Playwright, performer, storyteller, and Lexington native Cavan Hendron. Photo furnished
Eight years since development began, a New York-based theatre production by a Lexington-born playwright is set to make its local workshop debut this summer.
Created by Cavan Hendron, a Lexington native who moved to New York City six years ago, “BORDEN: A New Musical” explores the infamous Lizzie Borden case through the eyes of Lizzie’s sister, Emma. The workshop of the show will take place at the Downtown Arts Center June 11-13 as part of the Voices HEaRd Festival in June.
“BORDEN” began as a college assignment at Western Kentucky University: Hendron was tasked with writing a solo show about a historical figure. They chose Lizzie Borden, struck by how history has long labeled her guilty for the 1892 axe murders of her mother and stepfather, despite her acquittal the following year.
After moving to New York, Hendron began to wonder if the solo piece could evolve into something larger. They expanded the project into a full musical, writing both script and lyrics. Initially, the show centered heavily on Lizzie herself, but after an industry reading in 2024, a mentor challenged Hendron to rethink the story.
“I took a step back and started thinking about what drew me to the story in the first place. I realized the reason I loved it was because, at the end of the day, it’s about family,” Hendron explained. “Lizzie and Emma lost their birth mother when they were 2 and 12, and Emma made a promise to always look after Lizzie. So, I was like, that’s the story. It’s about sisterhood and that promise, and the lengths you’ll go for family.”
Hendron's "BORDEN: A New Musical" is set make its local workshop debut this summer. Photo furnished
Since then, Hendron has been refining the musical with help from a powerhouse team that includes co-writer Aaron Roitman, composer Matthew Nassida, producer Audrey Belle Adams, director Neeta Thadani, and New York Times bestselling author and historian Cara Robertson (who is also a leading expert on the Lizzie Borden case).
This month, the entire team will head to Kentucky for three workshop-style performances of “BORDEN” during the inaugural Voices HEaRd Festival. Immediately following the first of those performances on June 11, Hendron, Robertson, and other members of the creative team will take to the stage for a talkback session. Audience members will be able to ask questions about the making of the musical and the infamous case.
IF YOU GO: BORDEN: A New Musical” (development presentation) • June 11-13 • Pam Miller Downtown Arts Center • www.voicesampd.org/voices-heard-1
“People are going to get to see what a musical looks like when it’s in development,” Hendron said. “For me, being a theater kid, these were the things I really wished Lexington had when I was growing up.”
After the performances in Lexington, the team will return to New York to assess what did and didn’t work, and what they might want to change. The goal is to prepare the show for industry presentations, secure funding and ultimately move the production forward.
No matter where “BORDEN: A New Musical” ends up — whether it’s a glorious Broadway theater or a tiny Off-Broadway venue seating 100 — Hendron will be happy when the show finds the people it’s meant to find.
“I’ll know that I did my job when I’m sitting at a bar after a show, and I look at people’s hands and see the program for the show, and they’re talking about the case,” Hendron said. “As a writer, there’s no better feeling than knowing your art has impacted someone enough to keep talking about it even after the show. Good art lingers.”