Overview
Synopsis
It is the winter of 1934 and America is in the midst of the Great Depression. And nowhere is it more keenly felt than in a rundown boarding house in Duluth, Minnesota. Proprietor Nick Laine is struggling to keep the house from being taken over by the bank, while his wife Elizabeth suffers from dementia and floats in and out of moments of clarity. He has been having an affair with Mrs Neilsen, one of the renters, but is she what he really wants? Nick and Elizabeth’s children also have their own problems--Gene is going nowhere in life and struggles with the demon drink, while Marianne is unmarried and 5 months pregnant. In a Eugene O’Neill-esque storyline, guests and various eccentric locals come in and out of the house, all with their own secrets and backstories. From jail time to blackmail to morphine addiction, their secrets are slowly revealed to the haunting backdrop of Bob Dylan’s evocative music.
Show Information
- Book
- Conor McPherson
- Music
- Bob Dylan
- Lyrics
- Bob Dylan
- Category
- Musical
- Age Guidance
- Thirteen Plus (PG-13)
- Number of Acts
- 2
- First Produced
- 2017
- Genres
- Drama
- Settings
- Period, Unit/Single Set
- Time & Place
- A Fair-Sized Family House, Which Is Now Serving As A Guesthouse In Duluth, Minnesota, Winter, 1934
- Cast Size
- medium
- Orchestra Size
- Small
- Dancing
- Optional
- Licensor
- Nick Hern Book
- Ideal For
- College/University, Diverse Cast, Professional Theatre, Regional Theatre, Mostly Male Cast, Includes Mature Adult, Late Teen, Young Adult, Adult Characters, Medium Cast
Context
Plot
Characters
| Name | Part Size | Gender | Vocal Part |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Lead |
Male |
Baritone |
|
|
Lead |
Female |
Mezzo-Soprano, Alto |
|
|
Supporting |
Female |
Mezzo-Soprano, Alto |
|
|
Supporting |
Male |
Tenor, Baritone |
|
|
Supporting |
Female |
Soprano, Mezzo-Soprano |
|
|
Supporting |
Male |
Baritone |
|
|
Supporting |
Female |
Mezzo-Soprano |
|
|
Supporting |
Male |
Tenor, Baritone |
|
|
Supporting |
Male |
Tenor, Baritone |
|
|
Supporting |
Male |
Tenor, Baritone, Bass |
|
|
Supporting |
Male |
Tenor, Baritone, Bass |
|
|
Featured |
Male |
Tenor, Baritone |
|
|
Featured |
Female |
Mezzo-Soprano |
Songs
Act One
- "Sign on the Window" - Ensemble
- "Went to See the Gypsy" - Mrs Neilsen
- "Tight Connection to My Heart (Has Anybody Seen My Love)" - Marianne Laine
- "Slow Train" - Reverend Marlowe, Joe Scott
- "License to Kill" - Mrs Neilsen, Marianne, Kate, Ensemble
- "I Want You" - Gene Laine, Kate Draper
- "Like a Rolling Stone" - Elizabeth Laine
Act Two
- "Make You Feel My Love" - Ensemble
- "You Ain't Going Nowhere" - Ensemble
- "Jokerman" - Ensemble
- "Sweetheart Like You" - Mrs Burke, Mrs Neilsen
- "True Love Tends to Forget" - Mrs Neilsen
- "Girl from the North Country" - Ensemble
- "Hurricane" - Joe Scott
- "Idiot Wind" - Marianne Laine, Joe Scott
- "Duquesne Whistle" - Elias Burke
- "Señor (Tales of Yankee Power)" - Elias Burke, Kate, Reverend Marlowe
- "Is Your Love in Vain?" - Mr and Mrs Burke
- “Jokerman [reprise]” - Ensemble
- "Forever Young" - Elizabeth, Ensemble
A song with an asterisk (*) before the title indicates a dance number; a character listed in a song with an asterisk (*) by the character's name indicates that the character exclusively serves as a dancer in this song, which is sung by other characters.
Monologues
Scenes
Key Terms
A condition characterized by a loss of memory and trouble retaining information, usually occurring in old age.
The financial and industrial slump of 1929 and subsequent years.
A musical that features hit songs of a popular music group or genre.
Videos
Quizzes
Themes, Symbols & Motifs
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Quote Analysis
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Guide Written By:
Alexandra Appleton
Writer, editor and theatre researcher