The Devil in Charm City
By Justin Allen | Photos by Brooke Hall
I was in no hurry to post a review of MURDERCASTLE after witnessing the dress rehearsal on the eve of opening night. Every upcoming show had sold out, or would soon sell out, and any reviews, either damning or praising the production, would do little to affect the momentum of what was soon to be unleashed on 25th Street in Midtown, Baltimore City. At this point, the Baltimore Rock Opera Society has the kind of word-of-mouth that trumps critique. And if you’re out there with a project on the back-burner that you’re dying to get off the ground or if you’re trying to build advocacy for what you feel is a worthy endeavor, you should pay close attention to these folks right here. You could learn a thing or two about a thing or two.
For the sake of full disclosure, I should mention that What Weekly is making a documentary about the BROS for the simple reason that their’s is the kind of epic undertaking that people will talk about for decades. What’s more is that we admire their ability to build genuine community around their work and we look to them as an example of how it should be done.
M U R D E R C A S T L E
It took some cojones to tackle the complex and gruesome tale of notorious serial killer H.H. Holmes. Here’s a man so heinous he one day said to himself something to the effect of, “You know what’s a brilliant idea? Building a three story tall, block-long building, with the sole purpose of luring people to their untimely and horrific deaths. I’m going to need fake passage ways, trap doors, gas chambers, and furnaces. While I’m at it, I think acid baths would be a nice touch to pull the whole nightmarish, dungeon concept together.”
Holmes is widely considered America’s first serial killer and his motives for murder were often one or all of the following:
A) Life insurance schemes
B) Dismemberment to sell useful parts to medical universities
C) A way to wind down at the end of a stressful day
Adapting the story of a man so sordid and sick into a riveting rock opera driven by metal was certainly a risk. It could have easily veered off into something wildly revolting thus repelling an audience unprepared for the full weight of the depravity held within the history of Holmes. When I heard that he was the impetus for their next production, I was wary of the choice. I had a hard time imagining how they would endear Holmes to an audience and find balance between the unspeakable violence he wrought and the entertainment we’ve come to expect. I was pleased to find that they used the grotesque as punctuation and not the driver in most of the scenes.
Instead, they conjured the darkness needed to tell the tale by invention. This production introduced us to the BROS’ foray into surrealism. We saw it in the dream sequences where the choreography and movement nimbly reflected the kind of disturbances one might expect to find in the deranged mind of a violent sociopath. Overall, the choreography was excellent and possibly the most fully realized of any BROS production that I’ve witnessed. This could be due the fact that this was the first production that choreographer Lily Kind removed herself as dancer in order to focus more on what was happening on the stage. For whatever reason, it was fantastic and the work exhibited the level of quality you’d expect to see from well-established companies staging better funded productions.
BROS also set the mood through use of dissonance that was nothing less than glorious. During several points in the show they evoked an uncanny eeriness that set the whole room on edge. The resulting insinuation was far more effective than half a dozen bludgeoning scenes that could have easily been used instead.
Other stand out moments include a composition by Ruby Fulton early in the show. While metal is the BROS go-to genre and the Onslaught Orchestra is about as heavy as dump truck full of lead, Fulton’s composition brought contrast to the show and added depth to their repertoire.
Another such powerful composition, Poisons of the Gilded Age, written by Onslaught Orchestra mainstay, Erica Patoka also provided a reprieve and space for Moira Horowitz, who played Holmes’ love interest Annie Millbrook, to show off her pipes, which are rather remarkable indeed.
The duet between Benjamin Pitezel, played by Chris Krysztofiak, and Mrs. Pitezel, played by Sarah Ford, may have been one of the most powerful scenes in any BROS production. Ford commanded the stage for most of the scene until Krysztofiak summoned an emotive response I hadn’t imagined he could muster. The result was a memorable performance that sets the bar high for future BROS productions.
Kay-Megan Washington playing Madame Opticon, or Madame Awesome-con, as far as I was concerned after catching a stout buzz, brought the house down.
At some point in this article I have to stop listing everything I liked about Murdercastle but it’s hard to draw that line. So many people played an important role and deserve to be mentioned. Here are a few last observations.
– The set design was ingenious
– While listening to the dialogue I realized that that BROS have developed a signature sense of humor that carries over into each production
– The costumes were outstanding
– It was no small feat to play H.H. Holmes as charming and debonair but Derek Vaughn Brown pulled it off and I’m sure that more than one or two ladies in the audience found themselves swooning
– The plucking cello movements by Zach Branch were a subtle sort of perfection that tied the whole thing together
After seeing the BROS several times and participating in yet another standing ovation, it’s obvious that they can sell out the Autograph Playhouse at will. I have to imagine they’re considering what they need to take it to the next level. They’ve got the kind of momentum that people would literally sell an organ for.
Personally, I’d love to see them in a larger venue. The Autograph is a good time. It’s casual and rowdy but the bathrooms are tiny and the sound needs work. There are always complaints about not being able to hear in the front which is why I always sit in the back.
It’s my humble opinion the BROS need to take the show to a professional venue with all the bells and whistles. Avoiding taking the risk would be stunting the organization’s growth. And isn’t that what the BROS are all about? Go big or go home, right? If you’re out there reading this BROS, we need to see you in someplace like the Lyric, Center Stage, or maybe even the Hippodrome depending on the resources you can pull together. You have hordes of loyal fans who will support you wherever you go. And they’ll make sure you succeed because they need you to succeed. They need to see you kick-ass and take names because that’s why we keep coming back. The real risk is sacrificing your bravado to play it safe.
In Panton Redundo, right? Baltimore Rock Opera Society FTW! @jmathewallen
Moira Goldie Horowitz as Annie Millbrook
Chuck Green and Johnny Marra
Derek Vaughan Brown as H.H. Holmes
Dancers in no particular order: Brittany Grant, Blair Hagan, Corey Hennessey, Judy Kurgan, Amanda Rife, Rachel Boss, Hanna Friedland
Mark Miller on trombone
Chris Krysztofiak as Benjamin Pitezel and Sarah Ford Gorman as Mrs. Pitezel
Jack Sossman
The Workers in no particular order: Matt Beale, Greg Bowen, Brad Bukowsky, Adam Chase, Chuck Green, John Marra, Joe Martin, Daniel Reed, and Mark Sine
Greg Bowen
Derek Vaughan Brown as H.H. Holmes and Moira Goldie Horowitz as Annie Millbrook
Cathy Tydings and Corey Hennessey
Philip Doccolo
Mark Sine as the Prospector
Gaines Johnston and Kenny Frankly
Brad Bukowsky as the Strongest Man
Judy Kurjan and Hannah Friedland as the Conjoined Twin Acrobats
Brittany Grant as a member of the Cult of Aphrodite
Terrènce Pope as the Haitian Voodoo Priest
Kay-Megan Washington as Madame Opticon
Kay-Megan Washington as Madame Opticon
Jack Sossman and Moira Goldie Horowitz
Moira Goldie Horowitz as Annie Millbrook
Jack Sossman
Violinist and composer Ruby Fulton with cellist Zack Branch
Rex Anderson
Derek Vaughan Brown as H.H. Holmes and what’s left of Chris Krysztofiak as Benjamin Pitezel
Derek Vaughan Brown and Moira Goldie Horowitz
Roric Coletta, Hannah Slattler, and Elana Bowman
Sarah Ford Gorman as Mrs. Pitezel
Photos by @brookehall
