Lizzie Borden Took An Axe...Or Did She?

     Many grew up reciting the chilling little rhyme of Lizzie Borden giving her father 41 whacks after attacking her mother with 40. But how many of us wonder what happened after the Fall River, Mass. murders of the Bordens? And what happened to their daughters?  These are questions that are asked in PSU's new play, The Watercress.

     Professor of Theater, longtime director at PSU, and spinner of this tale, Paul Mroczka, took facts and public interest on the Borden murders and created a captivating storyline of how Lizzie Borden and her older sister, Emma, try to live their lives after Lizzie's acquittal.  The play is told through the eyes of three servants.  Twelve years after plenty of scrutiny from the courts and the community, Lizzie has changed her name to Lizbeth in hopes of taking her tarnished reputation out of the shadows.  Throughout her endeavors to acquire peace in her life, she finds herself falling in love with an unlikely person, a change in her life that threatens to tear her and Emma apart.

     Mroczka really wanted to capture the "afterlife" of Lizbeth and her sister and the supposed affair that changed both of their lives, a story that most people haven't heard.  Mroczka said, "To me it was kind of like O.J. Simpson.  He was found not guilty, but then how do you live your life after that?  It's pretty impossible."  Mroczka spent almost 8 years blending his own artistic vision with facts about the Borden family and waiting for the right cast to stage his play, The Watercress.

     Adjunct Theater Faculty, Sharon Paquette, is directing Mroczka's piece, a collaboration both are very happy with.  Paquette said, "When asked by my colleagues last spring to read and possibly direct an original piece never yet produced, I jumped at the chance.  In the world of theatre these opportunities are rare."  She described the play as a "struggle with loving yourself, looking at those that don't fit in."  When asked about working with her small cast of mostly women, only three men cast, she commented that she "loved every minute, including the frustrations.  The cast has been really incredible at taking every suggestion and running with it…really allowing themselves to solve problems, possibly in a new, creative way."

     On top of the dynamic duo of Mrozcka and Paquette, Associate Professor of Communication and Media Studies and resident expert on Lizzie Borden, Dr. Annette Holba, came to speak with the cast about her research and interest on the case.  She answered plenty of their questions about Borden's experience with relationships at the time of the murders and afterward.  Holba said, "I feel like the play is a story honoring Lizzie by showing another side of her that people often forget about; at the same time, the audience will get a pretty clear perspective on the writer's position about her guilt or innocence."  Although on sabbatical and unable to attend the play, Holba anticipates a great show.  "The students in the play are committed to the story and their roles in the play.  I wish I could be present to see this performance, but I will rely upon my colleagues who plan to attend."

     The play anticipates a provocative, yet intriguing combination of a search for oneself in not only society, but within, and the conflict of love for family and love of a partner.  Mroczka states, "This play has been a real revelation for me.  What I realized with this process is it interested me a lot deeper intellectually."

      Written for mature audiences, this play is not suitable for children, having strong sexual content, adult language and suggestive situations.  Opening night is this Thursday at 8:00 P.M. in the Studio Theater, other times following including Friday, 8:00, Saturday, 2:00 and 8:00, and Sunday, 3:00.   Tickets are $14 for adults, $12 for seniors and PSU Faculty and Staff, $10 for youth, and $6 for PSU students.  Seats are still available at the Silver Center Box Office.  For more information, call (603) 535- ARTS or visit http://purchase.tickets.com/buy/TicketPurchase?organ_val=21319to purchase tickets online.