'Woody Sez' at TheaterWorks Hartford

Press release

TheaterWorks Hartford, under the leadership of Artistic Director Rob Ruggiero and Managing Director Jeff Griffin, presents WOODY SEZ: The Life and Music of Woody Guthrie, devised by David M. Lutken with Nick Corley, Darcie Deaville, Helen J. Russell, and Andy Teirstein. This infectiously fun musical portrait of Woody Guthrie returns to TheaterWorks Hartford from July 13-28, 2024. Tickets are now on sale at twhartford.org. This performance is not part of the 23/24 subscription season.

Legendary folk hero Woody Guthrie defined an American era of social consciousness and political expressions with songs like “This Land is Your Land.” He transformed the folk ballad into a vehicle for social protest and observation, paving the way for musicians such as Bob Dylan, Joan Baez, Bruce Springsteen, and more. Woody comes to life in this joyous, toe-tapping musical portrait that captures the heart and spirit of America’s great folk troubadour and tells the story of Woody’s incredible journey.

UPDATED CAST INFORMATION: Featuring four amazingly talented actor-musicians, Sam Sherwood (Woody Guthrie), Helen J. Russell, David Finch, and Nyssa Grant, performing over 25 of his classic songs - discover why Woody’s considered the “patron saint of American rebelliousness” and how his legacy defined an American era of consciousness and expression that is alive and palpable today.From Producing Artistic Director Rob Ruggiero, “We are excited to bring back WOODY SEZ 10 years later for this fun, summer event! Our audiences are in for an awesome treat. The cast is incredibly talented. The story is quintessential American history seen through fresh eyes. It’s exhilarating, thought provoking, and heartwarming.”
The additional creative team for WOODY SEZ includes Luke Cantarella (set design), Jeffrey Meek (costume design), Seth Reiser (lighting design), and Tom Kosis (stage manager).Performances of WOODY SEZ will take place July 13–28, 2024 at TheaterWorks Hartford’s historic home, located at 233 Pearl Street, Hartford, CT. The performance schedule is Tuesdays through Thursdays at 7:30pm, Fridays at 8pm, Saturdays at 2:30pm and 8pm, and Sundays at 2:30pm.

Tickets are priced at $35-50. All tickets can be purchased online at twhartford.org or by calling 860.527.7838.

Hootenanny Sundays are back! Unstructured and free flowing jam sessions with the cast. Sunday July 14, 21, and 28 after the show. Patrons are encouraged to bring their favorite instruments and play along with the cast. Free of charge, show attendance not required.
Please visit twhartford.org for more information.

About the Artists

DAVID M. LUTKEN (Co-Deviser/Music Director) is returning to TheaterWorks ten years later for WOODY SEZ! Broadway: Inherit the Wind (’07); Ring of Fire; The Civil War; The Will Rogers Follies. West End: Woody Sez (nominated 2011 Best Musical, Evening Standard). NY City Opera: Paul Bunyan (Balladeer). Off-Broadway: Stars in Your Eyes; The Portable Pioneer and Prairie Show; Woody Guthrie’s American Song; Winter Man. Regional Theater (UK): Dark of the Moon, Bonnie and Clyde, A Month in the Country. (USA): Man of La Mancha; Southern Comfort; Elmer Gantry; Finian’s Rainbow; Big River (Rob Ruggiero, Dir.); Buddy; Pump Boys and Dinettes; The Love List; On Golden Pond; Fire on the Mountain; In the Deep Heart’s Core. David studied at the Webber Douglas Academy of Dramatic Arts in London. He has performed across The United Kingdom, Europe, the Middle East and China, at Carnegie Hall, The 92nd St.Y and as ‘principal banjoist’ with the Baton Rouge Symphony. For his role in Woody Sez, he won both the Helen Hayes and the Joseph Jefferson Awards for Best Actor, 2012.

NICK CORLEY (Director/Co-Deviser) has directed WOODY SEZ all over the world (including London, Chicago, Boston, Washington D.C., Edinburgh, Israel, China, and right here in Hartford) and also co-wrote the show. NYC: Flight (Callaway Directing Nom.), About Face (NYMF Best Dir. Nom.), Tall Grass, Fables in Slang, Tim and Scrooge, Mother Russia (Carnegie Hall), and Tallboy Walkin’. Regionally Nick co-wrote and directed A Young Lady of Fashion (Fulton Opera House) and Eliot Ness… in Cleveland (Denver Theatre Center). Other directing credits include Milwaukee Rep, Cleveland Playhouse, St. Louis Rep, Houston’s Alley Theatre, Adirondack Theater Festival, Lyric Oklahoma (also former Artistic Director) and Vermont’s Commons Group. Nick’s acting credits include Broadway (Drood, Mary Poppins, A Christmas Carol, She Loves Me) and Off-Broadway, regional, film (Kissing Jessica Stein), recordings, and television.

SAM SHERWOOD (Woody Guthrie) is glad to be back on the Theaterworks stage where he has previously performed as both Woody Guthrie and Pete Seeger in This Land Is Your Land for a number of school groups. NYC Theater: Woody Sez (Irish Rep); Fancy: A Country Musical (Dev. Lab). Select regional theater: Bright Star (Arrow Rock Lyceum); Escape to Margaritaville (Engeman, Actors’ Playhouse); Lost Highway (Florida Rep); Almost Heaven (Riverside); Godspell, Once (Ivoryton Playhouse);
…Forum, Pump Boys & Dinettes (Flat Rock). World premiere of Million Dollar Quartet Christmas (Phoenix Theatre). Many productions of Million Dollar Quartet, Ring of Fire, and The Buddy Holly Story. TV: “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel”

HELEN JEAN RUSSELL (Cast) affiliation with Woody Guthrie and David Lutken began in 1994 with Woody Guthrie’s American Song at the Pope Theatre. She sang on the cast album and was a member of the cast of ‘American Song’ for its European debut at Vienna’s English Theatre. She toured the Austrian secondary school system, performing This Land is Your Land, the Guthrie-inspired show for children. This V.E.T. tour visited 49 cities in Austria, Italy and the Czech Republic, bringing Woody to thousands of students. She joined WOODY SEZ for its 2007 debut in Edinburgh and for subsequent trips throughout the US, UK, Europe, the Middle East and China. In 2012, she was nominated for a Helen Hayes Award for her work in the show. At home in both New York City and Vienna, AT, she is very happy to return to TheaterWorks and get the chance to work with all of these folks again.

DAVID FINCH (Cast) was born and raised in Danbury, CT. He won the Trick & Fancy Division of Peace Train(s) New England Fiddle Contest mere steps from here in Bushnell Park when he was 13 and he’s psyched to be back at TheaterWorks Hartford to reprise this role from a decade ago! A multi-instrumentalist, he has played besides artists as diverse as Alan Cumming, Serj Tankian, Tony Bennett, Amanda Palmer, Kylie Minogue and Dee Snider and as an actor/musician. Broadway: Cabaret West End: Woody Sez. He’s performed in over two dozen productions of Woody Sez Internationally and at many of the leading Regional Theatres across the country. Please check out fiddlerfinch.com

NYSSA GRANT (Cast) grew up learning violin from her mother and attending summer programs at the Oberlin Conservatory of Music. She graduated with a BFA in musical theatre from the Webster Conservatory of Theatre Arts and has been combining her love for music and theatre ever since. Nyssa spent several years working and recording around the country as an actor-musician, including performing in the national tour of the Broadway musical Once. Based in NYC, Nyssa splits her time between playing violin on and off stage, as well as performing in front of and working behind the camera with her production company “Outaline Productions”. Follow @nyssadee for upcoming projects.