Pioneering podcast

“Ten Days in a Madhouse” is a new musical about journalist Nellie Bly

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In 1887, The New York Times reported that a “mysterious waif” with a “wild, haunted look in her eyes” was committed to the Women’s Lunatic Asylum on Blackwell’s Island (what is now Roosevelt Island in New York City). But this “waif” was not mentally ill; she was the pioneering young journalist Nellie Bly, on special assignment from Joseph Pulitzer to infiltrate the hospital and write about the deplorable conditions she found inside. After a week and a half of witnessing rancid food, torturous and unsanitary baths, drugged patients and cruel staff, Bly was rescued from the asylum and began to craft her exposé.

After her columns appeared in Pulitzer’s newspaper, The World, the horrifying accounts raised public awareness about abuse, and eventually led to reform. To preserve Bly’s reports, they were assembled into the book Ten Days In A Madhouse. This marked the beginning of serious investigative journalism and cemented her legacy as much more than a “girl detective” and “stunt journalist,” even before she bested Jules Verne’s fictional record of traveling around the world in 80 days.

More than a century later, Bly’s remarkable exploits have been the subject of many books, plays, musicals, films and television programs. A statue of her is being created at the site of the asylum. Locally, Bly’s adventures have been dramatized in a new musical, commissioned by Music Theatre of Madison (MTM).

Ten Days In A Madhouse, by Dane County artists Jennifer Hedstrom (music and lyrics) and Karen Saari (book and lyrics), received an initial read-through last December. In lieu of a scheduled public workshop this summer, a revised version of the musical is available through a series of podcasts, posted at mtmadison.com. The website also features a virtual program with information about the cast and creators, preliminary set renderings by Erin Baal, and costume design concepts by Shannon Heibler.

Though current health and safety concerns necessitated moving to this format, MTM executive director Meghan Randolph says the podcast has served the material well. “I like the podcast because it gives people more freedom to listen — at the gym, on a commute, cooking dinner, or with a glass of wine on the couch,” says Randolph. “We also had so much we wanted to get across. We wanted to talk about the process, the history, and the concept, plus we wanted to give everyone a chance to listen and provide feedback, which is a key part of this process. We want people to be able to listen and respond at their own pace.”

Episodes 1 and 2 of the podcast, available now, include discussions with the creative team about Nellie, her portrayal in the media, conditions in the asylum, and how the original script has evolved since its inception. Episodes 3 and 4, coming out on Aug. 21, will present a professional recording of the work-in-progress musical, performed by a local cast. In order to help the development process, audiences are encouraged to provide thoughts and feedback on the show by filling out a form on the company’s website. In the last episode, available Sept. 4, the creative team will discuss comments they received and share their thoughts on further revisions.

“The show is a fascinating look at journalism, mental health, and the general treatment of women,” says Randolph, who also directs the production. She says Saari first suggested Nellie Bly as a subject. “I didn't know anything about her myself, but when I heard about her infiltration of the madhouse I was immediately intrigued,” says Randolph.

Saari’s fascination with Nellie Bly began in childhood after she read about the adventures of the groundbreaking female journalist in a children’s book. In a college acting class she chose Bly when assigned to write a monologue from the perspective of a historical figure. “As I researched her, I was flummoxed as to how this woman was not a household name. Her drive and her voice were so ahead of their time,” says Saari.

“The more I’ve learned, the more inspired I am by her ambition to rise up after a traumatic childhood and to tell women’s stories from a fresh perspective,” says Saari. She says the biggest challenge in creating the musical was “building a story arc for Nellie over these 10 days that didn’t overshadow the horrific things experienced by the other patients at Blackwell’s.” Randolph says that the current version of the script includes some additional characters and creative liberties, but still follows the outline of the source material. 

Ten Days In A Madhouse is part of MTM’s Wisconsin New Musicals Cycle, which begins with a reading, then proceeds to a public workshop. In the third phase of the cycle, the new musical takes the stage as part of the company’s regular performance season. If live productions resume in 2021, Ten Days will enjoy a fully produced world premiere next August. It is the second original musical commissioned by MTM; Nathan Fosbinder’s Hephaestus debuted in 2019.

While the podcast is free, donations will be accepted on the MTM website. “It’s a tricky time to ask for funds for the arts,” Randolph says. “But at a time when many artists don’t have projects or work, we did pay everyone, and we’re really grateful for donations to help us continue to create and share interesting programming in an uncertain time.”