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Merrimack Valley Magazine

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2021 MVMA Winners – Play

August 6, 2021 by Kristin Cole

We are happy to present the winners of the 2021 Merrimack Valley Magazine Awards. This spring, the top picks in all categories were chosen by our readers via our online voting platform. Thank you to everyone who took the time to vote and congratulations to all the winners.

Book by Local Author — Fiction & Poetry
“This Is No Time to Quit Drinking,” by Stephen O’Connor
Author Stephen O’Connor’s 2020 comic novel, “This Is No Time to Quit Drinking,” is a multilayered story chock full of clever humor and quirky characters. Set in Lowell, it features Bartley Hannigan, a middle-aged high school teacher doing his best to cope with the demands of his job while dealing with the death of his father and inheriting a haunted farmhouse in the process. 

 

Book by Local Author — Nonfiction
“A Kitchen Witch’s Guide to Recipes for Love & Romance,” by Dawn Aurora Hunt
Dawn Aurora Hunt is the founder of Salem-based food company Cucina Aurora. A proponent of what she calls “spiritual nutrition,” Hunt advocates for mindful culinary experiences. In her latest cookbook, avocado chocolate mousse, turmeric-ginger bone broth, spicy fried oysters, and red rose velvet cake are all on the menu.

Virtual Performance Programming or Museum/Gallery Experience
Merrimack Repertory Theatre
This season, the Merrimack Repertory Theatre is celebrating 42 years as the Merrimack Valley’s professional theater. The MRT maintains a commitment to new plays and strives to fulfill its mission — to “create remarkable new and contemporary plays that bring joy to our art form while engaging, entertaining and enriching our community.”
50 East Merrimack St.
Lowell, Mass.
MRT.org

Stop by next week for the winners of the ‘Milestone’ category.

 

The 2021 MVMAs are sponsored by:

 

Jeanne D'Arc Credit Union logo

Filed Under: MVMA Tagged With: 2021 MVMA Winners, 2021 MVMAs, Dawn Aurora Hunt, Merrimack Repertory Theatre, Merrimack Valley Magazine Awards, MVMA, play, Stephen OConnor

MRT Announces Major Changes to 2020-21 Season

August 19, 2020 by Digital Manager

Due to the global pandemic, Courtney Sale, the Nancy L. Donahue artistic director, and Bonnie J. Butkas, executive director, announced major changes to the schedule for the upcoming season at Merrimack Repertory Theatre (MRT). They revealed five of the seven upcoming productions, including the postponed “Erma Bombeck: At Wit’s End,” and said they will announce an audience safety plan in December.

Sale said, “The health of our artists, patrons, staff, and volunteers is our paramount priority. In order to provide a safe place for all our community, we must shift our season. While we are saddened by this change, the well-being and safety of our community must lead our decision making. COVID has brought forth many uncertainties, and we will continue to consider further difficult actions if necessary.”

MRT will produce seven shows beginning in March of 2021. The 279-seat theater had hoped to begin performances this October. The new schedule will play over 15 months — three in the spring of 2021 and four between November 2021 and May 2022. Seven-show subscriptions already purchased include all of these shows. All three presentations next spring will be one-person plays to allow for flexibility in responding to COVID-19.

 

“I have the utmost faith in Courtney, Bonnie, and the MRT staff, along with the guidance of a remarkable board of trustees, to help us deliver an even stronger and more relevant MRT when we return to Liberty Hall next spring,” Joanne Yestramski, president of the board of trustees, said. “We are so fortunate to have the unwavering support of our longtime subscribers, donors and the Lowell and Merrimack Valley community during these extraordinary times!”

Butkas said the $3 million theater has been forced to make some difficult, and often heartbreaking, decisions to stabilize the 42-year-old nonprofit. The pandemic has devasted the entire arts and culture industry, which is 4.5% of the U.S. economy. MRT’s losses already tally close to $600,000 with the cancellation of two shows last spring and delayed productions in the fall.

“Our goal is to preserve the organization and return to live theater in Lowell as soon as it is truly safe to do so,” Butkas said. “To that end, we’ve been making hard choices since March. We’re looking for continued support from all sources — our patrons; the city, state, and federal government; foundations; and corporations.”

The spring 2021 season comprises “Erma Bombeck: At Wit’s End,” by Allison Engel and Margaret Engel, March 24 to April 11, 2021; “Wild Horses,” by Allison Gregory, April 21 to May 9, 2021; and “Until the Flood,” by Dael Orlandersmith, May 19 to June 6, 2021. The remaining four plays — to be presented from November 2021 through May 2022 — will include “Every Brilliant Thing,” by Duncan MacMillan with Jonny Donahoe and “Young Americans,” by Lauren Yee (Cambodian Rock Band). Two more titles will be announced at a later date. “The Lowell Offering,” postponed from last April, will not be produced during the next 15 months due to the costs of such a large show, but it will remain a potential production for future seasons.

MRT will introduce a “no risk” policy for all theatergoers. The theater pledges to be flexible and sympathetic in accommodating ticket exchanges, as well as credit and refund requests, for any patron who does not feel safe attending a performance. The company hopes to offer subscribers their usual seats, but if health officials require social distancing, those seat assignments may change temporarily.

In addition, MRT will convert to a fully digital platform for brochures, invitations, and programs. MRT will also consider video recordings of select productions during emergency shut-down situations. The company will evaluate all options and share a safety plan in December. That plan may still change over time as situations with the virus and a possible vaccine shift.

If you have questions, contact the MRT box office staff at (978) 654-4678 or box_office@mrt.org. For further information, visit MRT.org.

 

Want to go behind the scenes? Courtney Sale talks about her unique journey to the MV, what makes Lowell unique, and the role of arts and culture in the age of COVID on mvm’s weekly podcast, The 495. Click here to listen. >>>

 

Filed Under: Arts & Entertainment Tagged With: drama, Local, Lowell, MRT, Musical, play, theater, theatre

2019 MVMA Winners – Play

August 20, 2019 by Merrimack Valley Magazine Leave a Comment

We are happy to present the winners of the 2019 Merrimack Valley Magazine Awards. This spring, the top picks in all categories were chosen by our readers via our online voting platform. Thank you to everyone who took the time to vote and congratulations to all the winners.

Live Music Venue
Lowell Folk Festival
Music lovers rejoice! This free annual festival kicks off at the end of July with three days of nonstop tunes. Along with music from around the world, enjoy craft demonstrations and ethnic food stalls situated throughout Lowell’s downtown. Watch street performers, let the kids run free in the family activity area and dance the night away.
Lowell, Mass.
LowellFolkFestival.org

Theater/Arts Venue
Merrimack Repertory Theatre
Merrimack Repertory Theatre has been Merrimack Valley’s professional theater company since 1979 and is an integral part of Lowell’s identity as the cultural heart of the region. The company is a leader in fostering and celebrating new plays, frequently producing world and regional premieres, as well as working with its national network of associate artists on workshops and readings. Acknowledging that artists are at the core of all creative work, MRT focuses on developing relationships with artists who are attracted to Lowell by MRT’s reputation for its commitments to the highest artistic standards.
50 E. Merrimack St.  |  Lowell, Mass.
MRT.org

Family Fun
Lowell Spinners
This year, The Spinners celebrate their 24th season in Lowell as a Class A Affiliate of the Boston Red Sox. Fans of the Lowell Spinners have watched many Spinners prospects climb the minor league ladder to become major leaguers. What’s more, The Spinners provide fun, affordable entertainment for the whole family. With a full slate of exciting promotions, contests and giveaways, every Spinners game is a memorable event.
Lowell, Mass.
LowellSpinners.com

Museums & Galleries
Western Avenue Studios
Western Avenue is home to the largest artist community on the eastern seaboard of the U.S. The 5-acre complex and its varied brick mill buildings host 250 work-only studios, 50 live/work lofts, over a dozen teaching artists, the artist-run Loading Dock Gallery and the Onyx Room Performance Space. Visit during their Open Studios events to meet the artists and learn more.
122 Western Ave.  |  Lowell, Mass.
WesternAvenueStudios.com

 

Stop by next week for the winners in the ‘Milestone – Longevity in Business’ category.

The 2019 MVMAs are sponsored by:

Filed Under: Community, MVMA Tagged With: 2019, Arts Venue, family fun, live music, Lowell Folk Festival, Lowell Spinners, Merrimack Repertory Theatre, Merrimack Valley, merrimack valley magazine, Merrimack Valley Magazine Awards, Museums and Galleries, MVMA, MVMAs, play, theater, things to do, Venue, western avenue studios

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