The songs and music of artist Woody Guthrie have been carried out in so many iterations through the years that it’s tempting to suppose that we all know all about him. Award-winning musician and actor David M. Lutken has been creating and performing features of Woody Guthrie’s life for many years and continues to seek out new methods to specific the unimaginable brilliance of Woody. Speaking with Lutken is like going again in time to a different period whereas recognizing how so most of the social points proceed to be current. With a group of collaborators, Lutken has created a brand new model of Woody Sez with new characters and expanded views to get throughout the broad vary of Woody Guthrie, together with his intuitive sensitivity to humanity, struggling, equity, and equality.
Woody Sez: The Life and Music of Woody Guthrie is at present being carried out by way of October 25 at Dupont Underground, a Voices Pageant Manufacturing. In a latest interview, Lutken and Voices Pageant’s Founding Creative Producer Ari Roth shared insights concerning the present, together with how the underground efficiency location is a particular function, so we began with what makes this venue so particular.
Debbie Jackson: Earlier variations of this present have been seen on phases, live performance halls, and parks everywhere in the nation and the world, together with the Edinburgh Fringe Pageant. The Washington viewers continues to be within the early phases of exploring and accepting Dupont Underground as a viable efficiency area. What’s so particular concerning the venue that contributes to the efficiency?
David Lutken: Dupont Underground is a superb efficiency area for every kind of causes. Initially, we’re in a position to showcase an exhibit that was created by Woody Guthrie Publications, full of archival footage and messages about Guthrie’s life and work, a part of “Woody at 100.” Viewers members can get a way of the entire Woody Guthrie expertise by strolling by way of the lengthy hallway to the efficiency area and get immersed within the points for a full expertise.
Ari Roth: Agree. Whereas the 1,000-foot-long hallway has been used for exhibitions in different performances, that is the primary time that an exhibit within the area is immediately aligned with the precise efficiency on stage — which reinforces the scenes, photographs, and content material materials of the present, a major function.
David Lutken: Sure, we’re all having fun with the acoustics of being within the Underground – we’re on a platform, nevertheless it nonetheless seems like we’re all along with the viewers, smiling, laughing, becoming a member of us for the complete expertise. I keep in mind being within the choir, and after we wished to listen to the tones, we’d get in a stairwell and listen to the echo; you’re feeling the vibration, like being in church with the musical reverberation throughout you. It contributes to the immersive ambiance with the clapping sounds and laughter. It truly is spectacular to be there.
It’s been satisfying bringing such pleasure to audiences who be a part of within the songs with such enthusiasm. Going again to a few of my early Greek research, the exhibit is sort of a passageway making ready the individuals, priming them for the last word expertise of what awaits, like main as much as the Parthenon.
Ari Roth: Contemplating the appreciable physicality of the present, performers expend full-blown power, bodily and emotionally. I’d love you to share the way you put together for the reveals to maintain up the stamina mandatory for every efficiency, together with all of the top-tier vocals required. I’m frankly astonished by how you progress within the area and sustain all through the years for all of the reveals.
David Lutken: Nicely, being from Texas, I’m keen on a number of beans and jalapeño peppers! [Laughter] Truly, I’ve been doing this for 40 years and respect the necessity to nurture and look after my physique, particularly with every passing 12 months. It doesn’t get any simpler yearly, nevertheless it continues to be fulfilling. And that’s why I respect the collaboration of extremely completed fellow artists Raquel Chavez, Margaret Dudasik, and Hubby Jenkins on the market with me to share the load.
The present advanced from being shorter segments developed for prime schoolers to being a staple on the Edinburgh Fringe Pageant, the place it received a prize for better of the Fringe this 12 months. How did the Northlight Theater in Chicago change into a part of this newest iteration?
David Lutken: All of it comes all the way down to connections made alongside the way in which and who you belief to assist inform the story. Northlight and Ari independently produced an early model of Woody Sez again in 2012, and 10 years later, Northlight produced one other play Sherry Lutken and I co-wrote.
Ari Roth: That led to the involvement of Northlight’s Affiliate Creative Director, Georgette Verdin, who directed this present, and two nice Chicago-based designers, all recruited by Chicago-based govt producer Brannon Wiles, and so they’re partnering with the DC Voices Pageant crew to make this occur right here and now.
David Lutken: The present resonates with individuals everywhere in the world. We simply returned from the Edinburgh Fringe in August, the place we had been chosen for a “Spirit of the Fringe” award and hosted an assortment of well-attended Hootenannies, and we stay up for extra gatherings right here [Sundays, October 18 and 25, 5:30–6:30 PM at Dupont Underground — no tickets required, free, just show up].
One new phase that we’re enthusiastic about, a completely new function on this manufacturing solely, is a rendition of certainly one of Woody’s songs that had a nationwide influence, “The Blinding of Issac Woodard,” carried out with ardour and style by Hubby Jenkins. It tells the story of an African American WWII veteran who served his nation with distinction, earned a fight star, solely to return residence to the States and be unmercifully crushed by a number of white law enforcement officials to the purpose of being blinded. The case made such nationwide headline information that even President Harry Truman turned conscious of the atrocities dedicated againstBlack troopers, and it turned one of many elements that toppled segregation within the armed companies.
One of many lyrics:
I believed I fought on the islands to do away with their sort;
However I can see this battle tons plainer now that I’m blind.
Ari Roth: The musicality of the tune aligns with the Mud Storm Catastrophe melody within the earlier act, and in addition the haunting topicality of “Deportees” carried out by Chavez that comes simply after helps deliver the sounds all collectively within the manufacturing and displays what’s occurring now in actual time.
David Lutken: Woody was very dedicated to being an “ally of the trigger,” which led to him generally being the one white participant at occasions; that didn’t deter him one bit. In truth, he was proud to be an outsider, which is how he felt more often than not. Lead Stomach was a great pal, as was Pete Seeger, and he carried out in a live performance with Paul Robeson and different African American performers.
He was extraordinarily dedicated to justice. His songs are a name to motion for individuals to think about, perceive, and keep in mind what’s occurring throughout us, then and now. The messages promote a social, cultural, and political consciousness.
Slightly than only a collection of songs and tunes, the present digs into the “internal world” of Woody Guthrie and divulges how his tragedies and hardships helped to form his name to motion.
Ari Roth: Sure, that’s a outstanding function that differentiates this from different reveals that compile his songs and music. This manufacturing actually mines the tragic losses in Woody’s life alongside his personal debilitating well being struggles, battling the identical sickness that he witnessed in his mom. His personal private historical past made him maybe extra delicate to the hardships in those who he tapped into. And that’s what individuals really feel deeply and respect: his resilience when he retains pushing ahead as they watch his tragic, triumphant, heartbreaking journey.
The present has change into a life journey expertise for you. It’s apparently been reshaped and reformatted through the years to get the place it’s now.
David Lutken: Again within the early years, Harold Levanthal, Woody’s outdated supervisor, was the one who initially inspired me to develop my rendition of songs and make it extra of a biography. A full group — Nick Corley and Darcie Deaville, Helen Jean Russell and Andy Teirstein — helped me devise the present mission. Additionally, I had entry to archival data, and the household opened up every kind of fabric to me. I bought an opportunity to see the triumphs, challenges, restlessness, wanderlust, and genius of Woody Guthrie. Mr. Levanthal and I wished to dig deeper than a tune assortment and to discover the place his causes got here from, his dedication to “communalism,” and his trigger for justice. Woody felt that the answer to so many social issues was individuals listening to, appreciating, respecting, and dealing with one another.
What a delight to speak with each of you to get the within scoop on this treasured artist. Right here’s hoping everybody takes the time to take pleasure in a quintessential American expertise and discover the heartfelt wonders of Woody Guthrie. Have a terrific run!
Working Time: Two hours, with a 15-minute intermission.
Woody Sez: The Life and Music of Woody Guthrie performs by way of October 25, 2026, introduced by Voices Pageant Productions, performing in Dupont Underground, 19 Dupont Circle NW, Washington, DC. All seats are normal admission, and tickets ($ 47.50; underneath 30, $21.75) could also be bought on-line. Tickets are additionally accessible at TodayTix.
Forged and artistic group credit are right here (scroll down).
Woody Sez: The Life and Music of Woody Guthrie
Devised by David M. Lutken with Nick Corley and Darcie Deaville, Helen Jean Russell & Andy Teirstein
Directed by Georgette Verdin
That includes: David M. Lutken, with Raquel Chavez, Margaret Dudasik, and Hubby Jenkins
SEE ALSO:
‘Woody Sez’ items DC with the music and message of Woody Guthrie (evaluation by Gregory Ford, October 13, 2026)
