Edge Theater’s first musical is to die for

More than halfway through its sixth season, Lakewood’s The Edge Theater is still finding new ways to push its envelope.

For the theater’s first ever musical, director Rick Yaconis didn’t want to choose a typical musical. What he found instead is “Murder Ballad,” with book and lyrics by Julia Jordan and music and lyrics by Juliana Nash.

“Murder Ballad” makes its regional premiere at The Edge, 1560 Teller St., Ste. 200, through Sept. 25. Performances are 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 6 p.m. on Sunday.

“The show has a small cast, great story, and all takes place in a nightclub,” Yaconis said. “It’s just perfect for us.”

The story of “Murder Ballad” is that of a love triangle gone awry, and the havoc that kind of love can wreak on a person’s life. Sara (Shannan Steele) is crazy about Tom (Kent Randell), but when the relationship fizzles out, she finds reliability and a feeling of family with Michael (Robert Michael Sanders). The domestic life leads to boredom, and she starts back up with Tom again. Mary McGroary narrates the ensuing chaos as passions and tensions reach a lethal level.

“This show is all about love, depression, desire, betrayal and rage. It’s a compilation of the extremes of what it means to be a human emotionally,” Steele said. “The power of the piece is how intense everything is, especially the humanity of the characters.”

The process for staging a musical has been a new one for Yaconis and the theater, which had to go through some renovations to ensure the music would sound good. “Murder Ballad” is an operetta, which means there is no spoken dialogue –; everything is sung.

“I had to build a team for this show, instead of doing most things myself when it’s a play,” Yaconis said. “I had to ensure our musical director Jason Tyler Vaughn, the choreography, and everything is aligned.”

Most of Steele’s career has revolved around musical theater, and she said the best musicals often feel like plays –; which is exactly how she describes “Murder Ballad.”

“This is not a show for a large room, and so it’s perfect in the Edge’s intimate space,” she said. “There are so many pressures in the show, and being in a small space intensifies all of them.”

Appreciators of the unique will find a lot to love in “Murder Ballad,” Yaconis added.

“Audiences will be challenged emotionally, and will be very surprised by what they see and hear,” Steele said. “We all have deep struggles, joys and pains, and this show explores all of that.”

For more information, call 303-232-0363 or visit www.theedgetheater.com.

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