*RHODE ISLAND PREMIERE*

GIRL FROM THE NORTH COUNTRY

BY CONOR McPHERSON
MUSIC & LYRICS BY BOB DYLAN

DIRECTED BY JOSH SHORT
MUSIC DIRECTION BY MILLY MASSEY
CHOREOGRAPHY BY ALI KENNER BRODSKY

MAY 28 - JUNE 21, 2026

It’s 1934 in Duluth, Minnesota. We meet a group of wayward travelers whose lives intersect in a guesthouse filled with music, life, and hope. Experience this “profoundly beautiful” musical (The New York Times) written by celebrated playwright Conor McPherson and featuring Tony Award-winning orchestrations by Simon Hale reimagining 20 legendary songs of Bob Dylan as they’ve never been heard before, including Forever Young, All Along The Watchtower, Hurricane, Slow Train Coming, and Like A Rolling Stone.

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NEWS & MEDIA

"A portrait of America at its most bruised and most resilient...Wilbury Theatre Group’s Girl from the North Country is not just a musical, it’s a work that feels timeless, soulful, and wholly original: a new American musical forged at the intersection of two singular artistic voices.
- The Providence Eye

"Script and score come together under Josh Short's keen, intentional direction, and a tight, gifted group of actors and musicians brings the whole thing to life... This isn't your typical musical. It's so much more."
- WPRO

​"With incredible acting and stunningly-precise music to move the plot along, "Girl From The North Country" is a rare musical gem that strikes a forever chord with young and old theatre-goers.  This  production will have a way of impacting you in ways you never saw coming as will the music, a wonderful sidetrack to our own lives and the secrets we too keep."
- Broadway World

""The acting and musical performances are enough to urge you to see this production... Anne Scurria has taken the role of Elizabeth Laine and turned it into a classic. Her ability to change moods, express herself in her darkest and brighter moments, play the fool and then play the sage, make her performance alone a must-see event."
- Warwick Beacon

"Scurria as Elizabeth was absolutely outstanding... you couldn't help but look at her, even when she wasn't the focus...The story is very powerful - you absolutely don't need to be a Dylan fan to enjoy this story, which really feels like it stands on its own."
- Ocean State Media / Rhode Island PBS

"A powerhouse cast... powerful performances elevated this production beyond measure...Even if you aren't the biggest Bob Dylan fan, the story that playwright Conor McPherson and Director Josh Short have crafted and staged is meaningful enough to still leave the theatre feeling quite tender and affected."​
- The Poplar Review

"The high quality of the performances and the energy of the Bob Dylan songs give the show a radiant buoyancy...This is a magnificent showcase for the veteran performers such as Scurria and O'Brien, as well as newcomers like Fournier, Gates, Mael, Tully and Merisma."
- New England Theatre Blog

"Directed with remarkable insight by Artistic Director Josh Short, this production captures the tender humanity of McPherson’s celebrated musical, striking a chord thanks also to its ensemble and orchestra....The cast navigates the material's shifting tones with remarkable certainty, moving seamlessly between natural scenes and heightened musical expression. Even during the most heartbreaking moments — amid economic collapse, illness, prejudice, and disappointment — the players’ individual performances yearn for moments of grace...This is intimate, bruised, and emotionally charged theatre executed by artists fully invested in the humanity of the storyline, giving us a wonderfully acted performance steeped in mystery and melancholy."
- Motif Magazine

"Featuring the unforgettable music and lyrics of Bob Dylan, the musical centers on characters searching for connection and meaning amid hardship. Actor Anne Scurria discusses stepping into the emotionally layered role of Elizabeth Laine.. Anne Scurria: "Elizabeth continually surprises the audience. You’re never quite sure whether what she says is connected to the dialogue or action around her. She may have aphasia, but she is fully present. Like the blind figures in Greek theater who cannot see, yet “see” everything, Elizabeth possesses a deeper awareness....The play captures the fluidity of life during that era, with people constantly moving in search of work, belonging, and stability. That feels very contemporary."
- Cranston Herald / Warwick Beacon

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CAST + CREATIVE TEAM

GIRL FROM THE
​NORTH COUNTRY
written by Conor McPherson
music & lyrics by Bob Dylan

Directed by Josh Short
Music Direction by Milly Massey
Choreography by Ali Kenner Brodsky

Set Design by Monica Shinn
Sound + Light Design by Andy Russ
Costume Design by ​Niki Healy
Technical Direction by Jason Sall
Asst. Direction by Jeff Ginsberg

Asst. Lighting Designer, Hayley Chisholm
Asst. Costume Designer, Arianna Davey
Asst. Music Director, Carrie Tully
​
Stage Manager, Allison Marchetti*
Asst. Stage Manager, Kerin Hagan
Asst. Stage Manager, Emmy Varden*
​Production Assistant, Rory Greenfield
Production Interns, Z. Ferrara, Willa Nelson, Ruby Verkuijlen, and David Zincone

House Management by Christine Treglia
​Production Photography by Erin X. Smithers

ABOUT THE PLAYWRIGHT

Conor McPherson is a playwright and screenwriter who was named by The New York Times as ‘the finest playwright of his generation'.
​
Conor won the George Devine Award in 1997 with his play St Nicholas, and went on to win an Olivier Award for Best New Play in 1999 with his follow-up, The Weir. In 2006 he received a Tony Award nomination for Shining City and an Olivier Award nomination for Best New Play for The Seafarer.

In 2011 he wrote and directed The Veil for the National Theatre and in 2012 he adapted Strindberg's The Dance of Death for the Donmar Trafalgar Season. The Night Alive premièred at the Donmar in June 2013 and transferred to the Atlantic Theater in New York in November 2013.

Conor also writes for film and in 2008 he began production on The Eclipse, which marked his debut as a screen director. The Eclipse was adapted by Conor from a ghost story by Billy Roche and stars Aidan Quinn and Ciaran Hinds.  He also developed Strangers for Number 9 Films based on the novel by Taichi Yamada. 

Conor is currently working on the screenplay Double Cross for Paul Greengrass. His original television drama Paula, developed with Cuba Pictures and BBC NI for BBC2, aired in May 2017 to brilliant reviews. The Girl from the North Country, with music from Bob Dylan, had its world premiere at the Old Vic theatre in 2017, transferred to the West End in 2018 and arrived on Broadway in 2020. 
​
Conor currently has several projects in development, including a film adaptation of Girl From The North Country with Blueprint Pictures/New Regency.

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ABOUT

An award-winning*, not-for-profit professional theatre company, the Wilbury Theatre Group engages our community in thought-provoking conversation through new works, reimagined classics and adventurous playmaking. We are idealistic, ambitious, and stubborn in our resolve to create theatre that entertains, enlightens, and inspires.

​*WINNER of the 2018 National Theatre Company Grant from the American Theatre Wing (The Tony Awards).

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