Cranbrook Community Theatre (CCT) invites audiences to step into one of history’s most infamous mysteries this October with its production of Blood Relations, the Governor General Award-winning play by celebrated Canadian playwright Sharon Pollock.

Directed by Amy Dettling, Blood Relations brings the story of Lizzie Borden and the notorious 1892 murders in Fall River, Massachusetts, to CCT’s stage.

More than a retelling of a famous crime, Blood Relations is a psychological exploration of family, gender, repression, power and the question that has fascinated people for more than a century: Did Lizzie Borden murder her father and stepmother?

Pollock approaches that question through an imaginative play within a play. Years after Lizzie Borden was acquitted of the murders, Lizzie and an actress revisit the events leading up to that fateful August morning. As the Actress assumes the role of Lizzie, the boundaries between memory, performance and truth begin to blur.

For Dettling, directing Blood Relations also carries a deeply personal connection to the playwright.

“Sharon Pollock was a mentor to me when I was an emerging theatre artist in Calgary, and her encouragement had a lasting impact on me, particularly as a young woman finding my voice in theatre,” said Dettling.

“Coming back to Blood Relations now, I’m struck by how much is happening beneath the surface of this story. Yes, it’s about Lizzie Borden and an unsolved double murder, but it’s also about the expectations placed on women, the consequences ofhaving very little control over your own life, and the difference between what society believes a woman should be and who she actually is. It is an incredible privilege to bring Sharon’s work to the CCT stage.”

The production features Tinna Gunn as Miss Lizzie/Bridget, Nikki Van Boeyen as The Actress/Miss Lizzie, Megan Stewart as Emma, Michael Prestwich as Mr. Borden, Marnee Bellavance as Mrs. Borden, Rory Bruce as Harry, and Michael McLeod as Dr. Patrick/Defense.

Audiences can expect an atmospheric, intimate production inspired by the Borden household and the world of 1892 Fall River—a story in which everyone knows what happened, everyone has an opinion about why it happened, and more than 130 years later, no one can say with certainty who did it.

Special thanks to our season sponsors and donors IG Wealth Management – Paugh Carlson & Associates, Rick & Marg Jensen Family Foundation, Save on Foods, City of Cranbrook, BC Gaming, Sidekick Printing Inc., Amy Dettling Notary Corp., and Spruce Legal.

Blood Relations opens Friday, October 16 at the Studio/Stage Door #11-11th Ave S. The production closes with a special Halloween performance on Saturday, October 31.

The show runs October 16, 17, 22, 23, 24, 29, 30 and 31, with two Sunday matinee performances on October 18 and 25. Tickets are available online at www.cranbrookcommunitytheatre.com

Lead image: Michael Prestwich, Marnee Bellavance, Rory Bruce, Nikki Van Boeyen, Tinna Gunn and Megan Stewart. Photos submitted

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