She Couldn’t Shake the Story of a Female Killer. Now It’s a Musical.
The New York Times • • entertainment
Key Points:
- Jennifer Nettles was inspired to create the musical "Giulia: The Poison Queen of Palermo" after discovering an article about female serial killers during a late-night internet search about a decade ago.
- The musical centers on Giulia Tofana, a 17th-century Sicilian woman who allegedly distributed a nearly tasteless poison called Acqua Tofana, reportedly used by women to kill abusive husbands, with some accounts attributing over 600 deaths to it.
- Nettles explores the moral complexity of Giulia’s actions, posing the question of whether one can do something wrong for the right reasons.
- Nettles, known for her success as the lead singer of Sugarland with multiple No. 1 country singles and Grammy Awards, is both the writer and star of "Giulia," which is currently in previews at the Perelman Performing Arts Center in New York.
- She views her transition to musical theater as an opportunity to expand her storytelling and continue evolving as an artist.
