Filed under: Black Pearl Sings!, Merrimack Repertory Theatre, interview, video | Tags: Black Pearl Sings!, cherene snow, Merrimack Rep, Merrimack Repertory Theatre, reap what you sow
BLACK PEARL SINGS! VIDEO BLOG #2
Our next video for Black Pearl Sings! takes you into the rehearsal hall for a sneak peak at Cherene Snow performing “Reap What You Sow,” one of her favorite songs from the production. Keep checking the blog, as more videos and song clips will be posted in the next few weeks. Black Pearl Sings! begins previews at Merrimack Repertory Theatre on February 11, and runs through March 7.
Filed under: Black Pearl Sings!, Merrimack Repertory Theatre | Tags: Black Pearl Sings!, Lowell Night, Merrimack Rep, Merrimack Repertory Theatre, Pay What You Will
SPECIAL DISCOUNTS TO BLACK PEARL SINGS!
Looking for the best ticket deals to Merrimack Repertory Theatre’s upcoming production of Black Pearl Sings!? Check out all the special discount and event nights we have planned for the run. To you order tickets now, call 978-654-4678 or visit the online box office.
Low Priced Previews:
February 11-14
Save money and help shape the show before Opening Night!
Pay What You Will Night:
February 11, 7:30pm
Available 3 hours before curtain, in person, cash only at the Box Office. Restricted seating. Sponsored by Lowell Five.
Director’s Dialogue:
February 11, 7:30pm
After the performance, enjoy the give and take as the director and designers field your questions, request input and describe the process of staging the play.
Lowell Night:
February 13, 8:00pm
$10 tickets for Lowell residents available 3 hours before curtain, in person, cash only at the Box Office. Restricted seating. Sponsored by Lowell Five.
Opening Night:
February 14, 7:00pm
Join Merrimack Rep’s staff and cast in raising a glass of champagne after the show.
Cookie Matinee:
February 17, 2:00pm
Join us for complimentary cookies and coffee in the lobby before the show! Courtesy of Brew’d Awakening Coffeehaus.
Post Show Forums:
February 18, 7:00pm
February 25, 7:00pm
March 4, 7:00pm
Enjoy this unique opportunity to learn the inside scoop and chat with the actors after the performance. Sponsored by Yellow Book.
Filed under: Black Pearl Sings!, Merrimack Repertory Theatre | Tags: alan lomax, Black Pearl Sings!, leadbelly, Merrimack Rep, Merrimack Repertory Theatre
LEADBELLY AND ALAN LOMAX
Black Pearl Sings! is a work of fiction, but the characters and story were inspired by two real historical figures: Huddie Ledbetter (better known as Leadbelly) and Alan Lomax. Writer Frank Higgins did not want to be tied down to actual historical figures when writing the play, but there are many interesting parallels between Leadbelly and Lomax and their fictional counterparts.
Huddie "Leadbelly" Ledbetter
Following his release, Leadbelly made many more recordings, including the song “Little Sally Walker,” one of the songs featured in Black Pearl Sings!. Lomax and Leadbelly made many academic appearances during 1934 and 1935, including Yale and Harvard, and gained notoriety for their recordings. Eventually, the elder Lomax severed their relationship with Leadbelly after problems on tour in 1935, but a few years later Alan was able to convince Leadbelly to make more recordings for the Library of Congress. In 1939, Leadbelly was arrested again on a stabbing charge, and had to serve another 8 months in jail. After his release, he continued recording and playing music until his death from ALS in 1949. His work remained popular and influential after his death, with covers by Pete Seeger and Frank Sinatra becoming hits. In 1988, his influence over popular music was honored with his induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
Alan Lomax
Alan Lomax died in 2002, and is considered one of the most important figures in the preservation of American folk music. Recording the music of the people was a lifelong passion for him. After working with Leadbelly, he made many other recordings, including blues, jazz, and cowboy songs. He eventually travelled to Great Britain in an effort to preserve their folk music. Rounder Records has released an astounding 100-CD series showcasing his most legendary field recordings. These recordings still influence musicians today. For example, Moby used several samples from Lomax’s “Sounds of the South: A Musical Journey From the Georgia Sea Islands to the Mississippi Delta” on his album “Play.” One of the biggest hits of the album was the song “Natural Blues,” which is essentially Lomax’s original a capella recording of Vera Hall singing “Troubles So Hard” set to dance music. “Troubles So Hard” also appears in Black Pearl Sings!. Today the bulk of Lomax’s collection is housed at the Library of Congress American Folklife Center. It contains more than 5,000 hours of recordings, as well as thousands of video tapes, hundreds of photographs, and his detailed fieldnotes from his decades spent traveling in search on music to record.
Filed under: Merrimack Repertory Theatre | Tags: Friends of MRT, Merrimack Rep, Merrimack Repertory Theatre, Wine Tasting
FRIENDS OF MRT WINE TASTING 2010
The Friends of MRT will host the second annual Merrimack Repertory Theatre Wine Tasting on Tuesday, March 9, 2010 from 6:00PM-8:30PM at Stonehedge Inn in Tyngsboro, MA. Stonehedge Inn’s food and beverage management team, along with the general manager and proprietor, will select their “Top 25” wines from the largest wine cellar in New England. The fundraiser will be hosted in the Left Bank dining room in a cozy, social environment allowing guests the ability to explore and increase their knowledge of different wines. The featured wines will be available for purchase. Light hors d’oeuvres will also be served by Stonehedge’s culinary team. Tickets are $45, and can be purchased through the online box office or by calling 978-654-7552. Proceeds from the event support Merrimack Repertory Theatre’s mainstage productions and education programs.
The Friends of MRT is an auxiliary fundraising group that hosts special events, social functions and fund drives. The group plays a pivotal role in strengthening Merrimack Repertory Theatre’s base of support by introducing new people to MRT and making events like this possible. Members of the Friends of MRT enjoy a fun, social environment, the opportunity to network with other theatre lovers and supporters, and the valuable sense of accomplishment that accompanies volunteer work. To join the Friends of MRT, please contact Jeff Prescott, Development Associate, at 978.654.7552.
Filed under: Black Pearl Sings!, Merrimack Repertory Theatre | Tags: Black Pearl Sings!, Blue Taleh, Centro, Cobblestones, Lowell, Merrimack Rep, Merrimack Repertory Theatre, moonstones, valentine's day
VALENTINE’S DAY TICKET SPECIAL
Merrimack Repertory Theatre is helping to create the perfect Valentine’s Day date. MRT is offering Buy 1 Get 1 Free tickets for the 7pm Opening Night performance of Black Pearl Sings! on Valentine’s Day, February 14, 2010. As part of the Opening Night celebration, the audience will enjoy a free champagne toast and meet-and-greet with the actors and creative team following the performance. This special ticket offer is available online at www.MerrimackRep.org or by calling 978.654.4MRT. The promotion will be applied automatically when two tickets are ordered.
In addition, four of MRT’s restaurant partners are offering special Valentine’s Day promotions for ticket holders on February 14. Centro Restaurant and Bar is offering 10% off dinner with a Black Pearl Sings! ticket stub. Blue Taleh, featuring Thai and Japanese cuisine, will have a live jazz trio performing all day. Cobblestones of Lowell and Moonstones of Chelmsford are each offering two seatings during the day and featuring special Valentine’s menus and promotions. Reservations for each restaurant are highly encouraged. Contact information for each restaurant is available on the “Area Dining” page of Merrimack Rep’s website under “Visit Us.”
Filed under: Black Pearl Sings!, Merrimack Repertory Theatre, interview | Tags: Black Pearl Sings!, cherene snow, Merrimack Rep, Merrimack Repertory Theatre
CHERENE SNOW ON WCAP
Cherene Snow
Cherene Snow, who plays Pearl our upcoming production of Black Pearl Sings!, will be live on WCAP 980AM on Monday, February 1 at 9AM. Cherene will talk about how she got her start in acting, and give some insight into her character and the production. Be sure to tune in or listen online
Filed under: Black Pearl Sings!, Merrimack Repertory Theatre, interview, video | Tags: benny ambush, Black Pearl Sings!, cherene snow, eugene wolf, Merrimack Rep, Merrimack Repertory Theatre
BLACK PEARL SINGS! VIDEO BLOG #1
Director Benny Sato Ambush, music director Eugene Wolf, and actress Cherene Snow discuss the music of Black Pearl Sings! and what audiences should expect when they come see the production. Black Pearl Sings! runs February 11-March 7, 2010 at Merrimack Repertory Theatre.
Visit Merrimack Repertory Theatre Online
Filed under: Merrimack Repertory Theatre, interview, video | Tags: amy kim waschke, ed jewett, Fabuloso, Merrimack Rep, Merrimack Repertory Theatre
FABULOSO VIDEO BLOG 2
Our next episode features actors Ed Jewett and Amy Kim Waschke, who discuss their characters, Arthur and Samantha.
Filed under: Fabuloso, Merrimack Repertory Theatre, reviews | Tags: Fabuloso, Merrimack Rep, Merrimack Repertory Theatre, reviews
FABULOSO REVIEWS
Rebecca Harris, Amy Kim Waschke, Ed Jewett & Jeremiah Wiggins in Fabuloso. Photo by Meghan Moore.
Looking for some Fabuloso reviews? Well here they are. If you’ve seen the show, please let us know your thoughts on the production by leaving a comment on the blog or on our Facebook page, and if you haven’t, get your tickets now before the show ends on January 31.
Freeloaders Bear Unexpected Gifts in Fabuloso – Wicked Local Acton Review
Fabel Directs Fantastic Foursome in ‘Fabuloso’ – Broadway World
MRT’s Fabuloso Crushes Inhibitions and Salutes Zaniness – Carlisle Mosquito
Filed under: Black Pearl Sings!, Merrimack Repertory Theatre | Tags: benny ambush, Black Pearl Sings!, brian lilienthal, cherene snow, deb newhall, eugene wolf, Frank Higgins, Merrimack Rep, Merrimack Repertory Theatre, robin vest, valerie leonard
CAST & CREATIVE TEAM ANNOUNCED FOR BLACK PEARL SINGS!
Two women from vastly different backgrounds are united through song in Black Pearl Sings! by Frank Higgins at Merrimack Repertory Theatre, February 11 – March 7, 2010; stage direction by Benny Sato Ambush. Performances begin Thursday, February 11 at 7:30 PM, with Opening Night on Sunday, February 14 at 7PM, running through March 7. Subscriptions and individual tickets are on sale now at www.MerrimackRep.org or by calling 978.654.4MRT.
Cherene Snow
The all-Equity cast of Black Pearl Sings! features Cherene Snow (Pearl) and Valerie Leonard (Susannah), both in their Merrimack Rep debuts. A search for lost African-American folk music leads Susannah, an ambitious “song collector” for the Library of Congress, to Pearl, a woman with a soulful voice, a steely spirit and an incredible history. After meeting Pearl in a Texas jail, Susannah is convinced Pearl may know a song rare enough to earn her a teaching job at Harvard, a post denied to her thus far because of her gender. Pearl has dreams of her own, and hopes her songs will be her ticket out of jail for a reunion with her long-lost daughter. Featuring many beloved American folk songs and spirituals – like “This Little Light of Mine,” “Troubles So Hard,” “Kum Ba Yah” and “Pay Me My Money Down” – the legacy of the past clashes with their hopes for the future, as they journey to find their way out of the shadows and into the spotlight. Black Pearls Sings! made Theatre Communication Group’s top ten list of most produced plays in America for the 2009-2010 season.
Director Benny Sato Ambush, a Distinguished Producing Director in Residence at Emerson College in Boston, also makes his Merrimack Rep debut. He has previously directed Black Pearl Sings! at Triad Stage in Greensboro, NC. Ambush states, “Frank Higgins’ Black Pearl Sings! is an engaging, thought-provoking, highly entertaining play with music in which two different people chart a road map toward understanding each other. A vibrant inter-cultural, inter-racial tale, it features twenty songs sung largely a cappella from two streams in America’s rich musical legacy: traditional southern Appalachian mountain music and a broad swath of songs from the culture of African descendants in America. I am honored to direct its New England Premiere at Merrimack Repertory Theatre – the house of intimate, excellent theatrical storytelling.”
- Valerie Leonard
Playwright Frank Higgins is the author of The Sweet By ‘n’ By, which was produced with Blythe Danner and Gwyneth Paltrow and Black Pearl Sings! which was produced with Tonya Pinkins. His plays have been seen in New York and at Williamstown Theatre Festival, the Old Globe Theatre, Berkeley Repertory Theatre, Ford’s Theatre, Kansas City Repertory Theatre, Barter Theatre, Florida Studio Theatre, Penumbra Theatre, InterAct Theatre, Sacramento Theatre Company, and others. Among his other plays are WMKS: Where Music Kills Sorrow, Gunplay, and Miracles. He has also written several plays for young audiences, including The Slave Dancer’s Choice, Anansi the Spider and the Middle Passage, and The Country of the Blind. He teaches at the University of Missouri-Kansas City, and is a member of the Dramatists Guild.
The production’s creative staff includes Benny Sato Ambush (director), Deb Newhall (costume design), Robin Vest (set design), Brian Lilienthal (lighting design) and Eugene Wolf (music director). Deb Newhall was the costume designer for Fabuloso and The Seafarer earlier this season, as well as past Merrimack Rep productions like Bad Dates, Skylight and The Pursuit of Happiness. Brian Lilienthal returns to Merrimack Rep after designing Tranced and A View of the Harbor in the 2008-2009 season. Robin Vest makes her Merrimack Rep debut, as does Eugune Wolf, who previously originated the role of Doc in another Frank Higgins play, WMKS: Where Music Kills Sorrow.
Merrimack Repertory Theatre’s 2009-2010 Season is sponsored by Lowell Cooperative Bank. Black Pearl Sings! is sponsored by the University of Massachusetts Lowell. Merrimack Repertory Theatre is funded in part by the Massachusetts Cultural Council, a state agency.
CAST BIOS
Valerie Leonard (Susannah) Merrimack Repertory Theatre: debut. Broadway: An Ideal Husband (Lady Basildon), The Odd Couple (Gwendolyn Pigeon) with Tony Randall and Jack Klugman, Lend Me a Tenor (Maggie) with Barry Nelson. Off-Broadway: Signature Theatre Company, The Pearl Theatre, Mirror Repertory Company, The Directors Company, PTP NYC. Regional: A Man’s A Man, Theophilus North (world premiere), Arena Stage; Titus Andronicus (Tamora), A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Titania), The Comedy of Errors (Luciana), Shakespeare Theatre Company; The Misanthrope, McCarter Theatre; The Royal Family, American Conservatory Theatre; Hedda Gabler, Two River Theatre Company; George Street Playhouse; Missouri Repertory Theatre; Pioneer Theatre; Bristol Riverside Theatre; Catalyst Theater; The Studio Theatre; Theater J; Rep Stage; Potomac Theatre Project; Olney Theatre (over 20 productions including Therese Raquin, Copenhagen, Night of the Iguana and Elephant Man). Television: Law and Order, The Wire. Education: BA, Lewis and Clark College, Portland, OR; MFA, Rutgers University.
Cherene Snow (Pearl) Merrimack Repertory Theatre: debut. Off-Broadway: Walking Down Broadway, I See Fire in the Dead Man’s Eyes (World Premiere), Brooklyn Under Construction, The Last of the Thorntons (World Premiere). Regional: Doubt, The Miracle Worker, Home, To Kill a Mockingbird, Straight as a Line (Edinburgh, Scotland), Coyote on a Fence, Flyin’ West, A Piece of My Heart, The Good Times are Killing Me (World Premiere), Playboy of the West Indies (U.S. Premiere), Othello, Macbeth, A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Film/TV: My Sassy Girl, Goodbye Baby, City of Angels, The Long Walk Home, Out of Darkness, Law & Order, Chappelle’s Show, Third Watch, Beyond Belief, L.A. Doctors, Reasonable Doubts, Caroline in the City, The Drew Carey Show, The Tonight Show with Jay Leno. Education: Illinois State University.
