Merrimack Repertory Theatre

Courtney Sale’s MRT

Merrimack Repertory Theatre in Lowell (MA) just announced its exciting 2025-2026 season and artistic director Courtney Sale discusses how she embraces both MRT’s working-class roots and its commitment to the growing diversity of Lowell’s population. Sale reveals her programming philosophy, which admirably veers away from the head and towards the heart; her investment in a world premiere from the self-described “Khmer Kerouac”; her fondness for theater that flatters the intellect and the imagination; how she owns MRT’s identity as a “beer and pizza” theatre; and her appealing commitment to the 4 Cs: commissions, community, comedy, and catharsis. (Length 18:02)

Podcast: Download (Duration: 18:02 — 20.7MB)

Subscribe: Spotify | RSS | More

By austin, ago

Meet Geoffrey Barnes

Veteran Shakespearean actor Geoffrey Barnes joins the Reduced Shakespeare Company to play Yorick and Ophelia’s mother in the regional theatre premiere of The Comedy of Hamlet! (a prequel). The RSC’s 11th stage show marks the company’s seventh appearance at Merrimack Repertory Theatre, as well as MRT’s 300th production, and Geoffrey discusses how his many years at Cincinnati Shakespeare Company and Oregon Shakespeare Festival – as well as his background in musical theatre and experience performing RSC scripts at CSC – serve him well in this comic prequel to Shakespeare’s greatest tragedy. Geoffrey reveals the value of a comedian not thinking he’s funny; how he finds the rhythms and music of the language, whether it’s Shakespeare, vaudeville, or August Wilson; and the importance of letting the music and the jokes serve the characters and the story. (Length 21:05)

Podcast: Download (Duration: 21:05 — 24.2MB)

Subscribe: Spotify | RSS | More

By austin, ago

Returning To MRT!

RSC artistic directors Reed Martin and Austin Tichenor discuss their return to Merrimack Repertory Theatre with the company’s 11th show, The Comedy of Hamlet! (a prequel) as MRT’s 300th production. Reed and Austin reveal the RSC’s deep connections to New England; how this will be the RSC’s third show to premiere at MRT (after The Complete World of Sports (abridged) and The Ultimate Christmas Show (abridged) and seventh visit overall; and share insights into the creation of the show and why they changed the title; how the show’s roll-out and script development got interrupted by the pandemic; what milestone anniversary will be celebrated by our first MRT performance; and how creating a prequel to Shakespeare’s greatest play brought unexpected emotional connections to the characters. (LENGTH 18:24)

Podcast: Download (Duration: 18:24 — 21.2MB)

Subscribe: Spotify | RSS | More

By austin, ago

Revisiting ‘Lady Day’

Candice Handy, associate artistic director of Cincinnati Shakespeare Company, discusses her production of Lanie Robertson’s Lady Day at Emerson’s Bar and Grill at Merrimack Repertory Theatre, and reveals how she first connected to the material and how the play lands differently now. Candice shares her background as both an actor and musician; Billie Holiday’s connection to Lowell; how actors are doctors to the soul; the wonder of discovering things you didn’t know you knew; the danger of silencing artists; the value of art in troubled times; and the importance of giving a play the grit it requires to deliver the transcendence it deserves. (Length 24:05)

Podcast: Download (Duration: 24:05 — 27.6MB)

Subscribe: Spotify | RSS | More

By austin, ago