Hickory – LIZZIE, the rock musical by Steven Cheslik-deMeyer, Tim Maner, and Alan Stevens Hewitt will be coming to the Hickory Community Theatre from May 2-17. Performances will be in the Firemen’s Kitchen and tickets are now on sale.
This powerful show is based on the true story of Lizzie Borden, who was accused of murdering her father and stepmother. It explores the days leading up to the murders and Lizzie’s controversial acquittal. The musical features a punk rock score, and delves into Lizzie’s possible motivations, including loss of inheritance, sexual abuse, and oppression. The story is told through the eyes of four of the real life women who lived in and around the Borden household. On of those characters is Alice Russell, originally a close friend, but who ended up being the one who gave the most damaging testimony about the crime. Local actor Lucy Weaver is taking on this role in the Hickory Community Theatre production.
Weaver has been involved with HCT for over 13 years, starting in her childhood. She carries on a family legacy that began with her grandparents, were also among the members of HCT back in the 1950s. Weaver made her own HCT debut in 2011, as part of the cast of Disney’s Jungle Book Kids. “HCT is where I was raised basically,” she says. “I’ve learned so much here and wouldn’t be the same person without this place.”
A lifelong Hickory resident, she left for a short time to acquire a Bachelor of Arts degree in classical vocal performance at UNC Asheville. Since returning to Hickory, Weaver has had ensemble, featured and starring roles in several HCT productions, including Disenchanted, Evita and Drowsy Chaperone. In 2022 she received the HCT Kay Award for Outstanding Female in a Lead Role after her portrayal of Grace O’Malley in The Pirate Queen.
LIZZIE runs May 2-17 in the Firemen’s Kitchen and is rated R for strong adult language and situations. This production is recommended for mature audiences only. Tickets are $18 for adults and $12 for students. Visit hickorytheatre.org or call 828-328-2283 to purchase. The production is presented in association with The Guild at HCT.
Hickory Community Theatre is a Funded Affiliate of Arts Culture Catawba. The 76th season is supported by A Cleaner World, Protection Products, Inc., Shurtape Technologies, BelleAge, Covington Dental, and LifeRootz, with sustaining support from the North Carolina Arts Council, a division of the Department of Natural and Cultural Resources.
Photo: Lucy Weaver plays Alice in LIZZIE. The production will be playing May 2-17 in the Firemen’s Kitchen at the Hickory Community Theatre.
