T. Michele Walker
Seasons are a precious commodity in Florida. We have a nine-month long summer, including our current hurricane season, followed by three months with a wide variety of temperatures ranging from bone-chillingly arctic-level cold to simmering in the 70s in January. But by far, my favorite Florida season is the opening of theater season.
Tuesday, September 24, was the opening night for the fall season of Dr. Phillips Center, kicking off with the Broadway touring company “Girl From the North Country,” the Tony Award-winning new musical featuring the music of Bob Dylan.
It’s 1934 in Duluth, Minnesota, the birthplace of Bob Dylan. The time is the Great Depression as we meet a group of wayward travelers whose complex lives intersect in a guesthouse filled with music, life and hope. It’s a morality tale, asking, what makes good people make poor decisions?
Most of the story takes place in the Laine family boarding house, soon to be foreclosed on, yet it’s bustling with lodgers: long-term stays and new arrivals, families and strangers. Fixtures of the house include its proprietor Nick Laine (John Schiappa), his wife Elizabeth (Jennifer Blood), their son Gene (Ben Biggers), and the couple’s adopted daughter Marianne (Sharaé Moultrie).
Written and directed by celebrated playwright Conor McPherson and featuring Tony Award-winning orchestrations by Simon Hale, “Girl From the North Country” is yet another juke box musical. But wait, for those who find the juke box format a bit of a yawn, McPherson has turned the formula on its ear.
For those expecting a rousing opening number featuring some snazzy tap breaks based on Dylan’s “Blowin’ in the Wind,” this show will disappoint. Even though it’s a musical, “Girl From the North Country” has the feel of a straight play with a nostalgic re-imagined Dylan sound track. The entire ensemble delivers musically throughout the production, with excellent harmonies thanks to the musical direction of Timothy Splain.
The show features 20 legendary songs of Bob Dylan as they’ve never been heard before, including “Forever Young,” “All Along the Watchtower,” “Hurricane,” “Slow Train Coming,” and “Like A Rolling Stone.” Each song accents the emotional plot elements as opposed to moving the narrative forward, leaving the audience with less razzle-dazzle and more authenticity. Razzle-dazzle may be delicious, but authenticity lasts longer.
“Girl From the North Country” is a hauntingly beautiful production, with a style reminiscent of Thornton Wilder’s “Our Town” or Steinbeck’s “Of Mice and Men.” It might not have you tapping your toes after each musical number, but it’s a show that makes you think and feel.
For information drphillipscenter.org or call 407.358.6603.
Showtimes: September 24-29, 2024 | Walt Disney Theater, 1 p.m., 2 p.m., 6:30 p.m., 7:30 p.m. & 8 p.m.
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