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Thrill Me

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Thrill Me (longer title: Thrill Me: The Leopold and Loeb Story) is an off-Broadway musical written by Stephen Dolginoff. It is based on the story of Nathan Leopold and Richard Loeb, who killed a young boy in 1924 in order to commit "the perfect crime".

The show premiered at the Midtown International Theater Festival in 2003. The run was extended and all seven performances sold out. The show had its off-Broadway premeire on 16 May 2005. It was extremely well-received throughout its run, and started some regional tours in 2006.

Plot summary

Nathan Leopold and Richard Loeb were childhood friends from an affluent neighborhood in suburban Chicago. Both were extremely intelligent, being out of college already at the age of nineteen. Richard was obsessed with Nietzsche's ideals of the Superman and conducting the "perfect crime". He convinces Nathan to go along with him on a series of petty crimes. Nathan does it out of a deep, long-standing love for his friend, but he soon tires of it. Richard gets him sign a contract in blood; Nathan was to receive sexual favors from Richard in exchange for his assitance in more crimes.

Richard soon tired of theft and arson, instead deciding that he and his friend should commit a murder. They kidnap a twelve-year-old boy named Bobby Franks, kill him, and pour acid on his body as to avoid identification. However, not only do they miss an identifying birthmark on the boy's back, Nathan drops his glasses at the scene. The body was quickly indentified, and the two friends were brought in for questioning.

Over the ensuing police investigation, it is shown that Richard had been leading Nathan on the whole time. Richard believes their attorney, the infamous Clarence Darrow will be able to get him off. They wound up being spared the gallows, but were each senstenced to life plus ninety-nine years. The show ends with Nathan showing that this was all a scheme on his end to keep Richard with him forever.

List of songs

  1. Prelude
  2. Why
  3. Everybody Wants Richard
  4. Nothing Like a Fire
  5. A Written Contract
  6. Thrill Me
  7. The Plan
  8. Way Too Far
  9. Roadster
  10. Superior
  11. Ransom Note
  12. My Glasses/Just Lay Low
  13. I'm Trying to Think
  14. Keep Your Deal With Me
  15. Afraid
  16. Life Plus 99 Years/Finale
  17. Bows
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