Merrimack Repertory Theatre Blog


VETERANS DAY SALE HONORS HEROES

 
VETERANS DAY SALE HONORS HEROES

Heroes_Hogan_Holgate_Stand

Jonathan Hogan & Ron Holgate. Photo by Theresa Squire

In honor of Veterans Day and the many that have fought to preserve liberty and freedom, Merrimack Repertory Theatre announces a one day internet sale for its upcoming production of Heroes by Gerald Sibleyras, adapted by Academy and Tony Award-winner Tom Stoppard. Veterans Day, which falls on November 11, was originally called Armistice Day and commemorates the cessation of hostilities between Allied forces and Germany on November 11, 1918. Heroes is the story of Henri, Gustave, and Philippe, three aging World War I veterans plotting one final adventure.  On Veterans Day only (November 11), all available tickets for performances of Heroes from November 24 through November 29 can be purchased online for $19.18 at www.MerrimackRep.org.  This special offer is only available online and subject to availability.

 

Heroes is an Olivier Award-winning comedy making its New England premiere on Merrimack Rep’s Liberty Hall stage. Liberty Hall is part of Lowell Memorial Auditorium, which was built immediately following World War I as a memorial for Lowell’s veterans. Two plaques listing the 148 Lowell soldiers who died in World War I (referred to as The World War, as it was built prior to World War II) hang in the Hall of Flags among names of soldiers from other conflicts, including World War II, the Civil War, and the Korean War. 

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SEAFARER REVIEWS – ROUND 3

SEAFARER REVIEWS – ROUND 3

The critics keep coming to see The Seafarer at Merrimack Rep, and the praise has been nearly unanimous. Read what the latest reviewers had to say.

“Charles Towers’ insight and his cast’s abilities really do make this production a great one.” – TheatriGal

“The play, while dramatic and suspenseful, is also funny, heartwarming, and earthy, a tale of redemption with an uplifting lilt.” – Sheila Barth of The Theatre Mirror

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MORE SEAFARER REVIEWS

MORE SEAFARER REVIEWS

Here are three more great reviews for The Seafarer at Merrimack Rep. Read the reviews, and get yourself down to the box office, call 978-654-4678, or visit Merrimack Rep Online to purchase tickets before the production ends on November 8.

The Hub Review

Zingology

The Theatre Mirror

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SHARKY HARKIN


SHARKY HARKIN

Wondering who the seafarer is? David Adkins gives his answer in the final installment of our video series on The Seafarer.

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MR. LOCKHART

MR. LOCKHART

The fourth episode in our series of videos on the characters of The Seafarer features Mark Zeisler and David Adkins talking about the mysterious Mr. Lockhart.

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CAST & CREATIVE TEAM OF HEROES ANNOUNCED


CAST & CREATIVE TEAM OF HEROES ANNOUNCED

Merrimack Repertory Theatre is proud to announce the acclaimed cast and creative team of the upcoming production of Heroes by Gerald Sibleyras, adapted by Tom Stoppard, running November 19 – December 13, 2009 and directed by Carl Forsman.
 

Tony Award Winner Ron Holgate

Tony Award Winner Ron Holgate

Tony Award-winner Ron Holgate (Gustave) and Jonathan Hogan (Philippe) reprise their roles from the Spring 2009 Keen Company production of Heroes. Ron Holgate won a Tony Award in 1969 for his portrayal of Richard Henry Lee in the Broadway production of 1776. He later reprised the role for the film version of 1776, and also appeared on Broadway in A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, 42nd Street, Lend Me a Tenor and Guys and Dolls. Tony-nominee and Drama Desk Award winner Jonathan Hogan has also made numerous appearances on Broadway, including The Homecoming, As Is and Fifth of July. Ken Tigar (Henri), a television regular with over 130 television and film credits, makes his debut on the Liberty Hall stage after appearing in Merrimack Repertory Theatre’s 2007 Off-Broadway production of Secret Order.

Set in 1959, Heroes tells the story of Henri, Gustave and Philippe, three World War I veterans who spend their days talking on the patio of the veteran’s home. Yearning for one final adventure, and armed with only their wits and a 200-pound stone dog for companionship, they battle old age, nagging war injuries, and a masochistic nun. It is a heartwarming tale of camaraderie and a moving portrait of the frustrations inherent in growing older.

Tony-nominee Jonathan Hogan

Tony-nominee Jonathan Hogan

With this production, Merrimack Rep builds on its relationship with Off-Broadway’s Obie and Drama Desk Award-winning Keen Company.  Artistic Director of Keen Company and Director of Heroes, Carl Forsman states, “I am thrilled to be remounting Keen Company’s production of Heroes at Merrimack. Charles Towers is a great friend, and our experience doing The Breadwinner together a few years ago told me that he has built an excellent theatre with a group of patrons who appreciate quality and intelligence. I can’t wait to share this little gem with them.”

Ken Tigar

Acclaimed playwright Gérald Sibleyras was born in 1961 in Paris.  His most notable work is the 2003 Le Vent des Peupliers, which has been translated and produced in countries worldwide including the United Kingdom, Germany, Uruguay and now the United States.  The play premiered at the Théâtre Montparnasse and received four Molières nominations including Meilleur Auteur (Best Author).  Tom Stoppard translated the play into English (Heroes) and it received its London debut at the Wyndham Theater under the direction of Thea Sharrock.  The production won the 2006 Laurence Olivier Award for Best New Comedy.  Future translations and productions are planned for Australia, New Zealand, Spain, Finland and many others. 

Tom Stoppard is a world renowned author, playwright, translator and screenwriter. His first produced play was Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead, which won the Tony Award for Best Play in 1968. His subsequent plays include The Real Inspector Hound, After Magritte, Jumpers, Travesties, Night and Day, The Real Thing, Hapgood, Arcadia, Indian Ink, The Invention of Love, The Coast of Utopia and Rock ‘N’ Roll.  Stoppard directed and wrote the screenplay for the film of Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead, which won the Prix d’Or at the Venice Film Festival 1990 for Best Film. He also wrote the screenplay adaptation of Raymond Chandler’s Poodle Springs for HBO and Shakespeare in Love for Universal, which won him an Academy Award for best original screenplay, a Golden Globe, and the Broadcast Film Critics and American Guild Awards for Best Screenplay 1998.

The production’s creative staff includes Carl Forsman (director), Theresa Squire (costume design), Beowulf Boritt (set design), and Josh Bradford (lighting design). Carl Forsman directed the New York premiere of Heroes at Keen Company, where he is the artistic director, and previously directed The Breadwinner at Merrimack Rep.  Obie Award-winning designer Beowulf Boritt makes his Merrimack Rep debut, and his work can currently be seen in New York in the Broadway production of Rock of Ages and off-Broadway in The Toxic Avenger

Merrimack Repertory Theatre’s 2009-2010 Season is sponsored by Lowell Cooperative Bank. Heroes is sponsored by Courier Corporation. Merrimack Repertory Theatre is funded in part by the Massachusetts Cultural Council, a state agency.

CAST BIOS

RON HOLGATE (Gustave) Merrimack Repertory Theatre: debut.  Broadway: Milk and Honey, A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, 1776 (Tony Award), The Grand Tour (Tony nomination), 42nd Street, Lend Me a Tenor, Guys and Dolls, Annie Get Your Gun, Kiss Me Kate National Tours: Annie Get Your Gun, 42nd Street, Can Can, Lend Me a Tenor, Urinetown, Man of La ManchaInternational: Lend Me a Tenor, London. Film: 1776 Television: Cabeza De Vaca, The Eagle Stirred, Gallantry, and several soap operas. Other: He has had leading roles in over 30 operas.  

KEN TIGAR
(Henri) Merrimack Repertory Theatre: Secret Order (Off-Broadway, 59E59 Theaters). Off-Broadway: Thunder Rock, Rashomon, Gallows Humor, Equity Library Theatre. Regional:  Amadeus, New Harmony Theatre; Death of a Salesman, Majestic Theatre; Custody of the Eyes, Cleveland Play House. He has appeared across the country in his one-man show I Must Be Mr. Boswell about the biographer of Dr. Johnson. Film: Lethal Weapon II & III. Television: Barney Miller, Dallas, NCIS, Growing Pains, ER, Cheers, Night Court, LA Law, The X-Files, Law & Order and many more. 

JONATHAN HOGAN (Philippe) Merrimack Repertory Theatre: debut.  Broadway: Comedians, Otherwise Engaged, The Caine Mutiny Court Martial, Fifth of July, As Is (Tony and Drama Desk Nominations), Burn This, Taking Steps and The HomecomingRegional: He was a member of the celebrated Circle Rep for twenty-five years and worked extensively there and elsewhere Off- and Off-Off Broadway, most recently in the Keen Company’s production of HeroesFilms: In Country, The House On Carroll StreetTelevision: All versions of Law & Order, several Movies of the Week, As the World Turns, One Life to LiveEducation: Mr. Hogan is a graduate of The Goodman Theatre and School of Drama.

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IVAN CURRY


IVAN CURRY

Our next video features Jim Frangione, who spoke about his character, Ivan Curry, in Merrimack Repertory Theatre’s production of The Seafarer.


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NICKY GIBLIN


NICKY GIBLIN

Here is the second episode of our video series on the characters of The Seafarer. In this edition, Allyn Burrows and David Adkins discuss Nicky Giblin. Be sure to check back on Monday for more, and catch The Seafarer, playing at Merrimack Repertory Theatre through November 8.

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RICHARD HARKIN


RICHARD HARKIN

Below is the first in a series of video interviews with the cast of Merrimack Repertory Theatre’s production of The Seafarer. In this episode, actor Gordon Joseph Weiss discusses his character, Richard Harkin.

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REVIEWS FOR THE SEAFARER

REVIEWS FOR THE SEAFARER

The Cast of The Seafarer. Photo by Meghan Moore.

The Cast of The Seafarer. Photo by Meghan Moore.

The first two reviews for The Seafarer at Merrimack Repertory Theatre are in, and they are raves! Check out what The Lowell Sun and PMP Network had to say about the production, and be sure to get your tickets now! The Seafarer plays through November 8.

The Seafarer is richly rewarding for its Irish humor, outstanding acting and jolting finale.” – The Lowell Sun. Read the entire review online.

 “…the audience was on the edge of our seats.” – PMP Network.

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