About
the Play:
Drama Desk Award Nominee for Best Musical and Best Music Score.
Thrill Me is a full-length musical thriller with book,
music and lyrics by Stephen Dolginoff. It tells the chilling
true-life tale of famed murderers Nathan Leopold and Richard Loeb who
committed one of the most infamous and heinous crimes of the
twentieth century. Leopold and Loeb, dubbed the "thrill killers"
were tried for murder in 1924 after attempting to commit "the
perfect crime."
Thrill Me is based on the true story of Nathan Leopold and
Richard Loeb who set out to commit the perfect crime in 1924, and
discovered along the way that "relationships can be murder."
Focusing on their obsessive relationship and utilizing Leopold's 1958
parole hearing as a framework, Thrill Me reveals the series of
events in Chicago that led about-to-be law students Nathan Leopold
and Richard Loeb to be forever remembered as "the thrill
killers." Leopold was passionate about Loeb, who was passionate
about crime and excitement. They created a secret agreement to
satisfy each other's needs. Soon Richard convinced Nathan that they
embodied Nietzsche's idea of the "Superman" and were above
society. Then he drew him into his plan to lure a young boy to his
death just to prove they could get away with it. But soon their
perfect crime unravelled due to a careless mistake. Or was it so
careless?
Thrill Me premiered in 2005 Off-Broadway at the York
Theatre. The initial six-week run was extended to fourteen weeks and
the play was nominated for the Drama Desk Award for Best Musical and
Best Music, and the Outer Critics Circle Award for Best Off-Broadway
Musical. It has gone on to have over 150 productions in 16 countries
– and in 10 languages.
Cast: 2 male
What people say:
"Stephen Dolginoff's
pocket musical about the Leopold and Loeb murder case lands like a
well-placed punch, arresting and a bit breathtaking. Others have told
the tale in plays and films, but there is something brazenly
satisfying about Mr. Dolginoff's rendition. It's a reminder that evil
often looks and sounds beautiful. Credit the lean approach to the
storytelling." — New York Times
"Startling…Provocative…I
can't get enough of this…Will keep you spellbound… Thrill
Me freezes the blood and keeps you wanting more."
— New York Observer
"Stylish! With a noir
attitude, Thrill Me is a two-character slice of
pulp fact-fiction by intriguing storyteller Stephen Dolginoff."
— New York Newsday
"A soaringly intense,
propulsively melodic musical. Chillingly well-told, in all of its
dark complexity." — Gannet Newspapers
"Dangerously attractive…
Powerful… Dolginoff is a smart craftsman with a knack for forging
arresting tunes. The robust score is feverishly crafted." —
Star-Ledger
"A taut, compelling
two-character musical. Stripping the event of the psychobabble that
has surrounded it over the years, Dolginoff gets at the heart of it.
The story sizzles." — BackStage
"Dolginoff shows that unlikely
musical subject matter can be mastered if the approach is strong
enough. You will be intrigued." — TheaterMania.com
"A brilliant, unforgettable
musical … Sends chills down the spine. Uncompromising and
intoxicating." — Talkin' Broadway
About the Playwright:
Stephen Dolginoff is an award-winning, New York City based
playwright-composer. His most notable work is Thrill Me, the
musical version of the true story of Leopold and Loeb.