Synopsis
This darkly satirical musical reframes American history through the eyes of those who attempted – successfully or not – to kill US presidents. Structured as a surreal carnival sideshow, the piece weaponises American musical traditions – vaudeville, folk ballads, barbershop quartets, patriotic Sousa-style marches and Bacharach pop – to undercut the myth of the “American Dream,” exposing how frustration, alienation and entitlement can curdle into violence.
Ratings
TMDB10/10
1 audience votes
Key crew
- Joe MantelloDirector
- John WeidmanWriter
Cast
- Becky Ann BakerSara Jane Moore
- James BarbourLeon Czolgosz
- Mario CantoneSamuel Byck
- Michael CerverisJohn Wilkes Booth
- Mary Catherine GarrisonLynette "Squeaky" Fromme
- Alexander GemignaniJohn Hinckley Jr.
- Neil Patrick HarrisThe Balladeer / Lee Harvey Oswald
- Marc KudischThe Proprietor
- Jeffrey KuhnGiuseppe Zangara
- Denis O'HareCharles Guiteau
- James ClowJames Blaine / President Gerald Ford / Ensemble
- Merwin FoardPresident James Garfield / Ensemble
Stills
Themes
government assassinbroadway musicalassassination attemptusa historyhistorypresident of the united statesstephen sondheim