INTERVIEW: Woody Guthrie’s music celebrated off-Broadway
The Irish Repertory Theatre in New York City recently extended its summer musical offering, Woody Sez: The Life & Music of Woody Guthrie, which celebrates the legacy of folk pioneer Woody Guthrie.
In the show, directed by Nick Corley, a cast of singers brings the iconic songs of Guthrie to life. Included among the selections are “This Land Is Your Land” and “So Long It’s Been Good to Know Yuh.” They sing songs, recite his poetic musings and share his simple, but profound political messages.
One of the four performers on stage is Helen Jean Russell, who co-devised the show with Corley, David M. Lutken, Darcie Deaville and Andy Teirstein. Russell has been with the show through its many iterations, including its first run in 2007 in Edinburgh, Scotland.
Recently, Hollywood Soapbox exchanged emails with Russell about the show and Guthrie’s music. Questions and answers have been slightly edited for style.
Were you a fan of Woody Guthrie’s music before joining this show?
My mother was a bit of a hippie and an elementary school music teacher, plus my own elementary school music teacher was very liberal and hip. So not only did I get folk music from my parents but also in school. Woody was one of many folk artists I knew about from an early age. My dad taught me to play multiple instruments. Before I entered school, he had us kids in an ‘orff’ group (recorders and various other German instruments, where I first learned to read music), singing folk music on the porch with my parents’ adult friends. He and my mom hosted a weekly madrigal group around our dining room table, and he taught me to play my first stringed instrument, the ukulele. My mom added in the piano.
What do you like most about performing Woody Guthrie’s songs?
I love performing the songs because of the caliber of musician I get to work with — they are amazing. Plus, the lyrics show me something new and different and relevant every time I sing them. Woody captured history, and we know history repeats itself, for the good or the bad.
What was it like to work with director Nick Corley?
Nick Corley is the best! He’s a brilliant storyteller and knows how to best showcase the talent he is working with. He (like David Lutken) makes it all look simple, but it’s actually quite complex, in a beautiful way. I love the precision and the flexibility of the show.
What do you hope audience members take away from Woody Sez?
We are blessed. The audience always gets it by the end. I think it is because it is a simple piece about the human condition, but it reaches out beyond that, especially to those with a direct connection to Huntington’s or a similar disease. Plus, David is so great with winning over the audience. He reels them in, the fisherman that he is. Ha ha.
Have you been interested in singing and theater since you were a child?
I’m been putting on shows with my sister and the neighbor kids since I was teeny. My mother used to drag me and my four siblings around to sing as a group. So, yes, I’ve been in this the whole time. It wasn’t until later in my life that I realized it was a profession. I just thought it was a normal thing to ‘do shows.’ Ha ha.
By John Soltes / Publisher / John@HollywoodSoapbox.com
Woody Sez: The Life & Music of Woody Guthrie is currently playing an extended run at the Irish Repertory Theatre in New York City. Click here for more information and tickets.
