Kellie Kramer (left) and Angie Pedersen star as Lizzie Borden and sister Emma Borden, respectively, in “Lizzie” at RVP-1875/History Boy Theatre Co., which is fresh from being named the state’s top tourism attraction. ANDREW McGINN | JEFFERSON HERALDThe cast of “Lizzie” (clockwise from top: Trisha Emery, Angie Pedersen, Jenny Wailes and Kellie Kramer) gives the story of 1890s ax murderess Lizzie Borden the rock music treatment. It will make its Midwest premiere Friday in Jefferson at History Boy Theatre Co. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO BY MATT WETRICH

It may take an ax to get a ticket to ‘Lizzie’

History Boy’s rock musical about Lizzie Borden a hot ticket

By ANDREW MCGINN
a.mcginn@beeherald.com

History Boy Theatre Co. will celebrate being named the state’s Outstanding Attraction at last week’s Iowa Tourism Awards with four women in corsets singing about ax murders and lesbian flings.

Are you thinking what we’re thinking?

What took the Iowa Tourism Office so long?

Technically, RVP-1875/History Boy Theatre Co. — the historical furniture shop/contemporary theater that Robby and Angie Pedersen devised under a single roof in the century-old Milligan Lumber Grain & Coal building just off the Square — is sharing the award for the state’s top rural attraction with the new John Wayne Birthplace and Museum in Winterset.

But after History Boy’s four-show run of “Lizzie” opening Friday, there should be little doubt who has true grit.

The Pedersens were able to convince the show’s creators to let them make the Midwest premiere of their all-woman rock musical about Lizzie Borden, the Victorian-era gal who “took an ax and gave her mother 40 whacks.”

“They probably think it’s a big city. Bigger than this,” Angie Pedersen confessed during a recent rehearsal.

This isn’t the first time History Boy has premiered a musical, which probably should give Des Moines some pause.

Hey, metro theater people — you’re getting schooled by a guy who makes dressers with his own foot-powered lathe.

Robby Pedersen, who directs the production, has the girl-power to pull off “Lizzie” in Jefferson, including Kellie Kramer as the title murderess. (Actually, that should be “alleged murderess” considering Lizzie Borden was acquitted for the 1892 murders of her stepmother and father in Fall River, Mass.)

Kramer, of Des Moines, who can be seen as the co-host of “Iowa Outdoors” on Iowa Public Television, recently took an award-winning turn as Blanche DuBois in a Des Moines Community Playhouse production of “A Streetcar Named Desire.”

She’s making her History Boy debut with “Lizzie,” having had friends who’ve done shows in Jefferson.

“It’s a combination of property and people,” Kramer said, describing what made her want to do “Lizzie” in Jefferson at History Boy.

The show also stars Angie Pedersen as Lizzie’s sister, Trisha Emery (another History Boy newcomer) as the family maid, and Jenny Wailes as the neighbor who always had a thing for Lizzie.

Together, they have less in common with Andrew Lloyd Webber than with The Runaways, the sleazy, all-girl rock band from the mid-’70s that introduced the world to Joan Jett and Lita Ford.

In fact, if the cast of “Lizzie” wanted to come out and do an encore of “Cherry Bomb,” they could totally pull it off.

The band backing them up is comprised of Jim Hirschberg, of Lohrville, on lead guitar; Robby Pedersen on rhythm guitar; local Iowa State student Jasmine Mobley on keyboards; Jefferson native Parker Willis (of the band Green Death) on bass; and Grand Junction’s Tyler Gathercoal (of the band Through the Darkness) on drums.

Performances are scheduled for 7 p.m. Friday, Saturday and Monday (a special Halloween show), and again at 7 p.m. Nov. 4.

Call 515-370-4306 for tickets. And good luck.

Friday and Saturday already are confirmed sellouts, proving that History Boy has built up trust with audiences since opening in 2009.

Audiences may not have heard of a particular show, “But they trust us,” Robby Pedersen said.

While the Pedersens by day specialize in the tools and techniques of 1870s furniture making, they’re consistently searching out the latest in musical theater.

Of the steady stream of cast recordings they procure, “28 of 30 go right back in the drawer after a couple of listens,” Robby Pedersen said.

“Lizzie” jumped out.

“I’m a historical guy,” he said, “so it was a cinch for me. Historical figures of the 19th century is kind of where I live.”

He called Lizzie Borden the “O.J. of her time.”

“Everybody knew she was guilty,” he said.

The Pedersens started contacting “Lizzie” writer Tim Maner well before the rights were available. (The “Lizzie” album was released in the fall of 2013.)

“We need this. C’mon,” Angie Pedersen remembers emailing Maner.

Repeatedly.

For a year and a half.

Each time, there was no reply.

Finally, Maner broke his silence.

“If anything,” he typed back, “you’re persistent.”

Jefferson was only the third U.S. city to get the rights to perform “Lizzie.”

“It wouldn’t surprise me,” Robby Pedersen said, “if the writer showed up.”

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