{"id":285019,"date":"2026-09-13T08:54:37","date_gmt":"2026-09-13T08:54:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/285019\/"},"modified":"2026-09-13T08:54:37","modified_gmt":"2026-09-13T08:54:37","slug":"arden-theatre-company-opens-2026-27-season-with-girl-from-the-north-country","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/285019\/","title":{"rendered":"Arden Theatre Company opens 2026\/27 season with “Girl from the North Country”"},"content":{"rendered":"

Published by New Jersey Stage<\/a>
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originally published: 09\/11\/2026<\/p>\n

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(PHILADELPHIA, PA) — Philadelphia-based Arden Theatre Company<\/a> opens its 2026\/27 Mainstage Season with the acclaimed Girl from the North Country. The musical, written by Conor McPherson, uses reimagined songs by Bob Dylan to create a moving American story of resilience in uncertain times. Directed by Terrence J. Nolen, Girl from the North Country brings together a cast of 13 actor-musicians who also serve as the show\u2019s orchestra. The story unfolds on the F. Otto Haas Stage beginning September 24, with opening night on September 30, and performances running through October 25.<\/p>\n

In a run-down boarding house in Duluth, Minnesota, strangers cross paths \u2013 experiencing love, loss, and everything in between. Amongst the dust and deep in the throes of the Great Depression, these wayward travelers fill the guesthouse with music, hope, and soul. Featuring Bob Dylan\u2019s iconic songs, including \u201cForever Young,\u201d \u201cHurricane,\u201d and \u201cLike a Rolling Stone,\u201d Girl from the North Country pairs his music with Tony Award-winning orchestrations by Simon Hale to tell a moving American story of resilience in uncertain times.<\/p>\n

The actor-musician approach, cast members playing piano, guitar, banjo, mandolin, and harmonica, builds on a style of storytelling familiar to Arden audiences from the theatre’s 2018 production of Once. As in Once, the music is made live by the performers. However, Girl from the North Country uses its songs differently: rather than driving the plot forward, Dylan’s music opens a window into the characters’ inner lives, giving voice to the longing and resilience beneath the story’s surface.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat draws me to this musical is that it is so unique. Conor McPherson has written this extraordinary play, inspired by the work of Eugene O\u2019Neill. And he has woven into this story the songs of Bob Dylan. Two brilliant artists whose work comes together to create an incredibly original and moving piece of theatre,\u201d says Producing Artistic Director Terrence J. Nolen. \u201cWhat will make this production so special is its ensemble \u2013 13 actor-musicians, long-time collaborators and voices new to the Arden, coming together to bring McPherson\u2019s story and Dylan\u2019s songs to radiant life. This is such an audacious musical, and I am inspired by its ambition and beauty.\u201d<\/p>\n

Girl from the North Country begins previews September 24, opens September 30, and runs through October 25 on the F. Otto Haas Stage. Single ticket prices vary by performance and start at $32. Tickets are available for purchase<\/a> online, by phone at 215.922.1122, or at the box office at Arden Theatre Company (40 N. 2nd Street).<\/p>\n

\u00a0Promote your shows at New Jersey Stage! Click here for info<\/a><\/p>\n

The cast and crew of Girl from the North Country include:<\/p>\n

Sevon Askew (Joe Scott) returns to the Arden after appearing in RENT (Benjamin Coffin III), for which he received a Barrymore Award for Outstanding Supporting Performance in a Musical. Askew previously appeared in the Broadway national tour of Hadestown. His regional credits include performances at the Paramount Theatre and Scranton Shakespeare Festival.<\/p>\n

Charlie DelMarcelle (Mr. Perry), an Associate Professor of Theatre at West Chester University, returns to the Arden stage, where he has previously appeared in The Lehman Trilogy (Emanuel Lehman), August: Osage County (Little Charles), Charlotte\u2019s Web (John Arable\/Gander), The Jungle Book (Monkey\/Baloo\/Father Wolf), and Funnyman (Matthew Baroni). His regional work includes productions at Theatre Horizon, Walnut Street Theatre, Lantern Theater Company, Delaware Theatre Company, and Act II Playhouse.<\/p>\n

Giacomo Fizzano (Gene Laine) is back at the Arden after previously appearing in A Streetcar Named Desire (Young Collector). Regionally, Fizzano has appeared in roles at Walnut Street Theatre, Meadow Brook Theatre, and The Candlelight Theatre. Fizzano has also worked as a music director at Clear Space Theatre.<\/p>\n

Sarah Gliko (Elizabeth Laine) has previously appeared at the Arden in The Secret Garden (Rose Lennox), Parade (Mrs. Phagan\/Sally Slaton), and Charlotte\u2019s Web (Charlotte). An actor and musician, Gliko is a founding member of the Tony Award-winning Wilma Theater\u2019s Hothouse Resident Acting Company. Regionally, she\u2019s appeared in roles at Milwaukee Repertory Theater, Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival, and Philadelphia Theatre Company. Gliko is a four-time Barrymore Award winner and recipient of the 2019 Independence Foundation Fellowship Award.<\/p>\n

Scott Greer (Mr. Burke) is a 30-year veteran of Philadelphia theatre who has previously appeared at the Arden in The Lehman Trilogy (Henry Lehman), Into the Woods (Narrator\/Mysterious Man), Wittenberg (Dr. John Faustus), and Once (Billy). His regional work includes productions at Walnut Street Theatre, 1812 Productions, InterAct Theatre Company, the Wilma Theater, People\u2019s Light, Delaware Theatre Company, Theatre Exile, and Act II Playhouse. Greer is a six-time Barrymore Award winner, including the F. Otto Haas Award for Emerging Theatre Artist, and was named \u201cBest Theatre Talent\u201d by Philadelphia Magazine.<\/p>\n

Eric Hissom (Nick Laine) is a writer and director who has previously appeared at the Arden in Cyrano (Cyrano de Bergerac), August: Osage County (Bill Fordham), Equivocation (William Shagspeare), and A Moon for the Misbegotten (James Tyrone Jr.). Hissom appeared in the national tour of The 39 Steps, and his regional credits include productions at Seattle Rep, La Jolla Playhouse, Cleveland Play House, Milwaukee Repertory Theater, Asolo Repertory Theatre, Syracuse Stage, Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company, and Folger Theatre. His film and television credits include Out of Time, One Tree Hill, Sheena, and Mortal Kombat.<\/p>\n

Maggie Lakis (Mrs. Burke) has appeared in numerous Arden productions, including Romeo & Juliet (Nurse), Pinocchio (Judy\/Cat\/Lampwick), Sunday in the Park with George (Elaine\/Frieda), Clybourne Park (Betsy\/Lindsey), and Sideways Stories. Her national tour credits include Mrs. Doubtfire, Something Rotten!, and Avenue Q. Off-Broadway, Lakis has appeared in Jim Henson\u2019s Emmet Otter\u2019s Jug-Band Christmas, John Doyle\u2019s reimagined Allegro at Classic Stage Company, and Avenue Q. Regionally, Lakis has appeared in roles at The Muny and Delaware Theatre Company.<\/p>\n

Lyndie Moe (Kate Draper) makes her Arden Theatre Company debut. Moe previously performed as Maureen Johnson in the 20th-and 25th-anniversary national tours of RENT. Her regional credits include performances at New Light Theatre and Montgomery Theater.<\/p>\n

Gabrielle North (Marianne Laine) also makes her Arden Theatre Company debut. Regionally, North has appeared in roles at ZACH Theatre, Impact Arts, and TexArts. North has also appeared in the television series 5th Ward.<\/p>\n

Matteo Scammell (Reverend Marlowe) is well known to Arden audiences for his roles in RENT (Roger Davis), Holy Grail of Memphis (Newton \u201cNewt\u201d Stover II), The Stinky Cheese Man and Other Fairly Stupid Tales (Stinky Cheese Man\/Cocky Rocky\/ Prince\/Princess\/Rumplstiltskin), The BFG (The Big Friendly Giant)(Dad\/The BFG), Assassins (Proprietor), and A Streetcar Named Desire (Stanley Kowalski). Scammell\u2019s regional work includes performances at Theatre Exile, Wilma Theatre, Lantern Theatre Company, Philadelphia Theatre Company, and Walnut Street Theatre.<\/p>\n

Harrison Smith (Elias Burke), a playwright and musician based in Washington, D.C., continues his work with the Arden, having previously appeared in Assassins (John Hinckley). Smith has appeared in more than 30 productions over the past decade, with recent appearances at Signature Theatre, Keegan Theatre, Constellation Theatre Company, and Mosaic Theater Company. Smith has also earned multiple Helen Hayes Award nominations.<\/p>\n

Candace Thomas (Mrs. Neilson) returns to the Arden after appearing in Dear Evan Hansen (Virtual Community). Her regional credits include roles at People\u2019s Light, Geffen Playhouse, Arizona Theatre, and Forward Theater. Thomas\u2019 film and television credits include NBC\u2019s Chicago Fire, Netflix\u2019s Easy, Lifetime\u2019s Deadly Garage Sale, and ION\u2019s The Case of the Christmas Diamond.<\/p>\n

Greg Wood (Dr. Walker) has appeared in numerous productions at the Arden, including Once (Da), Stupid F**ing Bird* (Sorn), Our Town (Mr. Webb), Sunday in the Park with George (George), Falsettos (Marvin), Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (Brick), and Death of a Salesman (Biff). His Broadway credits include Our Town, alongside Jim Parsons, Richard Thomas, and Katie Holmes, and Othello, alongside Denzel Washington and Jake Gyllenhaal. Wood also appeared on the national tour of To Kill a Mockingbird as Link Dees and understudied the role of Atticus Finch. His regional credits include productions at Hartford Stage, Walnut Street Theatre, Orlando Shakespeare Theater, Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival, and McCarter Theatre Center. His film and television credits include The Sixth Sense, Signs, The Happening, The Blacklist, Evil, Dr. Death, Homicide: Life on the Street, and Law & Order.<\/p>\n

The production team includes Terrence J. Nolen (Director), Ryan Touhey (Music Director), Devon Sinclair (Choreographer), Alec E. Ferrell (Stage Manager), James Kronzer (Scenic Designer), Chris Lee (Lighting Designer), Alison Roberts (Costume Designer), Damien Figueras (Sound Designer), Ian Rose (Fight Choreographer), Kevin Naddeo (Assistant Director), Jake Collins (Assistant Music Director), Lyndsey Connolly (Assistant Stage Manager), and Ophelia Evans (Assistant Sound Designer).<\/p>\n

Bob Dylan is one of the world’s most influential and groundbreaking artists. Since first bursting into the public’s consciousness via New York City’s Greenwich Village folk music scene in the 1960s, Bob Dylan has sold more than 125 million records and amassed a singular body of work that includes some of the greatest and most popular songs the world has ever known. He continues to traverse the globe, performing more than 85 concerts annually. Dylan’s work as an author and visual artist has further burnished his popularity and acclaim; a worldwide best-selling memoir, Chronicles Vol. 1, spent 19 weeks on the New York Times Best Seller List in 2004, and several major exhibitions of his paintings and iron gates have been shown at some of the world’s most prestigious museums and galleries. Bob Dylan’s contributions to our culture have been recognized with numerous honors and accolades. In December 2016, he was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature by the Swedish Academy “for having created new poetic expressions within the great American song tradition.\u201d In 2012, Dylan was awarded America’s highest civilian honor, the Presidential Medal of Freedom, by President Barack Obama. He is the recipient of 11 Grammy Awards.<\/p>\n

Conor McPherson was born in Dublin. His plays include The Brightening Air, The Weir, Girl from the North Country (with Bob Dylan), The Seafarer, The Night Alive, Shining City, Port Authority, This Lime Tree Bower, and St Nicholas. Honours for his work include the Laurence Olivier Award, New York Critics Circle Award, Evening Standard Award, London Critics Circle Award, and five Tony Award nominations.<\/p>\n

\u00a0Promote your shows at New Jersey Stage! Click here for info<\/a><\/p>\n

Select performances and events include:<\/p>\n

Pay-What-You-Choose Performance| Wednesday, September 23, 2026 at 7:00pm — Final Dress Rehearsal Performance Benefitting Philadelphia Folk Song Society, in-person donations accepted.<\/p>\n

Post-Show Talkbacks | Sunday, October 11 at 2:00pm and Thursday, October 22 at 7:00pm — Join a member of Arden\u2019s artist team for post-show talkbacks.<\/p>\n

Young Friends Night | Thursday, October 15, 2026 at 7:00pm — Networking and pre-show talkback event for professionals 40 and under. Use code: YFARDEN.<\/p>\n

Teen Night | Saturday, October 17, 2026 at 7:00pm —\u00a0$15 tickets and a post-show talkback for teens ages 13\u201318.<\/p>\n

Student Matinee | Tuesday, October 20, 2026 at 10:30am — Want to bring a school group? Submit a group inquiry.<\/p>\n

PNC Arts Alive | Accessibility: The Arden is for Everyone. The Arden is fully accessible and proudly named a Keystone of Accessibility by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Accessibility resources include assistive listening devices, sensory processing tools, caption glasses, large-print programs, and more. Learn more at ardentheatre.org.<\/p>\n

Caption Glasses | Starting Tuesday, October 6, 2026 — Wearable, customizable closed captioning glasses are available to reserve for performances.<\/p>\n

Open Captioning | Friday, October 16 at 7:00pm and Saturday, October 17 at 2:00pm — Live, on-stage text display of all words and sounds for Deaf and hard-of-hearing patrons.<\/p>\n

Audio Description | Friday, October 16 at 7:00pm and Saturday, October 17 at 2:00pm — Live verbal descriptions of actions and visual effects are available for blind and low-vision patrons.<\/p>\n

Arden Theatre Company<\/a>, founded in 1988, is a professional theatre company in Old City, dedicated to bringing to life great stories by great storytellers on the stage, in the classroom, and in the community. To date, the Arden has produced 46 World Premieres. The Arden has developed four distinct educational programs: Arden for All, our in-school arts education program for elementary level students; Arden Drama School, our on-site, tuition-based theatre classes for pre-K through 12th-grade students; Teen Arden, our theatre enrichment program for high school students; and the Arden Professional Apprentice program, a rigorous training program for young theatre professionals.<\/p>\n


\nYour shows can be listed here for just $10
click here<\/a> for more information
\n\"Herman\u2019s\"Herman\u2019s Hermits starring Peter Noone
\nSunday, September 13, 2026 @ 7:00pm<\/a>
Mayo Performing Arts Center (MPAC)
100 South Street, Morristown, NJ<\/a><\/p>\n

As one of the leaders of the British Invasion, Peter Noone is one of the most recognizable pop stars of the 1960s. Herman\u2019s Hermits starring Peter Noone scored over twenty Top 40 hits, such as \u201cThere\u2019s a Kind of Hush,\u201d \u201cI\u2019m Into Something Good,\u201d and \u201cMrs. Brown You\u2019ve Got a Lovely Daughter.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Nat\"Nat Adderley, Jr.
\nSunday, September 13, 2026 @ 3:00pm<\/a>
Grunin Center – Studio Theater
1 College Drive, Toms River, NJ<\/a><\/p>\n

Nat Adderley, Jr. spent 25 years as the Music Director for rhythm and blues singer Luther Vandross, but after Vandross passed away in 2005, Adderley, Jr., the son of trumpeter Nat Adderley and nephew of alto saxophonist Julian \u201cCannonball\u201d Adderley, returned to his roots as a jazz pianist, mixing hard bop with R&B.<\/p>\n

\"Imprinted\"Imprinted \u2013 Online for 24 Hours and In-Person at 5PM!
\nSunday, September 13, 2026 @ 5:00pm<\/a>
NJ Film Festival
71 Hamilton Street, New Brunswick, NJ<\/a><\/p>\n

The 45th Bi-Annual New Jersey Film Festival will be taking place between September 4-October 4, 2026. The Festival will be a hybrid as we will be presenting it online as well as doing select in-person screenings at Rutgers University. Almost all the films will be available virtually via Video on Demand for 24 hours on their show date. VOD start times are at 12 Midnight Eastern USA. Each General Admission Ticket or Festival Pass purchased is good for both the virtual and the in-person shows when both are offered.\u00a0This program is available Online for 24 Hours and In-Person at 5PM. This in-person screenings will be held in Voorhees Hall #105\/Rutgers University, 71 Hamilton Street, New Brunswick, NJ.<\/p>\n

To search for a single date, choose the same starting and ending date.<\/p>\n

\u00a0 <\/p>\n

EVENT PREVIEWS <\/p>\n

\"Mesmerizing
Mesmerizing documentary Imprinted screens at the New Jersey Film Festival on September 13!<\/a>There is something almost mesmerizing about watching a dancer move alongside a horse. At certain moments in Imprinted, their movements feel so natural together that it is easy to forget how much trust and communication it takes to reach that point. Directed and produced by Martina Casas, the documentary follows choreographer JoAnna Mendl Shaw and her work with dancers and horses through The Equus Projects. What first seems like a film about an unusual form of dance slowly becomes something much more meaningful. Through beautiful movement, unexpected challenges, and quieter moments between the dancers and horses, Imprinted explores how two completely different species can learn to communicate without words.<\/a><\/p>\n


\"New
\nNew Jersey Film Festival Video Interview with Imprinted Director Martina Casas<\/a>Al Nigrin, Executive Director & Curator of the New Jersey Film Festival, sits down with Martina Casas, Director and Producer of the film Imprinted, for a filmmaker interview at EBTV. Imprinted will be screened the NJ Film Festival on Friday, September 13, 2026.<\/a><\/p>\n


\"Dancing
\nDancing with Horses at the New Jersey Film Festival<\/a>In\u00a0Imprinted, the film opens with a dancer saying she learned early to be resilient, to keep moving, always anticipating the next moment, and that the resilience distanced her from her heart. Eighty minutes later, the film ends in stillness. Everything between those two points is the route from one to the other, and the route runs through horses.<\/a><\/p>\n


\"Scottish
\nScottish Rite Auditorium presents Celtic Thunder on Sunday<\/a>(COLLINGSWOOD, NJ) — The Scottish Rite Auditorium presents Celtic Thunder on Sunday, September 13, 2026 at 6:00pm. They are an Irish singing group that performs around the world.<\/a><\/p>\n


\"Center
\nCenter Players presents a reading of “You’ve Got Hate Mail” on September 14th<\/a>(FREEHOLD, NJ) — Center Players presents a reading of You’ve Got Hate Mail by Billy Van Zandt and Jane Milmore on Monday, September 14, 2026 at 7:00pm. The reading takes place at The American Hotel and is directed by Sharon Coyle.<\/a><\/p>\n


\"James
\nJames Dalton to read “Ginsberg’s Howl” with the Ginsberg Beat Connection on Monday at the Philadelphia Fringe Festival<\/a>(PHILADELPHIA, PA) — New Jersey artist James Dalton will read “Ginsberg’s Howl” with the Ginsberg Beat Connection on Monday, September 14th at The Rotunda as part of the 2026 Philadelphia Fringe Festival. The event takes place at 7:00pm.<\/a><\/p>\n


\"Acclaimed
\nAcclaimed Americana Singer-Songwriter Chris Knight to Perform at The Vogel on September 15th<\/a>(RED BANK, NJ) — After 28 years as a recording artist, singer-songwriter Chris Knight remains boldly empowered to make music that always delivers the unflinching truth. In fact, the man raised in Slaughters, Kentucky uses a simple, direct barometer to regularly check his muse: “If I can’t believe myself, I won’t sing the song.”<\/a><\/p>\n


\"The
\nThe Vogel presents singer-songwriter Chris Knight on Tuesday<\/a>(RED BANK, NJ) — The Vogel presents singer-songwriter Chris Knight on Tuesday, September 15, 2026 at 7:30pm. Special guest Chance Stanley will open the night.<\/a><\/p>\n


\"Hunterdon
\nHunterdon Hills Playhouse presents “Send Me No Flowers”<\/a>(HAMPTON, NJ) — Hunterdon Hills Playhouse presents Send Me No Flowers from September 16 through October 22, 2026. When George Kimball, a Westchester commuter with a flair for hypochondria, overhears his doctor discussing a heart patient, he\u2019s convinced his time has come.<\/a><\/p>\n


\"SOPAC
\nSOPAC presents “The Unwitting Magician” on September 16th<\/a>(SOUTH ORANGE, NJ) — The South Orange Performing Arts Center (SOPAC) presents The Unwitting Magician on Wednesday, September 16, 2026 at 7:00pm. Is it a play? Sort of. Is it a reading? Kind of. Is it a magic show? Sure. With a magician? Definitely not.<\/a>
\n
\u00a0
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