The Great Depression, a guesthouse in Duluth, and a group of wayward travelers all united beneath its roof. Set to songs by legendary artist Bob Dylan, “The Girl From the North Country” follows the interconnected stories of a group of varied characters who find within each other life, possibility and hope.
“It’s a very unique type of show,” cast member Sharaé Moultrie said. Moultrie plays Marianne Lainne, the adopted daughter of the guesthouse owners. “It’s not your typical jukebox musical. It doesn’t use the music to push the plot forward. It leaves the music open to interpretation.”
Moultrie’s character Marianne is a central figure to the story as a resident of the guesthouse.
“Each character in the show has their own challenges they’re going to navigate,” Moultrie said. “The story takes place after the Great Depression. I am black and my parents are white. Also, my character is pregnant. So the show deals with how these characters are dealing with these things and finding moments of hope and joy to get past some of the challenges we all have.”
In addition to making sure the needs of the lodgers are met in the guesthouse, Marianne also takes care of her ill mother.
“Marianne is a great character. She’s lived a sheltered life, and she tries her best to make sure her Mom is okay,” Moultrie said, “but some new guests come in and open her eyes to other possibilities.”
Marianne Lainne’s desire to have more and do more lends to the forlorn yearning of the plot as the characters wonder what else might be out there waiting for them.
Written and directed by playwright Conor McPherson and featuring Tony Award-winning orchestrations by Simon Hale, “Girl From The North Country” reimagines 20 legendary songs of Bob Dylan including “Forever Young,” “All Along The Watchtower,” “Hurricane,” “Slow Train Coming” and “Like A Rolling Stone.”
Texas Performing Arts presents Broadway in Austin’s performance of “The Girl From the North Country” Tuesday through Thursday, April 23 - 28 at 7:30 p.m.; Friday at 8 p.m.; Saturday at 2 and 8 p.m.; and Sunday at 1:30 and 6:30 p.m. at the Bass Concert Hall, 2350 Robert Dedman Drive in Austin. Tickets start at $30 and are available at texasperformingarts.org and BroadwayinAustin.com, by phone at (512) 477-1444 or from the Texas Performing Arts ticket office at Bass Concert Hall.
