FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – Island City Stage’s Thrill Me: The Leopold & Loeb Story with book, music and lyrics by Stephen Dolginoff, premiered to a sold-out weekend audience. The captivating musical true crime tale that recounts the chilling story of the legendary duo who committed one of the most infamous and heinous crimes of the 20th century closes out Island City Stage’s 11th South Florida Season.
In 1924 Chicago, Nathan Leopold was passionate about Richard 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 unraveled due to a careless mistake. Or was it so careless?
Focusing on their obsessive relationship and utilizing Nathan Leopold’s 1958 parole hearing as a framework, Thrill Me reveals the series of events that led about-to-be law students Leopold and Loeb to be forever remembered as “the thrill killers.”
Don’t miss the chilling true crime musical tale Thrill Me: The Leopold & Loeb Story starring Kevin Veloz (Nathan) and Dylan Goike (Richard) at Island City Stage, now through September 3.
Stephen Dolginoff is the author/composer of Thrill Me: The Leopold & Loeb Story, for which he received Drama Desk Award nominations for Best Musical and Best Music; an Outer Critics Circle Award nomination for Best Off-Broadway musical; won an ASCAP Music Award and a Los Angeles Garland Award. After its extended run in New York City, the show has gone on to have nearly 200 productions in 22 countries and 14 languages, winning multiple awards along the way. The original London production transferred to the West End after a sold-out fringe run. Long-running versions in Seoul, Tokyo and Shanghai have generated huge fan bases and created an entire generation of Asian theatre performers and fans.
Christopher Michaels has returned to South Florida to helm the production. Michaels had been active in the South Florida theatre scene prior to moving to New York several years ago. He originally starred as “Nathan” when Rogow directed the region’s first production of Thrill Me at the now-shuttered Rising Action Theatre.
Starring in this production as “Nathan” is Kevin Veloz, last seen at Island City Stage as Miss Industrial Northeast in their production of Pageant. He is looking forward to sinking his teeth into this role which explores how far two people will go to feel special…to love, to feel, to betray, to breathe.
New York-based actor Dylan Goike is making his Island City Stage debut as “Richard.” Goike is excited to return to Florida’s theatre scene having previously performed in Farce of Nature at The Broadway Palm Dinner Theatre in Fort Myers. Other notable credits include Off-Broadway’s English language premiere of the French opera Anne Frank (Peter) and The Black Count of Monte Cristo, a musical debuting as an official selection in the Broadway-Bound Festival at Theatre Row.
Kevin Veloz (Nathan) and Dylan Goike (Richard) star in Island City Stage’s production of Thrill Me: The Leopold & Loeb Story running through September 3.
