Merrimack Repertory Theatre Presents WOODY SEZ in June

Merrimack Repertory Theatre (MRT) will present Woody Sez: The Life and Music of Woody Guthrie - a joyous, toe-tapping, and inspirational celebration of the ultimate American folk singer ("This Land Is Your Land," "Bound for Glory") - from June 8 to 26, according to Artistic Director Courtney Sale and Executive Director Bonnie J. Butkas.

"Woody Guthrie was an artist who threw himself into traveling this country. What he found on his journey was a great source of songwriting and truth-telling. David Lutken and his team bring to vibrant life the story of one of America's most important musicians. Woody Sez celebrates an original folk hero with compelling narrative, toe-tapping instrumentation, and joyous celebration," said Sale.

Internationally acclaimed since its debut in 2007, Woody Sez features a cast of four, playing more than 20 instruments and performing two-dozen songs, including "This Land Is Your Land," "Bound for Glory," "Pastures of Plenty," "The Ballad of Tom Joad," "Hard Travelin'," and "So Long, It's Been Nice to Know Yuh." The show stars creator David M. Lutken; co-creator Nick Corley directs. The cast also includes Darcie Deaville, Maggie Hollinbeck, and Andy Teirstein. Lutken will serve as Music Director. For more information about the Woody Sez cast, visit www.woodysez.com.

For tickets and further information, visit www.mrt.org or call the Enterprise Bank Box Office at 978-654-4678. Tickets start at $21 with 2-for-$30 specials available for select performances. Please note the theatre will not be able to offer video-on-demand performances of this show.

An uplifting narrative about a difficult man's difficult life during difficult times, Woody Sez is a tale of struggle, activism, patriotism, and faith by a man who embodied the best of the American spirit. Select performances will be followed by "Hootenannies," informal folk music jam sessions with the cast and local musicians at Merrimack Ales. For details, visit www.mrt.org/woody.

The New York Times described Woody as, "A haunting, powerful show [that] transcends its homespun materials to become a work of art," and Time Out concurred, "An American epic - like the songs themselves, everything about the show has the ring of truth."

Lutken's credits include Inherit the Wind, Ring of Fire, and The Will Rogers Follies on Broadway and Woody Guthrie's American Song and The Portable Pioneer and Prairie Show Off-Broadway. With his original show, Woody Sez; The Life and Music of Woody Guthrie, he and his company have toured Europe, the British Isles, the US, the Middle East, and China. Lutken won the Helen Hayes and Joseph Jefferson awards for Best Actor for his portrayal of Woody Guthrie.

Nick Corley's acting credits include Mary Poppins and She Loves Me on Broadway, and he has directed productions at Edinburgh Festival Fringe, Carnegie Hall, and the Lyric Theatre of Oklahoma. The creative team also includes Luke Hegel-Cantarella, Scenic Designer (Atlantic Theatre Company, American Repertory Theatre); Jeffrey Meek, Costume Designer (American Repertory Theatre, Lyric Theatre of Oklahoma); and Brian J. Lilienthal, Lighting Designer (MRT's Miss Bennet: Christmas at Pemberley and Silent Sky). Brian S. Newman will serve as Stage Manager.

Woody Sez: The Life and Music of Woody Guthrie is the final show in MRT's 2021-22 Season. The 2022-23 Season will be announced in late May.

For tickets and further information, visit www.mrt.org or call the Enterprise Bank Box Office at 978-654-4678. Tickets start at $21 with 2-for-$30 specials available for select performances. Please note the theatre will not be able to offer video-on-demand performances of this show.

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