Selections from the original musical, "Crawlspace."

Book and lyrics by Jason Spraggins
Music by Matt Glickstein
www.crawlspacemusical.com

In 1979, a famed psychologist and researcher, Dr. Judy Matthewson is invited to Chicago to interview an accused killer by a desperate defense attorney. The Doctor has a special interest in the case. As a survivor of child abuse, she seeks to rationalize the actions of her own father by studying the origins of violence as related to the human brain.

The prisoner, John Wayne Gacy, is facing trial for 33 counts of murder after dozens of dead boys were discovered buried under his home. Hoping to save himself from the death penalty, this braggadocios murderer must convince the Doctor to sign off on his claimed multiple personality disorder and bolster his insanity plea.

During her sessions with Gacy, his narrative conjures flashbacks of his own childhood abuse, personal life, murders, and arrest. The Doctor follows him on a tour through his memories--blurring the line between reality and Gacy’s mind. His alleged multiple personalities take center stage as the killer relives key moments from his dark and tragic life.
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Gacy, on the one hand, was a family man, community leader, out-going neighbor, and part-time clown known for hosting elaborate yard parties. On the other hand, he was a victim of abuse, a sadist, rapist, and serial murderer. As the show progresses and the trial date looms, the Doctor begins slipping dangerously deeper into Gacy's troubled mind. His unsettling memories challenge her beliefs about mental health while also forcing her to face ghosts from her own past.

​The musical score expresses Gacy's vastly different sides- his boastful public persona through pop, jazz, and blues sensibilities- and his violent, dangerous secret- self with darker, more cinematic styles.
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A professional dramturge has assisted in refining the show. The score and book are complete, and the show is ready to be performed in a workshop, traditional production, or presented online--even in a podcast format. We are developing a concept album with a UK team, and a zoom table read is planned.
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The show is in two acts and is written for a cast of 20 (12 leads with 8 ensemble parts). It is scored for piano, bass, and drum set with optional parts for strings, brass, and auxiliary percussion.

The running time is 90-100 minutes.

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