie’: the protagonist Lizzie, her sister Emma, Lizzie’s friend Alice Russell, and the Borden family’s housekeeper Bridget Sullivan.

Contrasting with the sweet piano melodies of ‘Thrill Me,’ ‘Lizzie’ captivates the audience with the intense sound of electric guitar. It is a rare rock musical. Rock music was chosen to express Lizzie’s rebellion against her father’s authority. The four actresses deliver explosive high notes throughout the performance in sync with the powerful rock music, giving the audience a thrilling adrenaline rush. After the show, during the curtain call, the actors sing the musical numbers again, and the audience stands and cheers enthusiastically, creating a spectacle reminiscent of a rock concert.

In Samuel Beckett’s representative work ‘Waiting for Godot,’ after the play ends, the actors leave a single pair of shoes at center stage and disappear. In ‘Lizzie,’ after the curtain call, the actors leave a blood-stained axe at center stage and exit. The audience, like photographing the shoes in ‘Waiting for Godot,’ takes pictures of the axe in ‘Lizzie,’ finally calming their excitement.