- Merrimack Repertory Theatre
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Coordinates: 42°38′42″N 71°18′15″W / 42.645068°N 71.304172°W
Merrimack Repertory Theatre 
Historic Liberty Hall, home of Merrimack Reportory Theatre; Lowell Memorial Auditorium adjoined at left.Address 50 East Merrimack Street City Lowell Country United States Capacity 308 Type Performing Arts Center Opened 1922 Years active 1922-Present www.merrimackrep.org Merrimack Repertory Theatre is a non-profit professional theatre located in Lowell, Massachusetts. Performances are presented September–May at the historic Liberty Hall, a 308-seat theatre located adjacent to the Lowell Memorial Auditorium. Known for its contemporary productions and classic revivals, the company currently produces seven plays each season, plus a number of education programs for students and adults.
Contents
History
Merrimack Repertory Theatre was co-ounded in 1979 by Barabara Abrahamian, John Briggs, Mark Kaufman, and DJ Maloney. Barbara Abrahamian met actor and directors DJ Maloney and Mark Kaufman at a summer stock in NH (where Chiklis played a teen in Bye, Bye, Birdie). There they planned the beginnings a of professional non-profit theatre company in Lowell, MA. Returning to Lowell in the Fall of 1978, the three formed the Committee for Legitimate Theatre of Lowell. Maloney and Kaufman wrote the "proposal" and commuted in Maloney's car from NYC to Lowell meeting and planning with Barbara and husband Al. Merrimack Regional Theatre's first venue was provided by University of Lowell President John Duff, who allowed the company use of the university's Mahoney Hall. Merrimack Regional Theatre incorporated on February 1, 1979, and Nancy Donahue assumed presidency of the company.
Merrimack Regional Theatre opened its first production, The Passion of Dracula on October 23, 1979. Mark Kaufman was the theatre's first Artistic Director, and John Briggs the first Managing Director.
In 1980, Merrimack Regional Theatre began a season of free outdoor theatre weekends in Mack Plaza local to downtown Lowell, MA. Acting for the theatre during this time was Michael Chiklis, of later TV drama The Shield fame. The free summer theatre program was canceled after just one season.
In 1982, the Broad of Trustees hired Dan Schay as Producing Artistic Director. One year later, Merrimack Regional Theatre moved to its current location at Liberty Hall. During the 6 month relocation, Merrimack Regional Theatre changed its name to Merrimack Repertory Theatre. During this period, the theatre's subscription base increased dramatically, and the theatre's budget doubled.
In 1990, David Kent became Producing Artistic Director. When David Kent left the company in 2001, the Board of Trustees selected Charles Towers as Artistic Director. Four years later, the company hired its first Executive Director Tom Parrish. In December 2010, Parrish announced he would leave at the end of February 2011 to take a similar position at a much larger theater in Rochester, New York. The Board of Trustees is currently looking for a new Executive Director.
The Young Artists at Play, a summer theatre camp for students grades 1-12, was founded in 1997. It continues today.
Merrimack Repertory Theatre Now
Merrimack Repertory Theatre has produced over 200 productions, including 14 world premieres and 32 regional premieres. Merrimack Repertory Theatre's annual attendance exceeds 40,000 and the company has sold over one million tickets. Merrimack Repertory Theatre is committed to artistic excellence and attempts to be accessible to all members of its surrounding community with a number of discount programs for low-income communities, students and seniors. Over the last 30 years, Merrimack Repertory Theatre’s education, outreach, and discount programs have served over 100,000 students and 100,000 senior citizens while building working partnerships with more than 50 different community and ethnically based service organizations. Merrimack Repertory Theatre is a member of the League of Resident Theatres. Since 2006, MRT has operated in the black.
The current mission statement of Merrimack Repertory Theatre is:
To advance the cause of human understanding by creating theatrical productions at the highest level of artistic excellence and making them affordable to the broadest possible community.
2008-09 Season
The 2008-09 Season Included:
- The Fantasticks, music by Harvey Schmidt and lyrics by Tom Jones
- Skylight by David Hare - IRNE - Best Actress Amanda Fulks
- A View of the Harbor by Richard Dresser - Regional Premiere and Merrimack Repertory Theatre's 200th Production
- Tranced by Bob Clyman - Regional Premiere
- Bad Dates by Theresa Rebeck - ELLIOT NORTON - Outstanding Solo Performance Elizabeth Aspenlieder
- A Moon for the Misbegotten by Eugene O'Neill
2009-10 Season
The 2009-10 Season included:
- Flings and Eros - A World Premiere by The Flying Karamazov Brothers
- The Seafarer by Conor McPherson
- Heroes by Gérald Sibleyras, Adapted by Tom Stoppard - Regional Premiere
- Fabuloso A Play by John Kolvenbach
- Black Pearl Sings! A Play with music by Frank Higgins - Regional Premiere
- The Last Days of Mickey & Jean by Richard Dresser - World Premiere
- The Blonde, the Brunette and the Vengeful Redhead by Robert Hewett - Regional Premiere
2010-11 Season
The 2010-11 Season is:
- The Complete World of Sports (abridged) - by Reed Martin and Austin Tichenor, featuring the Reduced Shakespeare Company - East Coast Premiere
- Four Places by Joel Drake Johnson - East Coast Premiere
- Beasley's Christmas Party adapted by C.W. Munger, from the story by Booth Tarkington - Regional Premiere
- Tryst by Karoline Leach
- The Exceptionals by Bob Clyman - World Premiere
- Two Jews Walk into a War... by Seth Rozin - Regional Premiere
- A Picasso by Jeffrey Hatcher - Regional Premiere
2011-2012 Season
The 2011-12 Season is planned to be (as of April 12, 2011):
- The Persian Quarter by Kathleen Cahill
- This Verse Business by A.M. Dolan
- The Ultimate Christmas Show (abridged) - premier of a new play by the Reduced Shakespeare Company
- The Voice of the Turtle by John Van Druten
- Daddy Long Legs a musical with book by Tony Award winner John Caird, music and lyrics by Paul Gordon, based on the novel by Jean Webster
- Mrs. Whitney by John Kolvenbach
- Ghost-Writer by Michael Hollinger
Select Awards
1989 - Boston Drama Critics Award for production of Waiting for Godot.
1990 - New England Theatre Award for Excellence.
1990-94 - Four Boston Drama Critics Awards for Filumeni.
1992-93 - The Survivor:A Cambodian Odyssey named Best Play at Humana Festival of New American Plays.
1996 - All in the Timing wins Boston Drama Critics Award for Best Play
1996 - Hamlet wins Best of Boston Award
1997 - 'night, Mother wins Best of Boston
1998 - Nixon's Nixon wins Best of Boston
2005 - Harold Pinter's The Homecoming named to the Best of 2005 list of the Boston Globe, Boston Phoenix, Boston Courant, Edge Boston and Lowell Sun.
2008 - A Delicate Balance receives seven Independent Reviewers of New England Awards, including best production and best director for Artistic Director Charles Towers.
2009 - Bad Dates wins Elliot Norton Award from Boston Theatre Critics Association for Outstanding Solo Performance.
2010 - The Blonde, the Brunette and the Vengeful Redhead wins an IRNE (Independent Reviewers of New England) Award for Best Solo Performance.
External links
Categories:- Theatre companies in Massachusetts
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