Alley Theatre prepares for premiere of Lizzie Borden musical

Mar. 7—ANDERSON — "Lizzie Borden took an axe, she gave her father 40 whacks,".... or did she?

Rhonda Tinch-Mize has her doubts.

"She loved her father so much. She was the only person in town who loved her father very dearly. She gave him a ring that he was buried with," she said. "The evidence just wasn't there."

Tinch-Mize will be playing Kate McGuirk, the journalist who interviewed Borden, in "Fall River: a Lizzie Borden Musical," set to be performed March 21-24 at the Anderson Museum of Art.

Borden was tried for the murder of her stepmother and father Abby and Andrew Borden. She was thought to have murdered them with a hatchet in their home on Aug. 4, 1882.

The play follows Borden's trial and subsequent acquittal. It is an original musical written by Rick Vale, who acts as artistic director for the Alley Theatre.

Vale spent five years researching and developing the play.

Nearly 40 people comprise the large cast of characters and chorus members, who comment on various parts of the story.

This will be the Alley's last performance of its 10th regular season. End-of-season performances occur at the Anderson Museum of Art.

A gala will be held to celebrate the play's world premiere on March 21. The show starts at 6 p.m. Champagne, hors d'oeurves, red carpet photo ops, and meet and greets await guests at the gala.

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