Northern Stage to Present World Premiere of THE VERMONT FARM PROJECT Musical
The production runs from May 7–25, 2025, in the Byrne Theater at the Barrette Center for the Arts.
By: Josh Sharpe Apr. 03, 2025
Northern Stage’s 2024/25 Season will conclude with the world premiere of The Vermont Farm Project, an indie-folk musical about life on the land, running from May 7–25, 2025, in the Byrne Theater at the Barrette Center for the Arts.
With music and lyrics by Tommy Crawford, a book by Jessica Kahkoska, and direction and development by Northern Stage’s BOLD Associate Artistic Director Sarah Elizabeth Wansley, The Vermont Farm Project is based on three years of interviews with farmers in the Upper Valley and beyond. The result is a joyful, heartfelt musical that celebrates the spirit of agricultural life in Vermont. Single tickets are available HERE.
Set over the course of one day on a Vermont farm, The Vermont Farm Project tells the interwoven stories of an eclectic community of farmers — young and old, seasoned and just beginning — as they navigate the rhythms of work, tradition, and change. With original indie-folk songs and a deep sense of place, the musical asks us to reflect on what we harvest and what we leave behind.
Directed and developed by BOLD Associate Artistic Director Sarah Elizabeth Wansley (Sweat and Constellations at Northern Stage), the production reunites Northern Stage with frequent collaborator and composer Tommy Crawford, known to local audiences for his folk music and his performance as Paul McCartney in Only Yesterday (at Northern Stage). Playwright Jessica Kahkoska (Dramaturg for Good Night and Good Luck on Broadway) brings her deep research-based storytelling to the book, anchoring the musical in the real voices of Vermonters.
This premiere is also a family affair: director Sarah Elizabeth Wansley and composer Tommy Crawford are married with two small children, bringing a unique collaborative spark to the project that mirrors the themes of a “family farm” at the heart of the story.
Special Events:
- Pay-What-You-Can Previews: Wednesday, May 7 & Thursday, May 8 at 7:30 PM ($5 minimum)
- Opening Night: Saturday, May 10 at 7:30 PM
- Special Post-Show Talkback: Sunday, May 11 after the 5:00 PM - A talkback with director Sarah Wansley and two of the farmers who were interviewed for the development of the musical.
- Subscriber Party: Friday, May 16 at 6:30 PM – Complimentary drinks and snacks for 2024/25 subscribers
- Relaxed Matinee Performance: Saturday, May 17 at 2:00 PM – An inclusive performance with sensory and social accommodations
- Post-Show Conversation: Saturday, May 17 following the 7:30 PM performance – Free and open to the public
- Hootenanny: Sunday, May 18 after the performance (around 6:45 PM) - Dig that guitar or harmonica out from the back of your closet and come play some folk tunes with cast members from The Vermont Farm Project. No ticket purchase is necessary. All ages and skill levels are invited to join in the jam!
Vermont Awards - Live Stats
Best Musical - Top 3
1.
SWEENEY TODD (Vermont Repertory Theatre)
13% of votes
2.
NEWSIES (Lyric Theatre Company)
11.4% of votes
3.
KIN A NEW MUSICAL (Workaround Theatre Company)
9.2% of votes
Videos