Merrimack Repertory Theatre (MRT) is a non-profit professional theatre located in Lowell, Massachusetts. Known for its productions of contemporary work and world premieres, the company presents a September - May season of seven plays at the Nancy L. Donahue Theatre in the historic Liberty Hall, a 279-seat theatre located adjacent to the Lowell Memorial Auditorium. MRT is the only professional theatre company in the Merrimack Valley region of Massachusetts and New Hampshire, and one of three League of Resident Theatres (LORT) members in Massachusetts.
MRT operates under the leadership of Artistic Director Sean Daniels.
Merrimack Repertory Theatre was co-founded in 1979 by Barabara Abrahamian, John Briggs, and Mark Kaufman, who had met at working at a New Hampshire summer stock theatre (where a young Michael Chiklis, a Lowell native who would go on to appear in several MRT productions before moving on to a film career, was appearing in a production of Bye Bye Birdie). They conceived the idea of a professional non-profit theatre company in Lowell, Massachusetts and formed the “Committee for Legitimate Theatre in Lowell.”
The company was incorporated as Merrimack Regional Theatre on February 1, 1979. MRT’s first venue was Mahoney Hall at the University of Lowell (now University of Massachusetts Lowell). Its first production, The Passion of Dracula,opened on October 23, 1979. Nancy Donahue assumed presidency of the company. Mark Kaufman and John R. Briggs were the theatre's first Producing Artistic Directors.
Dan Schay was hired as Producing Artistic Director in 1982, and in 1983, the company moved to its current location at Liberty Hall, changing its name to Merrimack Repertory Theatre. Schay produced MRT’s first world premiere (Jack Neary’s First Night) in 1987, and has been succeeded by David Kent (1989-2001), Charles Towers (2001-2015), and Sean Daniels (2015–present).
In 2012, the theatre underwent an extensive $750,000 renovation. Improvements included wider seats with more legroom (the overall number of seats was reduced from 309 to 279), a refurbished theatre lobby and concession area, and a larger, more accessible box office. The theatre was named in honor of founder Nancy L. Donahue.
Sean Daniels’ The White Chip (January 2016, Dir. Sheryl Kaller), a dark comedy stage memoir about the MRT Artistic Director’s recovery from alcoholism, produced by five-time Tony nominee Tom Kirdahy. Free admission was offered to individuals in recovery from addiction, sponsored by local recovery organizations Lowell House, Megan’s House, and Massachusetts Organization for Addiction Recovery (MOAR).
Lauren Gunderson’s I and You (October 2015, Dir. Sean Daniels), which follows two teenagers on one night as they work through a school assignment on Walt Whitman’s Leaves of Grass, garnered praise from the Boston Globe, which called it "Funny and moving by turns… suffused with a warmth that does not cloy, an intimacy that does not stifle, and a wit that connects it all together." The production ran Off-Broadway at 59E59 Theatres in January 2016.
The Lion, singer-songwriter Benjamin Scheuer’s award-winning musical memoir (also directed by Daniels), launched its national tour from MRT in August 2015, following runs in New York and London.
Michael Golamco’s Year Zero (September 2014, Dir. Kyle Fabel), brought several partnerships between MRT and organizations in Lowell’s Cambodian-American community (the second-largest in the United States). Among these partners was the Angkor Dance Troupe (subject of the 2004 documentary Monkey Dance), which now regularly uses MRT’s performance space in Liberty Hall.
The world premiere staged reading of Lowell native Jack Kerouac's only play, Beat Generation (2012, Dir. Charles Towers), in partnership with UMass Lowell. (The script had been uncovered in a New Jersey warehouse in 2005.)
Bob Clyman’s Secret Order (November 2007, Dir. Charles Towers), was the first MRT production to make an Off-Broadway Transfer.
The Lowell Trilogy, a set of three works from playwright Jon Lipsky, ran from 1992-1994. The Trilogy includes Lipsky’s original play Living in Exile, plus adaptations of Kerouac’s Maggie Cassidy (Maggie’s Riff) and Haing S. Ngor’s Cambodian Odyssey (The Survivor: A Cambodian Odyssey).
Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol was produced for 11 consecutive seasons, from 1983-1993.
Jack Neary’s First Night (1987, Dir. Joan Courtney Murray), MRT’s first world premiere.
Bob Hall & David Richmond’s The Passion of Dracula (1979, Dir. Mark Kaufman), MRT’s first production.
The Lion by Benjamin Scheuer, Directed by Sean Daniels
I and You by Lauren Gunderson, Directed by Sean Daniels
It's a Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play, Adapted by Joe Landry, Directed by Megan Sandberg-Zakian
The White Chip by Sean Daniels, Directed by Sheryl Kaller
Tinker to Evers to Chance by Mat Smart, Directed by Sean Daniels
The Realness: a break beat play by Idris Goodwin, Directed by Wendy C. Goldberg
Year Zero by Michael Golamco, Directed by Kyle Fabel
Dusk Rings a Bell by Steven Belber, Directed by Michael Bloom
13 Things About Ed Carpolott, Book, music, and lyrics by Barry Kleinbort, Based on a play by Jeffrey Hatcher, Directed by Barry Kleinbort
The Best Brothers by Daniel MacIvor, Directed by Charles Towers
Oceanside by Nick Gandiello, Directed by Melia Bensussen (World Premiere)
Out of the City by Leslie Ayvazian, Directed by Christian Parker
The Outgoing Tide by Bruce Graham, Directed by Charles Towers
God of Carnage by Yasmina Reza, Directed by Kyle Fabel
Mrs. Mannerly by Jeffrey Hatcher, Directed by Mark Shanahan
Stella and Lou by Bruce Graham, Directed by Charles Towers
The Devil's Music: The Life and Blues of Bessie Smith by Angelo Para, Directed by Joe Brancato
Equally Divided by Ronald Harwood, Directed by Charles Towers
Talley's Folly by Lanford Wilson, Directed by Kyle Fabel
The Complete History of Comedy (abridged) by Reed Martin and Austin Tichenor, Directed by Reed Martin and Austin Tichenor
Homestead Crossing by William Donnelly, Directed by Kyle Fabel (World Premiere)
Beat Generation (Staged Reading) by Jack Kerouac, Directed by Charles Towers (World Premiere)
Memory House by Kathleen Tolan, Directed by Melia Bensussen
Half 'n Half 'n Half by John Kolvenbach, Directed by Kyle Fabel
Shakespeare's Will by Vern Thiessen, Directed by Miles Potter
Red by John Logan, Directed by Charles Towers
Proof by David Auburn, Directed by Christian Parker
Glengarry Glen Ross by David Mamet, Directed by Charles Towers
The Persian Quarter by Kathleen Cahill, Directed by Kyle Fabel
This Verse Business by A.M. Dolan, Directed by Gus Kaikkonen
The Ultimate Christmas Show (abridged) by Reed Martin & Austin Tichenor, Directed by Reed Martin and Austin Tichenor
The Voice of the Turtle by John Van Druten, Directed by Carl Forsman
Daddy Long Legs by Paul Gordon & John Caird, Directed by John Caird
Mrs. Whitney by John Kolvenbach, Directed by Kyle Fabel
Ghost-Writer by Michael Hollinger, Directed by John Kolvenbach
The Complete World of Sports (abridged) by Reed Martin and Austin Tichenor, Directed by Reed Martin and Austin Tichenor
Four Places by Joel Drake Johnson, Directed by Charles Towers
Beasley's Christmas Party by C.W. Munger, Directed by Carl Forsman
Tryst by Karoline Leach, Directed by Joe Brancato
The Exceptionals by Bob Clyman, Directed by Charles Towers (World Premiere)
Two Jews Walk Into a War... by Seth Rozin, Directed by Melia Bensussen
A Picasso by Jeffrey Hatcher, Directed by Charles Towers
Flings & Eros by the Flying Karamazov Brothers, Directed by Paul magid (World Premiere)
The Seafarer by Conor McPherson, Directed by Charles Towers
Heroes by Gerald Sibleyras, Adapted by Tom Stoppard, Directed by Carl Forsman
Fabuloso by John Kolvenbach, Directed by Kyle Fabel
Black Pearl Sings! by Frank Higgins, Directed by Benny Ambush
The Last Days of Mickey & Jean by Richard Dresser, Directed by Charles Towers (World Premiere)
The Blonde, the Brunette and the Vengeful Redhead by Robert Hewlett, Directed by Melia Bensussen
The Fantasticks by Tom Jones and Harvey Schmidt, Directed by Jonathan Silverstein and John Bell
Skylight by David Hare, Directed by Charles Towers
A View of the Harbor by Richard Dresser, Directed by Charles Towers
Tranced by Bob Clyman, Directed by Charles Towers
Bad Dates by Theresa Rebeck, Directed by Adrianne Krystansky
A Moon for the Misbegotten by Eugene O'Neill, Directed by Edward Morgan
The Pursuit of Happiness by Richard Dresser, Directed by Charles Towers
Tunney/Shakespeare in Six Rounds by David E. Lane (World Premiere)
2 Pianos 4 Hands by Ted Dykstra and Richard Greenblatt, Directed by Richard Greenblatt
The Missionary Position by Keith Reddin, Directed by Tracy Brigden
A Delicate Balance by Edward Albee, Directed by Charles Towers
The Four of Us by Itamar Moses, Directed by Kyle Fabel (World Premiere)
Augusta by Richard Dresser, Directed by Charles Towers
Aunt Dan & Lemon by Wallace Shawn, Directed by Melia Bensussen
Completely Hollywood (abridged) by Reed Martin and Austin Tichenor, Directed by the Reduced Shakespeare Company
Trying by Joanna McClelland Glass, Directed by Kyle Fabel
Dinah Was by Oliver Goldstick, Directed by Charles Towers
Syncopation by Allan Knee, Directed by Maggie Mancinelli-Cahill
Secret Order by Bob Clyman, Directed by Charles Towers
MRT’S 38th season focuses on local stories, with three of the seven productions on New England themes. The seven plays are:
45 Plays for 45 Presidents by Andy Bayiates, Sean Benjamin, Genevra Gallo-Bayiates, Chloë Johnston, and Karen Weinberg, directed by Sean Daniels
Abigail/1702 by Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa, Directed by Tlaloc Rivas
Going to See the Kid by Steven Drukman, Directed by Alexander Greenfield
The Making of a Great Moment by Peter Sinn Nachtrieb, Directed by Sean Daniels
Women in Jeopardy! by Wendy MacLeod, Directed by Sean Daniels
Chill by Eleanor Burgess, Directed by Megan Sandberg-Zakian
My 80-Year-Old Boyfriend, Conceived and performed by Charissa Bertels, Book and lyrics by Christian Duhamel, Music and lyrics by Edward Bell, Directed by Sean Daniels
Artistic Development and Patriot Program
In 2015, Merrimack Repertory Theatre launched the Patriot Program, an artist residency program conceived by Artistic Director Sean Daniels. The MRT Patriots are a group of 69 theatre artists and professionals, from across the country, with access to short-term residencies at MRT throughout the year. The MRT Patriots use MRT resources and housing while developing new work for the stage.
Education and Community Engagement
MRT offers student matinees (daytime performances available only to student groups). Many of these groups are eligible for grant funding through the Partners in Education (PIE) program.
Merrimack Repertory Theatre has offered a summer youth theatre program called Young Company (originally Young Artists at Play), since 1997. Young Company was suspended for the summer of 2015, but is set to resume in July 2016 and will focus on participant-generated work. The program will extend beyond the summer, with year-long student participation in workshops and open rehearsals at MRT.
In 2015, MRT launched the Cohort Club, an audience engagement program modeled after a similar initiative at Geva Theatre Center in Rochester, NY. The Cohort Club is composed of community members who are given access to a show’s entire rehearsal and production process, and are then asked to write about their experiences in a format of their choice.
Other programs include post-show discussions, and open-invite receptions before and after select performances.
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.
2012 - Daddy Long Legs wins the Independent Reviewers of New England Award for Best Musical, Large Theatre.
