Seacoast Rep's VIOLET - A Musical Journey of Self Discovery Through the American South

The Seacoast Repertory Theatre will take its audiences on a musical pilgrimage through the American South in Violet, the award-winning story of a young woman's search for healing on a bus trip that takes her to places she didn't expect.

Violet the musical has grown in reputation and popularity since its off-Broadway debut in 1997. It was staged on Broadway in 2014, and has been put on by several regional theaters. It opens at the Seacoast Rep on March 10

"It's definitely had a big revival," said Taryn Herman, who is directing the Seacoast Rep's production. "It's something special, for sure. The music just sticks with you."

Violet is based on the 1973 short story "The Ugliest Pilgrim," by North Carolina writer Doris Betts. The show's debut production won the Best Musical award from the New York Drama Critics Circle, and the Broadway version was nominated for four Tony awards.

The musical depicts the journey of Violet Karl, a mountain girl whose face was disfigured in a horrible accident. Violet boards a Greyhound bus in North Carolina hoping that a preacher in Tulsa can heal her scar. On her trip to Oklahoma she is joined by two soldiers, Flick and Monty, who challenge her faith in the preacher and compete for her affections.

"Violet goes looking for a miracle with this preacher, but she finds the miracle in this person she meets on the bus," Herman said.

Flick, unlike Monty and Violet, is African-American, and the musical reflects the racial tension of the South in 1964. But there are modern echoes, said Alyssa Dumas, who plays Violet.

"It's taking a step back in time, but at the same time, not," Dumas said. "As horrible as it is now, I feel like history is repeating itself."

"Some of lines, it's shocking to hear in rehearsal, to hear the slang and the terms that they use for people," Dumas said. "It's very crazy to realize that this his how people were, and this is how people are now too."

Another challenge for Dumas was playing flashback scenes with Caroline Shaheen, who plays Violet as a child, before the accident. It takes careful physical and emotional coordination. "We made sure we get hand gestures the same, when it comes to hiding our scar, and that we're getting the physicality the same way. It's definitely challenging to try to bring your young memories back into your older self."

The musical score was written by Jeanine Tesori, a Tony-winning composer who also wrote scores for Shrek the Musical, Fun Home, and Caroline, and it portrays the rich range of Southern music.

"That's where the most of story is told, in the songs," Herman said. "It has a little bit of everything - gospel, country, folk. They go through Memphis at one point so it's go that blues and rock and roll of that time."

Dumas is a Plymouth State University graduate who debuted last year with the Seacoast Rep in the pop-music revue The Marvelous Wonderettes, also directed by Herman. Dumas has had to put a twang into her singing for Violet. But she got an early start, growing up in a country-music listening family and appearing in a country music competition in her middle-school years.

Flick is played by New York-area actor Michael Crumbley. A mix of Seacoast veterans and newcomers round out the cast. The music director is University of New Hampshire Musical Theater Director John Berst, whose ensemble will perform on stage for the show.

There is a universal message in Violet's journey to overcome the personal demons she has buried under her disfigurement, Herman said. "We're all on a journey and we all have some scars whether they are visible or not," Herman said. "We all need something to believe in."

Violet is proudly sponsored by D.F Richard.

Violet runs March 10-April 2. Showtimes are Thursdays at 7:30, Fridays at 8 pm, Saturdays at 2 pm and 8 pm, and Sundays at 2 pm. There is a special showing on March 24th at 10 am. Tickets are available through the Seacoast Rep box office at 603-433-4472, or online at www.seacoastrep.org/tickets. For student discounts, call the box office. The Seacoast Repertory Theatre's 2017 season is sponsored in part by Bondgarden Farms, PPMTV, MacEdge, Town & Country Services, and The Sheraton Portsmouth Harborside Hotel

The Seacoast Repertory Theatre is a 501(c)3 non-profit theatre committed to providing a variety of programming for the community. The Rep presents professional programming through its Mainstage, alternative programming through its Red Light Series and also offers a variety of programs for youth and seniors. For more information, or to schedule an interview, please call Director of Marketing BrIan Kelly at 603-785-2782 or at marketing@seacoastrep.org. For artistic questions please contact Interim Artistic Director Miles Burns at 603-498-8202 or at miles@seacoastrep.org.

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