Review: "BLOOD SUCKING LEECH" Reviewed at Noah Lift Opera Center

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Running May 14-17 at the Noah Lift Opera Center, BLOOD SUCKING LEECH isn’t afraid to balance harsh reality and side-splitting humor.

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In 2024, I attended a staged reading of a new play. It was ‌part of the Ingram New Works Festival, which is presented by Nashville Repertory Theatre as an opportunity for playwrights to have their new scripts workshopped. It was my first time seeing a staged reading for INW, and I was one of the audience members who said that they’d see an official production of the show. Fast-forward to 2026, and I finally get the chance to see Blood Sucking Leech , a comedy-drama about a playwright whose elderly mother is falling victim to a couple of scammers. It was such a satisfying full-circle moment to see the new and improved show by Amy Tofte, who based the script on actual events regarding her own mother. Running May 14-17 at the Noah Lift Opera Center, Blood Sucking Leech isn’t afraid to balance harsh reality and side-splitting humor.

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Amy Tofte uses humor to guide the audience through a serious subject matter before we reach the more disturbing moments. She’s not afraid to get chaotic, and she needs the right director to contain the chaos on the tiny stage. Thankfully, Beki Baker reprises her role as the director from the stage reading. No matter how explosive things get, Baker does an excellent job of containing as much chaos onstage as possible. Even when things start spilling offstage (literally), it never feels like a concern to the audience in the front row. Despite all the humor, Baker is fully aware of how serious the subject of scammers targeting the vulnerable truly is. According to her Director’s Note regarding the original staged reading, “During the post-show discussion, we asked how many audience members knew someone who had experienced a situation like the one depicted in the play. Most of the hands in the room went up. The response made me gasp. I knew the issue was real; I didn’t realize how pervasive it was.” To say that she handled the script well is an understatement.

As soon as I heard that Blood Sucking Leech was going to be one of the shows in Nashville Repertory Theatre’s 2025/2026 Season, I was curious about the staging in a different venue. Gary C. Hoff’s scenic design does the impossible by providing the unlikely combination of cozy and claustrophobic. On one hand, he and Prop Manager Lillian Hargesheimer added enough details to Martha's house to remind me of my late grandmother’s house. All it was missing was a bit more tidiness, some portraits and statues of angels, and a portrait of Jesus. On the other hand, it felt so suffocating to see the leeches come between mother and daughter in such a small space. I don’t know how Hoff pulled it off so effortlessly, but it worked. Since the show is set in everyday life in the present day, you probably wouldn’t think that the Costume Designer needed to do much. However, Melissa K. Durmon gave each character specific costumes that matched the characters perfectly. Erica’s costume provides more coverage and darker tones than the other costumes. The leeches are given costumes that are a tad more revealing or colorful, contrasting them greatly from Erica. Durmon also served as the Hair and Makeup Designer, transforming Rona Carter into a more stereotypical grandmother. Logan Purcell’s lighting design grows more uncomfortable and claustrophobic as time goes on, and Liz Morgan had too much fun with the sound design. I also need to give a shout out to Fight Coordinator Carrie Brewer . Her contributions got too real that I needed to look away.

Three of the original cast members reprised their roles from the staged reading. Meggan Utech breathed new life into Berta, an online scammer and one of the leeches. I have seen Utech in other productions, but I’ve never seen her play anyone so despicable. Yes, she still delivers the laughs, but she also depicts one of the last people you’d want to cross paths with. Megan Murphy Chambers reprises her role of Nikko, the other leech. I found her funny in the staged reading, and I find her even more hilarious today. Like Utech, I wasn’t used to seeing Chambers play someone so despicable. She may have you cracking up, but she will also make you feel uncomfortable in a matter of seconds. The third and final returning cast member is Shannon Hoppe as Erica, a playwright and Martha’s protective daughter. Erica is a bit more of a straight-forward character, and she could’ve easily been overshadowed by everyone else. Thankfully, Hoppe perfectly balances humor and heart as Erica. As the narrator, she effortlessly navigates the audience through the chaos. Rona Carter joins the cast as Martha, a role Deb Meeks originally played in the staged reading. Carter is so sweet, and yet so tragic as Martha. Even when she pushes away her loved ones, you can’t help but feel sorry for her. Carter perfectly captures an elderly woman who just wants some company. No matter how unhinged things get, the actresses play off each other so well.

Blood Sucking Leech runs May 14-17 at the Noah Lift Opera Center. Get your tickets now before they sell out!

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_Originally reported by [BroadwayWorld](https://www.broadwayworld.com/nashville/article/Review-BLOOD-SUCKING-LEECH-at-Noah-Lift-Opera-Center-20260516)._