Lizzie Borden Society Forum

Well, the crowd of actors who are playing all the roles at tomorrow's show at 92 Second Street have all learned their lines. Some are lucky---like Jeff and Shelley who get to play dead people all day. Some are nervous---"I hope I remember my lines!". Some are excited---"I can't wait for the crowds!"

Shelley has worked her magic. The cellar has been cleaned up and various dangerous possible murder weapons have been concealed. The costumes are finished and the flowers will be placed on the graves of Andrew and Abby first thing in the morning.

There are 7 tours planned, starting at 11 am with a new tour every half hour. Promises to be a good event! I will let you know how it goes . . . .

Just back from an exhausting but very rewarding two days. The weather was superb, and there was an excellent turnout again this year for the annual re-enactments. There was a new script and some new faces. Many you will recognize from the forum and from the house staff. It was a wonderful experience working with everyone. This year I was glad to write no lines for myself and enjoyed listening to the efforts of the cast. Miss Lizzie was superb. as well as new additions to the script, Dr. Dolan, Undertaker Winward, Miss Manning from the Herald, little Kathryn as Little Abbie Whitehead, Mrs. Bowen, and all the regulars! The Fall River Herald News has posted this small 9 minute sampling on You tube which may give an idea of the production. And now- on to next year's script. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LIQHD1M90CA#

Hiya, I am a newbie here and I just wanted to say Great Job! to all who participated in the reenactment. Looks like a lot of fun! I would love to attend someday.

Well done by all and very entertaining! It was great that the audience was involved in the search in the cellar. And Lizzie seemed pretty composed...I hope to visit someday too.


Hi Grace,
Enjoy the forum!

Thanks! We tried a few new things this year which seemed to work well.
It is always exhausting on the 4th, but afterward we enjoy sitting around the parlor, reliving the experience. We all trooped over to Sagres for a cast dinner after finishing the 3:30 performance, and returned to the house for more chitchat late into the night. One funny thing which happened was our EBAY winners' experience in the guestroom. About 11:45 p.m we heard a blood-curdling scream coming from upstairs. We all froze, but in a few moments we heard giggling, so we figured it was okay and the boyfriend was just scaring his sweetie. ABout 20 minutes later the couple came down and said they were checking out and wanted to find a local hotel. They said the door had popped open, the lights were flickering, they were terrified of the mirror, etc etc. No amount of talking was going to change HER mind and actually the guy was as white as a sheet (he had also screamed). So they went to Hampton Inn and came back in the morning for breakfast. They had driven all the way from Maryland-and both looked rather sheepish in the morning. Ah yes. . . just another August 4th!

A slide show of August 4th at the house is now up and viewable at the Warps and Wefts link.(sanctaflora) It was a tiring but rewarding NINE performances with a great crew this year. I think you will agree Little Abbie and Mr. Winward stole the show! Great costume, Mr. Winward! Never work with children or animals!

Forum member Nadzieja has just published her account of the 4th as roving Lady Reporter "Miss Manning" from the Herald here
http://pearessentialproductions.wordpre ... th-report/

Great article - seems there were folks from all over the country that attended. It was a good idea to have a reporter as part of the cast.

Yes, I think we will plan to keep that as a regular part of the day. Next year we will also have Uncle John and Mr. Sawyer which will give us a few more outside people to interact with visitors. The whole cast this year was very skilled in their ability to ad lib and involve the visitors. No two tours are exactly alike, and it is a real blessing to have a cast which knows the story so well that any twist or turn can be handled with aplomb and is set in the 1892 context.

The article That Miss Manning wrote AKA "Lorraine" was superb. Great job!
I still can't believe I am friends with such talented and knowledgeable people. Adding a female reporter to the cast was an excellent idea and Lorraine carried it off flawlessly. The way she got adults and children alike involved was masterfull. Again.....my KUDOS to the entire cast.

I'm glad you liked the article. I had such a great day, and the time just flew by so fast. Actually I had no idea I was going to write one until it was suggested that night when we were all talking in the parlor. Talk about starting to panic. However my husband Ted used to do reporting on town meetings for the local radio station. A veteran reporter, that still publishes one article a week, gave him this advice. "Write what you know, what you saw actually happen." So that's what I did.

Bravo Lorraine! It felt I was reliving the 4th all over again. Once in a while, I would look out the window and see you interacting with "Our Visitors". You looked as if you were really enjoying yourself. Maybe next year I can try to have Mrs. Churchill come outside and add " No Comment" as she heads home all distraught.

Thank you JoAnne I did have alot of fun. If Mrs. Churchill comes out & says not comment can I chase her down the driveway asking alot of questions. I'll be the paparazzi of 1892

Mrs. Churchill would never run . She would just hustle her bustle on home as any dignified matron would do! But, perhaps if you apprached her later in the day, you would get an earful.

Yes, she might tear out her tongue, but only after she told you everything!

I just read your story Nadzieja- thank you for a peek into your day of August 4th! That was really interesting!

I too read your story Nadzieja and it was wonderful. At least the boy in the story didn't call Shelley and the other actor dummies. Hard to believe he couldn't tell they were real people.
Speaking of Shelley, how did you manage to stay awake laying there all that time? I would have dozed right off to sleepyland and would have been snoring so loudly they would have had to claim a miracle and said Mrs. Borden isn't dead, only asleep!
Looks like it was a day full of fun and excitement. Rich, my husband, and I get up in that area, but never seem to make it to Fall River. I keep holding out hope that maybe one day we will make it.