Murder Ballad

Playing at the Union Square Theatre located at 100 East 17th Street. The play runs one hour thirty minutes with no intermission. It closes on September 29, 2013.

The musical premiered at the Stage and Film Company and The Powerhouse Theatre at Vassar College July 2012. It then played at the Manhattan Theatre Club Stage II from October 13, 2012 thru November 15, 2012.

It was nominated for a Drama Desk Award, Outer Circle Critics Award and Lortel Award.

Will Swenson was nominated for a Tony Award for “Hair” (2009).

John Ellison Conlee was nominated for a Tony Award, Outer Circle Critics Award and a Drama Desk Award for “The Full Monty” (2001).

Sara (Cassie Levy) and Tom (Will Swenson) are having s passionate, violate relationship. Spark by booze and drugs. On her way home Sara bumps into Michael (John Ellison Conlee). One thing leads to another and they marry and have a child. However Sara longs for Tom or is it that she just bored staying home. They meet up again, sparks fly. The passionate trysts begin. But she realizes this is wrong. But Tom won’t let her go.

The narrator (Rebecca Naomi Jones) fills in the gaps.

There is no normal stage. As you come in before the platform/stage are seats. There are seats to the left of the stage and all the way to the right is a five piece band. On the stage are chairs with tables, the audience sits in them. To the left is a pool table. On the back of the stage is a bar which sells drinks to the audience before the show starts. Behind the bar are seats too.

The actors are all over the stage, on the bar, behind the counter, on the pool table, in the aisles and all over the stage.

The cast works well with each other. They all have beautiful voices and do an outstanding job. The story is told thru the music.

The only thing I did not like is depending where you are sitting you do not see the actor all the time. There are obstacle’s blocking depending where they are and you are sitting. They face different directions. In some cases if the actors were in front to the band the music was too loud and you could not understand them. One of the musicians told me they are working on that. The band and songs were great.

If you are into rock, loud music and something different, this is the show to see.

It does not have to have dialogue to be good.

Review by Rozanna Radakovich

Photos by Annazor.

To read a candid interview with the cast, scroll down to the left for recent photos. Click on recent photos for this and other shows.