Nellie & the Women of Blackwell
a guided, immersive docudrama
“ Winner of Best Immersive Theatrical Experience Off-Off-Broadway 2021”
“A powerful “dark ride” into the history of mental health treatment”
“With their brand of storytelling, the future of immersive theater is in solid hands.”
Nellie & the Women of Blackwell is a deep, dark dive into the mental health system of the late 19th century in New York City. Using a cast of just four actors, the audience is led by legendary stunt reporter Nellie Bly through the narrative described in her ground-breaking story, “Ten Days in a Madhouse.” Donning their role as junior reporters, the audience joins Nellie in her reporting- and her attempt to escape- the decrepit conditions and cruel treatment of Blackwell’s Island Lunatic Asylum. Uncover the stories and secrets of the women long-forgotten by history, and learn how far mental health has come- and has to go- in this innovative experience that is redefining immersive theatre.
An original production from Infinite Variety Productions
Written by Ashley Adelman based on “Ten Days in a Madhouse” by Nellie Bly
Run time of 75 minutes
Subject matter: mental health, women’s rights, social justice
Production History
February 2020: premiere at Wildrence Immersive, New York City. Directed by Jessica Schechter. Stage managed by Hadley Todoran. Set Design by Andrew Dunn. Featuring Kate Szekely, Ashley Adelman, Janessa Floyd, and Nicole Orabona. A talk-back and benefit performance was hosted on March 8, 2020 with the Lenox Hill Neighborhood House’s Women’s Mental Health Shelter.
