"Girl From The North Country" Breathes New Life Into Bob Dylan's Music

L-R, Ben Biggers, Sharaé Moultrie, Jennifer Blood, and John Schiappa in the Girl From The North Country North American Tour (photo by Evan Zimmerman for MurphyMade).

Bob Dylan’s folksy, soulful lyrics have inspired listeners for decades. In fact, his songs make up the musical backdrop of not one, but two stage productions, Twyla Tharp’s The Times They Are a-Changin’ and, more recently, Girl From The North County, onstage now at the Durham Performing Arts Center. 

This latter musical features a somber but powerful book by Conor McPherson, Tony Award-winning orchestrations from Simon Hale, and intense direction, also by McPherson. Set in Duluth, Minnesota in 1934, it takes an up-close-and-personal look at characters who have been thrust together, some by chance and some by choice, and explores the surprising ways in which their lives intersect, diverge, and change through their connections.

A local physician, Dr. Walker, endearingly portrayed by Alan Ariano, serves as the narrator for the events that unfold, piece by piece, as the well-developed characters are introduced. At the forefront is Nick Laine (John Schiappa), the long-suffering, financially-struggling husband of Elizabeth (Jennifer Blood), who suffers from dementia, and father to young adults, Gene (Ben Biggers) and Marianne (Sharaé Moultrie), who are both struggling in their own ways. Gene longs to be a writer but bristles with anger and angst, while Marianne is pregnant, unmarried, and unsure about what her future holds.

This bleak-but-believable picture of Depression-era family life is deftly painted with drab backdrops and mournful reimaginings of Dylan’s lyrics. However, the tone shifts when two strangers arrive on the scene. Reverend Marlowe (Jeremy Webb), a Bible salesman, ushers in an air of danger, one rife with unsettling darkness, while Joe Scott (Matt Manuel), a wronged boxer who has faced the perils of racism, brings a surprising sense of hope and possibility. 

As these characters (and others) begin to interact, they present a study in opposites. Opposite outlooks and opposite choices lead to vastly different outcomes. However, their storylines never feel didactic or contrived. Instead, McPherson’s Steinbeck-style writing creates breathing characters who feel as real and desperate as the time they’ve found themselves in. Their intertwining stories grip viewers at every turn and, when set to Dylan’s lyrics, create a beautiful, unflinching portrait of a very specific moment: a turning point, both in time and in these characters' lives.

While rich with affecting scenes, some segments strike particularly resonant chords. In particular, Moultrie’s low, silky delivery of “Tight Connection to My Heart (Has Anyone Seen My Love?)” stands out, both for its hard-hitting emotional impact and sheer beauty. Likewise, Blood’s troubled, eerie, and jumbled rendering of “Like a Rolling Stone,” further enhanced by Lucy Hind’s daring movement direction, adds a new layer of intensity to Dylan’s masterful lyrics.

Strong, multi-layered, and authentically emotional performances abound throughout, enabling McPherson’s complex characterization and masterful integration of Dylan’s music to shine. The result is a production that, like its characters, is full of contrasts. It’s beautiful and grotesque, sullen but hopeful, and familiar but innovative. Moving, mesmerizing, and completely unforgettable, this unique musical does exactly what theatre should. It elevates, enlivens, and breathes brand new life into another art form. And, while viewers' perceptions of Dylan’s music may be forever altered, they’ll be all the better for it.