40 Whacks, a Lizzie Borden Murder Musical At The Annoyance Theater Opens 6/18

The Annoyance Theatre, Chicago's home for absurd and outrageous comedy, has announced the premiere of 40 Whacks, a darkly humorous musical based on the notorious 1892 Borden murder case.

Lizzie Borden took an axe, and gave her mother forty whacks.
When she saw what she had done, she gave her father forty-one.
- Children's Nursery Rhyme

On August 4, 1892, the town of Fall River, Massachusetts was scandalized by the brutal double homicide of two of their most prominent citizens. Their daughter, the infamous Lizzie Borden, was arrested for the crime. Just the sort of thing to sing and dance about! 40 Whacks is a macabre musical comedy in two acts, examining the lives of the Borden Family before the tragedy and the controversial murder trial that followed. Take a trip into the dysfunctional Borden home and experience the intensely homicidal perspective of daughter Lizzie, who, after a failed poisoning attempt, sings that the question is now "axe or hatchet?" 40 Whacks features an all-star cast, plus sophisticated original music composed by the outstanding Lisa McQueen. This dark and thoughtful production explores the public's fascination with death and violence, and questions whether Lizzie Borden found freedom in parricide (the murder of one's parents).

40 Whacks
Starring Jennifer Estlin, Ellen Stoneking, Noah Gregoropolous, Mike Maltz, Sherman Edwards, Chelsea Farmer and Cristin McAlister. Written by Aggie Hewitt. Directed by Irene Marquette, with musical direction by Lisa Mcqueen.

Fridays @ 8PM, June 18 through August 6, 2010. Opening night will be will be a part of the Just For Laughs Chicago comedy festival.

The Annoyance Theatre & Bar, 4830 N Broadway (just north of Lawrence Ave), Chicago.

$15 tickets are available at 773.561.4665 or online at TheAnnoyance.com.

About the Creators
Aggie Hewitt and Irene Marquette have formed a creative partnership that succeeds by using the collaborative techniques vital to successful improvisation. While they serve separate creative functions (writer and director, respectively), they are involved in all aspects of the show's creation and execution.

Aggie Hewitt (Writer) has lived in Chicago for six years. A native of Los Angeles, Aggie is a graduate of Los Angeles County High School for the Arts, where she received an Annenberg Award for her documentary, The True History of the Silent Movie Theater, as well as her editing work. In Chicago, she attended Columbia College where she received training from Jeff Award winning directors Sean Graney and Terry McCabe, and Second City artistic director Sheldon Petinkin, while concurrently completing and being placed as a performer at the iO Training Center and Theater. After graduation, Aggie worked as an assistant director to Mr. Graney and participated in the 2008 Bailiwick Directors Festival, directing a script she also adapted from a Dorothy Parker short story, "Here We Are." 40 Whacks is Aggie's fourth script and third collaboration with Irene Marquette & The Annoyance Theater. She is a theater critic at chicagotheaterblog.com.

Irene Marquette (Director) moved to Chicago from Las Vegas where she understudied and choreographed for Second City. As a teen she worked as a Set PA for KRQUE-13 New Mexico and by 14 was producing, writing and directing "The Irene Show" on Albuquerque public access. Immediately after arriving in Chicago she began working with Chicago Public Schools to co-develop and teach a district wide ballroom dance program for 5th graders. She completed classes at iO and recently finished a run of Improvised Star Trek there. Last summer she appeared in a sketch with Martin Short for his TBS revue "Let Freedom Hum." She has been a writer and performer in shows including KINK (Donny's Skybox Studio Theater), Chasing Dumb (Annoyance Theater, Austin Improv Festival) and Sodomites (Annoyance Theater, Laugh Out Loud Festival). She previously directed Lights Out Alma at the Annoyance Theater and can currently be seen in the improvised show Friends and Loved Ones at the Trap Door Theater.

About The Annoyance Theatre & Bar
Founded in 1987, The Annoyance has created over 100 shows spanning improvisation, sketch, one act and full-length plays, cabaret and burlesque reviews and original musicals. Hundreds of people have been a part of The Annoyance, many of whom can currently be seen on local and national stages, television, and in feature films. For more, visit TheAnnoyance.com.