{"id":53680,"date":"2024-02-22T08:46:28","date_gmt":"2024-02-22T13:46:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/?p=53680"},"modified":"2024-02-22T08:46:30","modified_gmt":"2024-02-22T13:46:30","slug":"on-stage-the-girl-from-the-north-country-at-the-forrest-theater","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/?p=53680","title":{"rendered":"On Stage: ‘The Girl From the North Country’ at The Forrest Theater"},"content":{"rendered":"

By Denny Dyroff<\/strong>, Entertainment Editor, The Times<\/em><\/p>\n

\"\"

Chiara Trentalange and Ben Biggers in The Girl From The North Country, which is now running at The Forrest Theater.<\/p><\/div>\n

Philadelphia\u2019s Broadway season of shows at the Miller Theater, Academy of Music and Forrest Theater fortunately has some new touring Broadway shows that are playing in Philly for the first time \u2013 like \u201cMrs. Doubtfire,\u201d \u201cMean Girls,\u201d \u201cCompany,\u201d and \u201cAin\u2019t Too Proud to Beg.\u201d<\/p>\n

Another debut is on tap when Ensemble Arts Philly and The Shubert Organization\u00a0present \u201cThe Girl From The North Country\u201d now through March 10 at the Forrest Theater (1114 Walnut Street, Philadelphia).<\/p>\n

This is the Philadelphia premiere engagement of the Tony Award\u00ae-winning musical, which was written and directed by celebrated playwright Conor McPherson and features Tony Award\u00ae-winning orchestrations by Simon Hale.<\/p>\n

\u201cGirl From The North Country\u201d reimagines 20 legendary songs of Bob Dylan\u00a0as they\u2019ve never been heard before, including \u201cForever Young,\u201d \u201cAll Along The Watchtower,\u201d \u201cHurricane,\u201d \u201cSlow Train Coming,\u201d and \u201cLike A Rolling Stone.\u201d<\/p>\n

One of the key roles \u2013 Kate Draper \u2013 is performed by an actress from the Delaware Valley \u2013 Chiara Trentalange, a graduate of Gwynedd Mercy Academy and native of Southampton.<\/p>\n

\u201cI auditioned in September 2019 and got the call in October that I got the part,\u201d said Trentalange, during recent tour stop in Greenville, South Carolina. \u201cI was the understudy for Kate Draper on Broadway and was dance captain for the show.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe had rehearsal in the winter. Then we spent a week on Broadway before COVID closed everything down. That was a crazy time.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe expected to be back in two weeks but that never happened. Now to be on the road with this show is great.\u201d<\/p>\n

Like many people, Trentalange was unfamiliar with \u201cGirl From The North Country.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAll I knew was that it was written by an Irish playwright and had music by Bob Dylan,\u201d said Trentalange, who graduated from Emerson College with a B.F.A. in Musical Theater. \u201cThe show is set in Duluth, Minnesota in 1934. The story is not about Bob Dylan. It just uses his music to tell the story.\u201d<\/p>\n

The setting takes place on the shores of Lake Superior<\/a>\u00a0in Duluth<\/a>\u00a0in the winter of 1934 and America is in the grip of the Great Depression<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The story is narrated by Dr. Walker, physician to the Laine family. Nick Laine is the proprietor of a rundown guesthouse. The bank is threatening to foreclose on the property, and he is desperate to find a way to save his family from homelessness.<\/p>\n

His wife, Elizabeth, is suffering from a form of dementia which propels her from catatonic detachment to childlike, uninhibited outbursts which are becoming difficult to manage. Their children are Gene, who is in his early twenties, and their adopted daughter, Marianne, who is 19.<\/p>\n

Marianne is five months pregnant, and the identity of the father is a mystery she guards carefully. Nick is trying to arrange a marriage between Marianne and a local cobbler, Mr. Perry, in order to secure her future.<\/p>\n

The social awkwardness is complicated by the fact that Marianne is a black girl living with a white family. She was abandoned in the guesthouse as a baby and brought up by Nick and Elizabeth.<\/p>\n

Gene is unable to get a grip on his life, and veers between ambitions of becoming a writer and debilitating alcohol binges, a situation not helped when his sweetheart, Kate, announces she is marrying a man with better prospects.<\/p>\n

Nick has become involved in a relationship with a resident of the guest house, Mrs. Neilsen, a widow who is waiting for her late husband’s will to clear probate. They dream of a better future when her money comes through, although she scolds Nick for his constant pessimism.<\/p>\n

Also staying at the house are a family, the Burkes. Mr. Burke lost his business in the crash. His wife, Laura, and his son, Elias, share a room upstairs. Elias has a learning disability and the family struggles to come to terms with their reduced state.<\/p>\n

Late at night, during a storm, a self-styled reverend bible salesman, Marlowe, and a down-on-his-luck boxer, Joe Scott, arrive looking for shelter. The arrival of these characters is a catalyst, changing everything for everyone in the house.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere are a lot of main characters \u2013 9-10 principal characters,\u201d said Trentalange. \u201cThere are the two families that live in the house, two newcomers, the old man in the shoe repair shop and me, who is in a relationship with the young man in the family.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy character comes in and highlights Gene\u2019s story. ate has a hard outer shell. She comes alive in an awkward intense scene when she tells him that she is going to move away.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cGirl From the North Country,\u201d which had its Broadway run cut short a month in due to the pandemic, reopened at the Belasco Theatre on Broadway in October 2021.\u00a0It was the first Broadway show to reopen after the Coronavirus pandemic forced theatres to close in March 2020.<\/p>\n

The \u201cGirl From The North Country\u201d acting company includes Alan Ariano (Dr. Walker), David Benoit (Mr. Burke), Ben Biggers (Gene Laine), Paul Blankenship (Offstage Cover), Jennifer Blood (Elizabeth Laine), Ashley D. Brooks (Ensemble), Justin Michael Duval (Ensemble), Rayla Garske (Swing), Matt Manuel (Joe Scott), Kelly McCormick (Ensemble), Shara\u00e9 Moultrie (Marianne Laine), Hosea Mundi (Ensemble) Warren Nolan Jr. (Swing), Ali Regan (Swing), Jay Russell (Mr. Perry), John Schiappa (Nick Laine), Chiara Trentalange (Kate Draper), Danny Vaccaro (Swing), Jill Van Velzer (Mrs. Burke), Jeremy Webb (Reverend Marlowe), Aidan Wharton (Elias Burke), and Carla Woods (Mrs. Neilsen).<\/p>\n

\u201cGirl From The North Country\u201d features scenic and costume design by Rae Smith; orchestrations, arrangements, and music supervision by Simon Hale, with additional arrangements by Simon Hale and Conor McPherson; lighting design by Mark Henderson; sound design by Simon Baker; movement direction by Lucy Hind; associate direction by Barbara Rubin; and music direction by Timothy Splain. Girl from The North Country is produced by Runaway Entertainment.<\/p>\n

The \u201cGirl From The North Country\u201d Original Broadway Cast Album was a 2022 GRAMMY Award\u00ae nominee for \u201cBest Musical Theater Album.\u201d<\/p>\n

The touring company has a cast that is now very familiar with the show.<\/p>\n

\u201cFour of us are from the Broadway cast \u2013 from COVID until the end,\u201d said Trentalange. \u201cIt\u2019s so beautiful to come back.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cGirl From The North Country\u201d was Trentalange\u2019s first Broadway show. Her first show was \u201cAnnie\u201d at the Bucks County Playhouse when she was 12. Her first paid theatre role was at the same theater as Peggy Sawyer in \u201c42nd Street\u201d six years later.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is a very emotional show,\u201d said Trentalange. \u201cThe audience members all get different things. There is something for everybody. You\u2019re on this ride so you do want to pay attention.\u201d<\/p>\n

Even Dylan himself is a fan of the show.<\/p>\n

In an interview with\u00a0The New York Times, Dylan said, \u201cSure, I’ve seen it, and it affected me. I saw it as an anonymous spectator, not as someone who had anything to do with it. I just let it happen. The play had me crying at the end. I can’t even say why. When the curtain came down, I was stunned. I really was.\u201d<\/p>\n

Video link for \u201cGirl From The North Country\u201d \u2013 https:\/\/youtu.be\/8YsFznBBLfo<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The show will run now through March 10 at the Forrest Theater,<\/p>\n

Ticket prices start at $45.<\/p>\n

On February 24, Jamey\u2019s House of Music (32 South Lansdowne Avenue, Lansdowne, 215-477-9985,www.jameyshouseofmusic.com<\/a>) is presenting a concert by Early Times.<\/p>\n

\"\"

Early Times<\/p><\/div>\n

Early Times is a good name for a band which specializes in original rock and soul music. Early Times could also be a fitting nom de plume for a musical artist with a distinct individual style that spans genres.<\/p>\n

\u201cEarly Times is my real name,\u201d said Times, during a phone interview Monday from his home in Brewster, New York. \u201cIt\u2019s the name my parents gave me. It\u2019s on my birth certificate.\u201d<\/p>\n

Early Times not only has an original name, he is an original who has put his imprint on music in a lot of ways.<\/p>\n

Times is a blues musician, songwriter, and radio host who has been on Sirius XM since 2001. He is also a veteran rock and jazz musician. Early Times and the High Rollers are a NYC-based band who specialize in original rock and soul music.<\/p>\n

\u201cJust out of high school in 1988, I was playing in jazz jams for two nights a week, blues two nights a week and rock two nights a week,\u201d said Times, who plays guitar and writes. \u201cI made it my mission to learn a lot of different styles. I started touring in the late 90s with E.C. Scott.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIn 2001, I was hired by Sirius XM to work on the Sirius blues show. I stepped away from live playing for a while because I had to be at the studio every day.\u201d<\/p>\n

Times, who graduated from Hunter College with a degree in media studies, helped initiate a new wave of broadcasting when he debuted on Sirius Satellite Radio. He hosted a daily show on Sirius Blues and over a seven-year period hosted acts such as Buddy Guy, John Hammond, Jonny Lang, Elvis Costello, and Allen Toussaint.<\/p>\n

Before leaving his home state of California, he was awarded Best Guitarist in the Sacramento Music Awards. He then joined E.C. Scott\u2019s band and toured internationally and recorded two CDs with Scott for the Blind Pig Label.<\/p>\n

\u201cI used to have to go to Rockefeller Center every day,\u201d said Times, who moved from his hometown Sacramento to New York in 1998. \u201cI was able to do the shows remotely.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve got an exterior building \u2013 an old garage, I can do my radio work and some recordings there. With remote, I have a lot more freedom. In 2022, I started to tour again. I do have a set band \u2013 keyboards, drums and bass. Our music is bluesy and rock-and-roll.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve got quite a few albums \u2013 maybe 15. The first came out in 1992. My most recent albums are \u2018The Corner\u2019 in 2021, which did really well and got good radio airplay, and \u2018Electric City\u2019 in 2023. \u2018Electric City\u2019 had a different band with Anton Fig, Eliza Neals and Bobby Rush.<\/p>\n

\u201cAs we\u2019re speaking, I have a new album arriving at my place. It\u2019s slated for release on May 3 on Sanctuary. It\u2019s an organ trio like Jimmy Smith\u2019s soulful blues jazz.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s a departure for me. It\u2019s all original soulful jazz. It\u2019s called \u2018Zodiac Griot\u2019 \u2013 telling stories through the music. The Hammond B-3 is generally a part of my sound. I play synth as well. I usually play guitar in the band.\u201d<\/p>\n

Video link for Early Times & The High Rollers — https:\/\/youtu.be\/ervG_aHw1W0<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The show at Jamey\u2019s on February 24 will start at 8 p.m.<\/p>\n

Tickets are $20 in advance and $25 at the door.<\/p>\n

Another show at Jamey\u2019s House of music this weekend will take place on February 23 with The BlackTails as the headliner.<\/p>\n

With musical influences drawn from American Roots Music to West Coast Swing, Gypsy Jazz, Latin, Surf Rock and Electric Blues,\u00a0The BlackTails\u00a0have been inspiring audiences with their high energy live show since their 2004 launch in New York City. Playing to sold-out audiences at the world-famous Iridium to rocking music festival stages, The BlackTails have drawn a diverse following around the world.<\/p>\n

Tickets are $20 in advance and $25 at the door.<\/p>\n

Jamey\u2019s features a popular \u201cJazz at Jamey\u2019s\u201d on Thursday featuring many of the best singers in the region performing a set from 7-8 p.m. with the backing of the Dave Reiter Trio and occasional guest musicians.<\/p>\n

Every Sunday, Jamey\u2019s presents \u201cSUNDAY BLUES BRUNCH & JAM\u201d featuring the Philly Blues Kings.<\/p>\n

This is the final weekend for theater fans to see a performance of the Candlelight Theatre (2208 Millers Road, Arden, Delaware, www.candlelighttheatredelaware.org<\/a>) production of \u201cHello Dolly!\u201d<\/p>\n

The musical adaptation of Thornton Wilder\u2019s play,\u00a0\u201cThe Matchmaker,\u201d which is a comic and romantic story of the exploits of Dolly Gallagher-Levi, a matchmaker and \u201cwoman who arranges things,\u201d will run now through February 25.<\/p>\n

It seems that everybody is familiar with \u201cHello Dolly!\u201d in one form or another \u2013 especially the Academy Award-winning film and the hit Broadway musical.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s hard not to be familiar with the song, \u201cHello Dolly!\u201d\u2013 at least with the tune\u2019s opening lines\u2026\u00a0\u201cI said hello, Dolly; Well, hello, Dolly; It\u2019s so nice to have you back where you belong.\u201d<\/p>\n

The cast at Candlelight features Rebecca Schall as Dolly\u00a0Gallagher\u00a0Levi, Johnny Fernandez as Horace Vandergelder, Jared Calhoun\u00a0as Cornelius Hackl,\u00a0Neena Boyle as Irene Molloy\u00a0and Shawn Weaver as Barnaby Tucker.<\/p>\n

\u201cHello Dolly!\u201d tells the story of widow Dolly\u00a0Gallagher\u00a0Levi, a strongminded matchmaker who arrives in New York to \u201chelp\u201d Horace Vandergelder, a curmudgeonly and very wealthy widowed shop owner, find a new wife — while secretly plotting to marry him herself.
\nMeanwhile, two of Vandergelder\u2019s comedically enriched employees leave the shop abandoned and head out to the city in an effort to find adventure. Often referred to as \u201cBroadway\u2019s Greatest Musical\u201d, \u201cHello, Dolly!\u201d features sweeping dance numbers, hilarious missteps, endearing chaos and, of course, love.<\/p>\n

Schall gives a spellbinding performance in the title role \u2013 exhibiting the vocal chops and acting skills to capture the spirit of Dolly. Weaver, a Lincoln University graduate, and Calhoun sparkle in their roles as Vandergelder\u2019s store employees from Yonkers who experience the Big Apple for the first time.
\n\u201cHello Dolly!\u201d became one of the most iconic Broadway shows of the latter half of the 1960s, running for 2,844 performances, and was the longest-running musical in Broadway history for a time.<\/p>\n

Over the years, \u201cHello Dolly!\u201d has featured many of Broadway\u2019s top leading ladies, including Carol Channing, Mary Martin, Barbra Streisand, Pearl Bailey, Tovah Feldshuh, Bette Midler and Betty Buckley.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf anything, we\u2019re still focused on the stage version rather than the film version,\u201d said Schall, whose television credits include \u201cBoardwalk Empire,\u201d \u201cMarvelous Mrs. Maisel,\u201d \u201cIn Case of Emergency,\u201d \u201cJulie and Julia,\u201d and \u201cPetuna.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThere definitely is a difference between stage and film.\u201d<\/p>\n

Audiences love the character Dolly, and Schall offers her take on why.<\/p>\n

\u201cDolly is happy, exuberant and effusive,\u201d said Schall. \u201cShe knows what she wants, and she goes for it. She\u2019s a bundle of energy \u2013 and a good person.<\/p>\n

\u201cI bring a sense of quirkiness to the role. I agree one thousand per cent with her passion for helping others \u2013 for helping other people get better.<\/p>\n

\u201cOne reason audiences love the show is the music. They know all the songs. The music is unbelievable \u2013 and the script is very well-written. This show is fun. It\u2019s just a beautiful show.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHello Dolly!\u201d is running now through February 25 at the Candlelight Dinner Theatre.<\/p>\n

Tickets, which include dinner, beverage and free parking, are $70.50 for adults and $35 for children (ages 4-12).<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

By Denny Dyroff, Entertainment Editor, The Times Philadelphia\u2019s Broadway season of shows at the Miller Theater, Academy of Music and Forrest Theater fortunately has some new touring Broadway shows that are playing in Philly for the first time \u2013 like \u201cMrs. Doubtfire,\u201d \u201cMean Girls,\u201d \u201cCompany,\u201d and \u201cAin\u2019t Too Proud to Beg.\u201d Another debut is on […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":53678,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[8457],"tags":[15499,7426,15498],"class_list":["post-53680","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-d-arts-entertainment","tag-early-times","tag-featured","tag-the-girl-from-the-north-country"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/53680","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=53680"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/53680\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":53681,"href":"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/53680\/revisions\/53681"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/53678"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=53680"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=53680"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=53680"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}