BROKENECK GIRLS: THE MURDER BALLAD MUSICAL To Be Presented At the 2024 Days of the Dead Festival

Eve Blackwater will present Brokeneck Girls: The Murder Ballad Musical, written by Eve Blackwater and directed by Michael Hagins.

The dark comedy that won Best Musical in the NYC Fringe Festival returns to NY in its third edition, with new scenes and fresh plot twists! Based on the tradition of violence against women in folk music and the crimes that inspired the songs, the social commentary delivers fast-paced laughter while addressing issues of class, race, gender, and power. Revenge, redemption, free will and the conflict between good and evil unfold unexpectedly in a story focused on three women who bond over music and share increasingly outrageous secrets. Eventually the truth comes out- the desire to survive has driven all of them to become what they fear most. The score, performed by the NYC-based, folk noir band Brokeneck Girls, features songs of murder, mayhem and dirty deeds spiced with juicy gossip and facts about real people and events in the songs. Loyalty, murder, quick wit, and banjo jokes tell the hilarious and unflinching story of hidden history and the beginning of cultural obsession with true crime.

The cast will feature Alexandria Thomas, Emily Ross, Olivia Whicheloe, Eve Blackwater, Kendra MacDevitt and Jeannie Skelly. The creative team includes Eve Blackwater, Michael Hagins, Tiffany Knight, Adam Sherwin, and Maile Binion.

Brokeneck Girls, the Murder Ballad Musical, began in 2019 when songwriters Eve Blackwater and Jeannie Skelly attended an open mic and noticed an alarming trend of songs featuring violence against women. The tradition of Murder Ballads, a genre of music frequently based on real events, began hundreds of years ago and were the original version of the true crime podcasts that are so popular today. Jeannie and Eve, along with fellow songwriter Kendra MacDevitt, formed the folk-nouveau band Brokeneck Girls, providing an alternative take on these songs. The group found a macabre humor in the lack of outage surrounding the popularity of an artform glamorizing domestic violence, particularly the song Knoxville Girl, which cheerfully depicts the torture and killing of Ann Nichols in 1683, and currently boasts over 100 modern covers on Spotify alone. They made it their mission to highlight the hypocrisy while indulging in the goosebumps and guilty pleasure of the genre. After a few months of yelling historical facts into drunken crowds at shows, and a brief attempt at performing musical skits alongside their songs, Eve took it upon herself to write a play about the characters in their songs. FRIGID New York offered a space to workshop the production and the show sold out its first run in October of 2023. After a series of workshops and revisions, the musical returned for the 2024 NYC Fringe Festival. Tickets quickly sold out, resulting in emotional box-office moments when friends, fans and family realized the new, indie production had suddenly become popular and they had missed their chance to see it. The show was named "Best Musical" in the festival and also received a "Sell-Out Award," for their outstanding ticket sales. Despite offers to move the show Off-Broadway, the team decided to enjoy their success by doing a limited run at a small, East Village theater before expanding to larger audiences.

Eve Blackwater (Playwright) is an NYC musician with a background in theater, education and circus arts. She is an active member of the downtown art scene, performing and releasing solo music that encompasses folk, punk, indie and blues, and is the front person for Brokeneck Girls, an all-female band that draws attention to the phenomenon of violence against women in songs. Eve has a BFA from NYU and has toured throughout the US and Europe, highlights of which include the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, opening for Jose Feliciano, and singing backup for Alan Merril, author of the legendary song "I Love Rock n Roll." She does both screen and stage acting work and has held music residencies and hosted open mics at many of New York's popular venues including Shrine World Music Venue and Sidewalk Cafe. Favorite projects have included starring in the cult horror movie Gothkill, directing Shakespeare for at-risk teens, running a live-streaming channel on Twitch and leading songwriting workshops for the Greenpoint Songwriters Exchange.

Michael Hagins (Director) is an African-American Playwright, Director, Fight Director, Actor, and Producer. Michael is a Member of Dramatists Guild and an Advanced Actor-Combatant for the Society of American Fight Directors. Michael was born in Brooklyn, New York, but raised in a small town in Florida for his childhood. He has used the racism and prejudice he dealt with at an early age to fuel his writing, which he has done since the age of 9. Michael is an avid lover of Shakespeare (he has done every play in the Shakespeare Canon) and has performed, directed and taken part in over 1,000 plays and films over his artistic career. Credits include - Off-Broadway: The Long Rail North (Soho Rep, FringeNYC). New York Productions: Basement (Roly Poly Productions); Michael is Black (Planet Connections Theatre Festivity); The Renaissance Dueling Plays (Planet Connections Theatre Festivity); The Vengeance Room (FRIGID Fringe Festival). Regional/Other: Hit and Match (Chicago Fringe, Johannesburg Fringe). Outstanding Playwriting - Hit and Match, 2013; Outstanding Overall Production of a Solo Show - Michael is Black; Winner of Best Playwriting, Best Director and Best Overall Production of NEPTA Awards for As You Wish It or The Bride Princess or What You Will, 2020; Winner - Best Play and Best Streaming Play, Off-Broadway Regional Awards - Hawai'i for A Shot Rang Out.

The Days of the Dead Festival is a vibrant celebration of both life and death, brought to life through independent theater and performance. Inspired by the rich traditions of the Mexican holiday Día de Muertos, this festival honors the belief that during this special time of year, the spirits of the deceased return to the earthly realm to reunite with loved ones and enjoy the pleasures they once cherished.

The production will be presented as part of the 2024 Days of the Dead Festival with FRIGID New York at UNDER St. Marks (94 Saint Marks Place, NYC 10009) with performances on Fri, 10/18 at 6:30pm, Thurs, 10/31 at 9pm, and Sat, 11/2 at 2pm. Tickets ($25, sliding scale) are available for advance purchase at www.frigid.nyc. The performance will run approximately 90 minutes.

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