June 11 - July 6 | Walker Farm
ALMOST HEAVEN:
John Denver's America
Orchestrations & Vocal Arrangements by Jeff Waxman
Original Concept by Harold Thau
Songs by John Denver and others
Directed by Sherry Stregack Lutken
Echoing from the Rocky Mountain highs to the Green Mountains of Vermont, John Denver's timeless music celebrates nature, love, and the story of America's communal spirit. From "Take Me Home, Country Roads" to "Annie's Song" to "Leaving on a Jet Plane," this uplifting story of Denver's life and art brings his iconic music to life with heart and harmony. A celebration of the melodies that inspire us to dream of new roads and new destinations.
Runtime: 2 hours (including intermission)
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Wed, June 11 | 7:30 (Preview) | Pre-Show Talk
Thurs, June 12 | 7:30 (Preview) | Pre-Show Talk
Fri, June 13 | 7:30 (Opening)
Sat, June 14 | 2pm and 7:30pm
Sun, June 15 | 2pm | Post-Show Talkback
Tues, June 17 | 7:30pm
Wed, June 18 | 2pm and 7:30pm
Thurs, June 19 | 2pm
Fri, June 20 | 7:30 pm
Sat, June 21 | 2pm and 7:30
Sun, June 22 | 2pm | Post-Show Talkback
Tues, June 24 | 7:30 pm
Wed, June 25 | 2pm & 7:30
Thurs, June 26 | 2pm
Fri, June 27 | 7:30 pm
Sat, June 28 | 2 pm & 7:30 pm
Sun, June 29 | 2 pm | Post-Show Talkback
Tues, July 1 | 7:30 pm
Wed, July 2 | 2 pm & 7:30 pm
Thurs, July 3 | 2 pm
Fri, July 4 | 2 pm
Sat, July 5 | 2 pm & 7:30 pm
Sun, July 6 | 2 pm
*Hootenannies to be scheduled
ARTISTIC & CREATIVE TEAM
Director: Sherry Stregack Lutken
Music Director: Morgan Morse
Musical Staging by: Sherry Stregack Lutken
Production Stage Manager: Lia Jennings
Assistant Stage Manager: Ty Danhaus
Set Designer: Luke Cantarella
Assistant Scenic Designer: Kelly Daigneault
Costume Designer: Aidan Griffiths
Lighting Designer: Kenton Yeager
Sound Designer: Sun Hee Kil
Assistant to the Sound Designer: Lillian Paone
Projection Designer: Joe Payne
Music Coordinator: Jeremy Yaddaw
Casting - Michael Cassara, CSA
MEET THE CAST
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Tora is thrilled to be at the Weston Theater Company for the first time with this amazing group of artists! New York: Twelfth Night (The Acting Company) We Do The Same Thing Every Week (Attractive Nuisance) Regional: The Importance of Being Earnest, The Rewards of Being Frank, Kindred Spirits (Cincinnati Shakespeare Company) The Heart of Robin Hood, Richard II (Hudson Valley Shakespeare Festival) Tour: 1984, The Odyssey (Aquila Theatre) TV/Film: “Rise.” BA from Fordham University. Website: www.toraalexander.com Much love to my friends, family and Justin for their constant support.
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Katy Cotten is thrilled to be joining this insanely talented cast. They are a recent BFA Musical Theatre graduate from University of Memphis. Regional premiere credits include Natasha, Pierre and the Great Comet of 1812 (Natasha Rostova), The Prom (Emma Nolan), Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (Veruca Salt), Punk Rock Girl! (Angela Quivers), and Billy Elliot the Musical (Debbie Wilkinson) at Playhouse on the Square. College credits include Elektra (Clytemnestra), Vices: A Love Story (Singer), Starting Here, Starting Now (Actor), and Twelfth Night (Feste) at the University of Memphis. They give love to the Cotten clan and to their super partner Mara. Instagram: @ktcotten
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Jack Gerhard is thrilled to be up in Vermont this summer playing some of his favorite music, and he’s even more thrilled to be doing it alongside some good pals. Previous credits include Once (National Tour) Once (Maltz Jupiter) and Almost Heaven (The Rev). He hopes you love the show, and that you’ll check out some of his original music, which can be found anywhere you like to stream! Cheers!
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Maggie Hollinbeck is happy to be back in Weston working with these fine folks! Some of Maggie’s recent roles include Once (1st national tour); Red Roses, Green Gold (Off-Broadway); Ring of Fire (Florida Rep); Woody Sez (Ivoryton Playhouse and GEVA Theatre Center); Buddy: The Buddy Holly Story (Weston Playhouse). With her music partner Graham Sobelman, Maggie is co-developing Songs from Eagle Pond, a love story centered on New Hampshire-based poets Jane Kenyon and Donald Hall.
Website: www.maggiehollinbeckcreative.com
Instagram: @maggiehollinbeck.creative
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Morgan Morse is an actor, musician and writer originally from Connecticut. Selected credits: Hank Williams in Hank Williams: Lost Highway (Ivoryton Playhouse), Andrej in Once (Cape Playhouse/others), Joe Peltner in Hester Street (Theater J), Billy Cane in Bright Star (Arrow Rock Lyceum), Storyteller in Southern Comfort (Public Theater, NYC). The Porch on Windy Hill, a new play that he co-wrote, was produced at Weston in 2024. In addition to theatre, he writes original music and makes comedy videos online (more info at morganmorse.com!).
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Kris is a New York-based actor-musician and is pleased to be a part of this Weston production! Credits include: A Christmas Carol (Tour - SF), Once (Pioneer Theatre Co., Geva Theatre), and HAIR (Berkshire Theatre Group). Many thanks to Riverside and the company!
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David finch is happy to be in Vermont during the Summer! As a musician Finch has played beside Alan Cumming, Serj Tankian, Tony Bennett, Amanda Palmer, Kylie Minogue, Dee Snider and many more amazing artists. As an actor/musician: Broadway; Cabaret, West End; Woody Sez. He played chromatic harmonica as the Mock Turtle in the opera Alice In Wonderland with the BBC Symphony Orchestra in London and the L.A. Phil. National/Int.Tours: Cabaret, Fame the Musical. Please visit fiddlerfinch.com
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Margaret Dudasik is delighted to be back at Weston, last seen here as Ex-Girlfriend in 2017’s Once. Nat’l tour: Roundabout Theatre Company’s Cabaret. Off B’way: A Child’s Christmas in Wales (Irish Rep). Select regional: Bright Star (Arrow Rock Lyceum), Escape to Margaritaville (Ivoryton Playhouse), Million Dollar Quartet Christmas (Bucks County Playhouse), Hank Williams: Lost Highway (Florida Rep), Buddy: The Buddy Holly Story (The MUNY), Smoke on the Mountain (Flat Rock Playhouse), Ring of Fire (German premiere, Deutsches Theater München). Margaret is an accomplished Irish fiddle and tin whistle player, having represented the US at the Fleadh Cheoil World Championships seven times. Proud Pace University MT. MargaretDudasik.com
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NEW YORK AND OFF-BROADWAY: Georama (Playwrights Horizons); 90210! The Musical! (Theatre 80); Gogol (Todd Almond, Josh Schmidt); Chapters (Alanya Bridge). REGIONAL AND TOURS: Sunny Afternoon (US Premiere at Chicago Shakespeare Theater); Once, Peter Pan, and Hairspray (Syracuse Stage); Jersey Boys (Theatre Aspen); The Old Man and the Old Moon (South Coast Repertory); A Christmas Carol (Alabama Shakespeare Festival); Once (California Center for the Arts, Escondido); Disney on Classic (Japan National Tour); Man of La Mancha (Arizona Theatre Company); Million Dollar Quartet (NCL); As You Like It (Great River Shakespeare Festival); The Music Man (Oregon Shakespeare Festival). FILM: My Hero (Feature Film). EDUCATION: BFA, Syracuse University. IG: @a_marcu. Special thanks to Gray Talent Group.
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David is excited to be back in Weston. He appeared here as Woody Guthrie in Woody Sez in 2023, and as Edgar Wilson in last season’s The Porch on Windy Hill. BROADWAY: Inherit the Wind; Ring of Fire; The Civil War; The Will Rogers Follies. N.Y. CITY OPERA: Paul Bunyan OFF-BROADWAY: Southern Comfort; Stars in Your Eyes; Winter Man; The Portable Pioneer & Prairie Show; Woody Sez: The Life & Music of Woody Guthrie (woodysez.com) - Outer Critics’ Circle, Off-Broadway Alliance and Drama League Best Musical nominations. REGIONAL: The Vermont Farm Project, Our Town; Man of La Mancha; Once; Big River; Elmer Gantry; Finian’s Rainbow; Fire On the Mountain; Lost Highway; On Golden Pond; Buddy; Pump Boys and Dinettes; Mark Twain’s River of Song, and The Porch on Windy Hill (theporchonwindyhill.com) His most recent, favorite performance is the 10-hour Audiobook recording of his late father, Peter K. Lutken, Jr.’s, Memoir: “A Thousand Places Left Behind: One Soldier’s Account of Jungle Warfare in WWII Burma”, available on Audible, libro.fm, and other audiobook platforms.
Website: www.maggiehollinbeckcreative.com
Instagram: @maggiehollinbeck.creative
June 17 - June 29
July 16 - Aug 10
Aug 20 - Aug 31
Sept 26 - Oct 12