Pressing On

Girl From the North Country

The National Tour of this jukebox musical has arrived in Chicago for a two-week run. However, be warned: this isn’t a conventional musical, jukebox or otherwise. It’s structured more like a concert of 19 songs from the Bob Dylan catalog that are performed between the spoken words. The book was written and the musical directed by award-winning Irish playwright, Connor McPherson. Best known for works like “The Weir,” “The Seafarer” and “The Night Alive,” this sad, sometimes somber musical is constructed in a similar fashion. It’s features a unique, loose storyline that unfolds through a few short scenes and several long monologues.

Some of Bob Dylan’s songs will be familiar; some are obscure. And the tunes are almost unrecognizable. They were re-arranged and re-orchestrated by Simon Hale (“Tootsie,” “Spring Awakening”), for which he earned a Tony Award. The music is powerfully and poignantly performed by a gifted cast and accompanied by a talented onstage band, often with cast members adding tambourine and other rhythmic accents. When taken out of the story’s context, Dylan’s songs are undeniably emotional, intense and filled with gorgeous harmonies, thanks to musical director Timothy Splain. The problem is they don’t seem organic. They don’t come from the characters or relate to the plot. The musical appears more like a play, with a concert of pleasant music peppered throughout the text. 

In the modern musical, the songs advance the plot or are the subtext of the characters. Often, the songs are extensions of the dialogue, when mere words simply aren’t enough to convey a character’s thoughts or emotions. But in this play, Bob Dylan’s songs seem mismatched to the story. They serve as background to create a mood or an atmosphere. In another unusual feature of this show, the musical numbers end and then immediately segue into the next song or scene, so that no interval is provided for applause. The audience only clapped at the end of each act and at the curtain call, following a stirring rendition of the cast singing Dylan’s hymn-like 1980 composition entitled “Pressing On.”

The story is set on the shores of Lake Superior, in Dylan’s hometown of Duluth, Minnesota. It’s during the bitter winter of 1934, when America was in the throes of the Great Depression. Nick Laine (an excellent John Schiappa) is desperately struggling to provide for his family while keeping a rundown hotel/boarding house in business. But he’s battling against financial difficulties, with a bank foreclosure looming in the shadows. Elizabeth, his ailing wife, (beautifully sung and portrayed with unexpected humor and heartbreak by the lovely Jennifer Blood), suffers from mental health issues of dementia, while his young adult son, Gene (a good-looking and intense Ben Biggers), is lonely, unemployed and unmotivated. His only interests are drink and losing himself in his writing. Nick’s unmarried adopted African-American daughter, Marianne (the lovely and exquisite actor/vocalist, Sharae Moultrie) is pregnant, although the young woman refuses to name the father. Like all their friends, neighbors and hotel guests, everyone in this musical dreams of escaping the frigid barrenness of Duluth for something or someplace better.

As folks gather in the boarding house, we meet a host of other interesting individuals, each with his or her own story to tell. Dr. Walker, who, like the Stage Manager of Thornton Wilder’s classic, “Our Town,” serves both as narrator and as a respected member of the community. Portrayed with warmth and class by Alan Ariano, featuring the folksy friendliness of a Garrison Keillor, the kindly physician is addicted to drugs and enjoys handing out prescriptions to help his friends self-medicate. Kate Draper, Gene Laine’s beautiful girlfriend (a talented Chiara Trentalange), tired of watching her life going nowhere fast, leaves Duluth for something better. Mrs. Neilsen, a smart and charming woman, (brilliantly played and sung by Carla Woods) who’s been close to Nick and one of his boarders for many years, is patiently waiting for a financial windfall that never materializes. 

Two strangers arrive early in the musical, just passing through. Reverend Marlowe, a Bible-thumping preacher without a church, is playfully portrayed by Jeremy Webb. He’s accompanied by fellow traveler Joe Scott, a down-on-his-luck boxer. Played by Matt Manuel, this strong, handsome young African-American man immediately takes a shine to Marianne. However, some folks see through the two strangers and realize that they’re possibly escaped convicts. Eventually, both men leave Duluth, as well.

The Burke family have been living at the Laine’s boarding house for quite a while. Mr. Burke lost his business during the stock market crash, and seems to have lost his humanity, as well. He’s strongly played David Benoit. His grown son Elias is childlike and learning disabled, much to his father’s bitter disappointment. The brilliant young actor in this role is handsome Aidan Wharton, who also plays a mean harmonica. And the lovely and multitalented Jill Van Velzer portrays Mrs. Burke (and is also the musical’s drummer), a woman who longs to be noticed, appreciated—and maybe even loved. Another frequent visitor to the boarding house is elderly Mr. Perry, played by Broadway veteran, Jay Russell. He’s been solicited by Nick Laine to court his adopted daughter and marry her, so that she won’t have to wander the streets of Duluth as an unwed mother. In addition, if Marianne leaves the boarding house to go live with Mr. Perry, it will alleviate some of her father’s financial woes.

“Girl From the North Country” is not your typical musical comedy, which seems to be a growing trend. It began life at London’s Old Vic Theatre and transferred to the West End in 2017. The following year the musical played Off-Broadway, then Toronto and finally opened on Broadway in 2020. The show was shuttered during the pandemic but it reopened again in 2021. Two years later this National Tour kicked off in Minnesota and has been touring the country since last Fall.

 Filled with a raft of songs by Bob Dylan and re-orchestrated by Simon Hale, the show features hit songs like the title tune, “Hurricane,” “Like a Rolling Stone,” and “Forever Young.” It’s an often sad, bitterly heartbreaking show and doesn’t provide a happy ending for most of its characters. But it tells a story of ordinary people just trying survive life by “Pressing On.” It’s a mesmerizing and unparalleled production, written and directed by Connor McPherson, performed by a great-sounding band and brought to life by a strong, talented cast. Despite being different than most musicals, it remains a bittersweet and beautiful show that audiences won’t soon forget.      

Recommended

Reviewed by Colin Douglas

Presented February 13-25 by Broadway in Chicago at the CIBC Theatre, 18 W. Monroe, Chicago.

Tickets are available at all Broadway in Chicago box offices, at all Ticketmaster locations, by calling the Chicago Ticket Line at 800-775-2000 or by going to www.BroadwayInChicago.com. 

Additional information about this and other area productions can be found by visiting www.theatreinchicago.com.