Westport Country Playhouse to Present WOODY SEZ in January

"Woody Sez: The Life and Music of Woody Guthrie," a summer '17 off-Broadway hit, will have a limited engagement at Westport Country Playhouse, January 9 - 20. The joyful, touching, and tumultuous tale of "America's greatest folk poet" is told using Guthrie's own words and over two dozen of his indelible songs, including "This Land Is Your Land," "Union Maid," "Deportees," and "This Train Is Bound for Glory."

A celebration of one of the giants of American music, "Woody Sez" is a story of struggle, activism, patriotism, and commitment. This musical portrait was first produced at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in 2007, and has since played London's West End (2011 Evening Standard Best Musical nominee), and over 60 cities in the U.K., the U.S., across Europe, the Middle East, and China.

The four actors in the cast play more than two dozen acoustic instruments, including guitar, fiddle, banjo, mandolin, jaw harp, harmonica, and dulcimer. Featured in the title role is David M. Lutken, the show's deviser, who won Helen Hayes and Joseph Jefferson awards for his performance. He also appeared in Broadway's "Inherit the Wind," "Ring of Fire," "The Civil War," and "The Will Rogers Follies." Other cast members include David Finch (Broadway's "Cabaret," regional theater's "Grapes of Wrath"), Katie Barton (regional theater's "Stand by Your Man," "Ring of Fire," "Hank Williams: Lost Highway"), and Leenya Rideout (Broadway's "War Horse," "Cyrano de Bergerac," "Company," "Cabaret"). Director and co-deviser is Nick Corley (off-Broadway/NY productions of "Tall Grass," "Flight" - Callaway Award nomination, "About Face" - NYMF best direction nomination).

The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame calls Guthrie "the original folk hero; a man who, in the thirties and forties, transformed the folk ballad into a vehicle for social protest and observation and in so doing, paved the way for Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen, his son Arlo Guthrie, and a host of other folk and rock songwriters who have been moved by conscience to share experiences and voice opinions in a forthright manner. Fueled by a boundless curiosity about the world, the colorful life he led became as legendary as the songs he wrote."

Performance schedule is Tuesday at 7 p.m., Wednesday at 2 and 7 p.m., Thursday and Friday at 8 p.m., andSaturday at 3 and 8 p.m.

"Woody Sez" tickets are $35, $45, and $50.

For more information and to buy tickets, visit www.westportplayhouse.org or call the box office at (203) 227-4177, toll-free at 1-888-927-7529, or visit Westport Country Playhouse, 25 Powers Court, off Route 1, Westport. Stay connected to the Playhouse on Facebook (Westport Country Playhouse), follow on Twitter (@WCPlayhouse), and on YouTube (WestportPlayhouse).

About Westport Country Playhouse

The mission of Westport Country Playhouse is to enrich, enlighten, and engage the community through the power of professionally produced theater worth talking about and the welcoming experience of the Playhouse campus. The Playhouse creates this relationship with the community and provides this experience in multiple ways by offering: Live theater experiences of the highest quality, under the artistic direction of Mark Lamos, from May through November; educational and community engagement events and opportunities to further explore issues presented by the work on stage; special performances and programs for students and teachers with extensive curriculum support material; Script in Hand play readings throughout the year to deepen relationships with audiences and artists alike; the renowned Woodward Internship Program training program during the summer months for aspiring theater professionals; Family Festivities presentations from December through May to delight young and old alike and to promote reading through live theater; youth performance training through Broadway Method Academy, the Playhouse's resident conservatory; and the beautiful and historic Playhouse campus open for enjoyment and community events year-round. The value of the Westport Country Playhouse to all it touches is immeasurable.

Photo: The original cast of "Woody Sez" from left: Helen Jean Russell, Andy Teirstein, David M. Lutken and Darcie Deaville.

Photo by Wendy Mutz

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