Tristan Bates Theatre Tuesday 5 April ‐ Saturday 30 April 2011
Press Performance Thursday 7 April 2011 at 8 pm
Book, music and lyrics by Stephen Dolginoff. Directed by Guy Retallack
The UK premiere of Stephen Dolginoff’s multi‐award winning musical, Thrill Me, is at the Tristan Bates Theatre
next month. Based on the shocking true story of infamous thrill killers Leopold & Loeb.
Chicago, 1924. Two wealthy college kids and a contract signed in blood. One is obsessed with crime, the other with love. Thrill Me reveals the series of events in that led about‐to‐be law students Leopold and Loeb to be forever remembered as ‘the thrill killers’. Focusing on their obsessive relationship, which exploded into violence, and utilizing Leopold’s 1958 parole hearing as a framework.
The case attracted global attention at the time due to the nature of their crimes and the duo being young, well educated and wealthy. The true events were also the basis for Never the Sinner, Swoon and Alfred Hitchcock’s famous 1948 thriller, Rope.
The cast is George Maguire as Richard Loeb and Jye Frasca as Nathan Leopold. Frasca was the original Joe Pesci in Jersey Boys and has regularly played Frankie Valli in the show (West End). His other credits include: Wicked, Mary Poppins (both West End) and Trevor Nunn’s productions of Love’s Labour’s Lost and Anything Goes (National Theatre). George Maguire’s West End credits include Oliver and Fame.
Dolginoff’s Thrill Me won an ASCAP Music Award for the New York production in 2005. It was nominated for
the Drama Desk Award for Best Musical and Best Music Score and for an Outer Critics Circle Award for Best Off‐Broadway Musical. The show has since been produced elsewhere in America and around the world. Stephen’s other work includes Most Men Are, One Foot Out the Door (Backstage Bistro Award for Outstanding Book, Music & Lyrics); and Journey to the Center of the Earth.
Director Guy Retallack’s work for the stage includes Drowning On Dry Land (Jermyn Street Theatre); Liberty
(Shakespeare’s Globe and National Tour); Faster (Filter Theatre at the Lyric Hammersmith and 59E59 Street
Theater New York) and Future Me (London season and two national tours). Musical Director David Keefe’s
credits include The Human Comedy (Young Vic); and Company (Pleasance).
Design by James Turner, lighting by Richard Williamson and musical direction by David Keefe. Voice‐overs
recorded by Les Dennis, Patricia Quinn and Lee Mead.
Release issued by: Kate Gambrell
