Thrill Me: The Leopold and Loeb story starring Thomas Alan Taylor and Adam Cerny will play at the Circa ’21 Speakeasy on February 25, 26 and 27 at 8 pm (doors open at 7 pm).
The musical by Stephen Dolginoff was nominated for a Drama Desk Award for Best Musical and Best Music Score. Directed by Lora Adams and with musical direction by Ron May, the ‘two-hander’ is a crisp 90 minutes that delves into the 1924 “Crime of the Century.”
“The musical themes are dark and we deal with adult material,” said Adams. “It is never gratuitous, but you are left wondering if either of these people would have committed a crime without the other.”
The piece focuses on their obsessive relationship and utilizes Leopold's 1958 parole hearing as a framework. Dramatist Play Service writes “Nathan Leopold was passionate about Richard Loeb, who was passionate about crime and excitement. They created a secret agreement to satisfy each other's needs. Soon Richard convinced Nathan that they embodied Nietzsche's idea of the "Superman" and were above society. Then he drew him into his plan to lure a young boy to his death just to prove they could get away with it. But soon their perfect crime unraveled due to a careless mistake. Or was it so careless?”
Tickets and information are available at www.thecirca21speakeasy.com.
What the critics say:
"Stephen Dolginoff's pocket musical about the Leopold and Loeb murder case lands like a well-placed punch, arresting and a bit breathtaking. Others have told the tale in plays and films, but there is something brazenly satisfying about Mr. Dolginoff's rendition. It's a reminder that evil often looks and sounds beautiful. Credit the lean approach to the storytelling." —NY Times.
"A brilliant, unforgettable musical…Sends chills down the spine. Uncompromising and intoxicating." —Talkin' Broadway.
