Main Street Productions News

Main Street Productions Presents the True-Crime Drama The Drowning Girls

 

WESTFIELD, Ind.—Three brides rise from bathtubs to tell the story their husband hoped would stay buried.

The Basile Westfield Playhouse invites audiences to experience the hauntingly beautiful and unexpectedly witty theatrical production The Drowning Girls, opening March 19 and running through March 29. The play is inspired by the infamous “Brides in the Bath” murders that shocked Edwardian England.

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Written by Beth Graham, Charlie Tomlinson, and Daniela Vlaskalic and directed by Molly Bellner, the play follows Bessie, Alice, and Margaret, three women who discover they were all married to the same man: George Joseph Smith, an opportunist who charmed, married, and ultimately murdered multiple wives for insurance money.

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In this production, the women join together to recount the events that brought them together and piece together the truth behind Smith’s crimes. Through poetic language and imaginative storytelling, the women transform from victims into narrators of their own story. The play offers these women the chance to reclaim their voices while examining the ways society itself left them vulnerable.

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While the premise may sound dark, The Drowning Girls balances eerie elegance with humor and lyrical storytelling. The play’s distinctive staging, featuring bathtubs, real water and stylized movement, creates a theatrical experience unlike any other.

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“The Drowning Girls gives these women the chance to tell their stories, explain their choices, and come together in a powerful sisterhood,” said director Molly Bellner. “Through their voices, we’re given the opportunity to reflect on how the societal expectations surrounding gender, marriage, and power have changed…and how they haven’t.”

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Because the play explores the real-life crimes that inspired it, this production contains depictions and discussion of mature themes, including domestic abuse and murder, which may be distressing for some audience members. Viewer discretion is advised.

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The production features Jo Bennett as Bessie, Monya Wolf as Alice, and Sarah Eberhardt as Margaret.

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The Drowning Girls runs March 19–29 at the Basile Westfield Playhouse. Opening night tickets on March 19 are just $10.00! Tickets and additional information are available at westfieldplayhouse.org/showstickets