The IU musical theatre majors met at a callback for “Bombshell,” which was put on by the Bloomington Playwrights Project during their freshman year.
“We were looking at a production book on the table in the lobby laughing at newspaper clippings,” Baldwin said. “We were just goofing around and then became best friends. Freshman year and first semester, we played mimes together.”
Now, three years later, Baldwin and McClain will star as the lead roles in “Make Me Bad,” along with a full cast of IU Theatre actors, at 7:30 p.m. Friday night at the Bloomington ?Playwrights Project.
Based on the book by Alex Brightman, the musical follows Daisy Harris, a young woman who runs away from her small town because she feels trapped. Once she runs into serial killer Max, they form a surprising and mysterious relationship that leads to trouble.
The Bloomington Playwrights Project is the only professional theater in Indiana that showcases new plays. McClain said this is the first time “Make Me Bad” will be performed.
“There’s been readings and stuff in New York, but there’s never been a real-life production,” McClain said. “That’s something new and exciting. The writers have been specifically excited about seeing the set, lighting, costuming and technical elements that weren’t there previously.”
McClain and Baldwin said they mostly worked on the music with Ben Smith and Nathan Blustein, music professionals from the Jacobs School of Music. However, they still had the opportunity to work with the creator of the music and ?lyrics, Drew Gasparini.
“He added more input in saying, ‘When I wrote this, this is what I wanted,’” McClain said. “He did it for the music director and for us so that we understand his ?vision.”
Baldwin said she and McClain spent most of their time learning the music because they sing the majority of the songs.
McClain said there is a rock band that plays the music during the show to accompany the pop-rock score.
“(It adds) a gritty sound and contributes to the dark side of the show,” ?McClain said.
He also said the music adds more depth of emotion to the characters.
“When they’re more vulnerable, it’s lighter-tone pop, and when they’re passionate, love-making, it’s definitely more rock,” ?McClain said.
David Sheehan, one of the directors, said in an email the show creates an atmosphere where he’s found himself genuinely afraid of what could happen on stage in rehearsal.
“‘Make Me Bad’ is a dark play,” Sheehan said. “It’s exploring the mind of a serial killer, even falling a little bit in love with the mind of a serial killer. It’s a scary place. It’s nothing you wouldn’t see watching a late-night crime drama, but because it’s right in front of you, live, because you can’t change the channel ... it’s all the more terrifying.”
Baldwin and McClain said they are thrilled to work together one last time before they graduate.
“It’s pretty sick,” Baldwin said. “And together, as best friends during senior year, to be playing serial killer rock stars is pretty cool.”
