Wilbury’s spirited ‘Girl From The North Country’ sparkles

May 31, 2026

Wilbury’s spirited ‘Girl From The North Country’ sparkles

Review by Joe Siegel

Wilbury Theatre Group wraps up their 2025-2026 season with the Bob Dylan musical “Girl From the North Country.”

With a script by Conor McPherson and direction by Josh Short, this is a melancholy yet high-spirited production with a first-rate cast.

The story takes place in a boarding house in a small mining town during the Great Depression.

“Every winter feels seven months long,” says the kindly Dr. Walker (Matt Fraza) of life in Minnesota. Walker doubles as the show’s Narrator.

Jim O’ Brien plays Nick Laine, the proprietor, who is facing foreclosure from the bank. His wife Elizabeth (Anne Scurria) is suffering from dementia.

Nick’s son Gene (Carlin Fournier) writes short stories and poems. Gene is heartbroken when his girlfriend Kate (Carrie Tully) leaves him for a new job in Boston. Fournier and Tully perform the tender ballad “I Want You.”

Nick’s adopted teenage daughter Marianne (Kimstelle Merisma in a smashing debut) is having a baby out of wedlock.

Scott Levine plays the elderly and good-hearted Mr. Perry, who offers to marry Marianne.

Their guests include Mrs. Neilsen (Jessica Gates), a widow who owns a business in town, Reverend Marlowe (Philip Iredale, a bible salesman, and Joe Scott (Rodney Witherspoon II), a boxer and ex-convict.

The troubled Burke family (Tanya Martin, Ricky Waugh, Jon Mael) have their own set of problems.

Many of the characters are attempting to escape their pasts while trying to survive in a blighted economic landscape. There is heartbreak and tragedy, as well as a sense of family and community.

This all could have ended up being an incredibly depressing experience, but the high quality of the performances and the energy of the Bob Dylan songs give the show a radiant buoyancy.

Scurria, a veteran of Trinity Repertory Company, is outstanding as a woman slowly losing her mind. Elizabeth fires off a series of withering critiques of everyone she encounters, especially her husband.

Scurria also proves to be a dynamic vocalist as Elizabeth rocks out with “Like a Rolling Stone.” The joy is infectious.

O’Brien gives a richly textured portrayal of Nick, a loving but flawed family man. The compassion Nick feels for Elizabeth is mixed with deep anger over her mental condition.

O’Brien and Scurria play off each other so effectively in their scenes together. Every moment is believable, every gesture perfectly executed.

Another excellent performance is Witherspoon, last featured in “The Comeuppance”. Witherspoon exhibits tremendous charisma and inner strength as Joe, a man searching for redemption.

The entire cast shines on the rousing “Girl From the North Country” and “Forever Young.”

The band, which appears on the side of the stage, included Tully, David Rabinow, Riley Ratcliff, Hannah B. Devine, Jeffrey Horton, and David Carney.

Special recognition needs to be given to scenic designer Monica Shinn and light and sound designer Andy Russ for their excellent work on this production. Niki Healy’s costumes were a delight.

The only flaw in “Girl From the North Country” is that some characters end up being underutilized due to the large ensemble.

Overall, 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. I look forward to seeing all of them again.

Girl From the North Country runs through June 21. Wilbury Theatre Group. Performances at the Waterfire Arts Center, 475 Valley St. Providence. Runtime is 2 hours 30 minutes with intermission. For tickets, visit http://www.thewilburygroup.org.