MERRIMACK REPERTORY THEATRE

Founded in 1979, Merrimack Repertory Theatre (MRT) is a vital cultural, educational, and economic resource for the communities located in Lowell, Massachusetts and the surrounding Merrimack Valley region. We produce vibrant, contemporary plays that explore what it means to be alive today, and we contribute to the advancement of American theatre through the production of new works of literary merit, support of emerging and nationally-recognized artists, and the building of new audiences.

Under the artistic leadership of Sean Daniels, MRT is working to establish itself as a source of new work with a future life in American theatre. We are committed to building a national theatre for our city and a local home for national artists. MRT’s Patriot Program (our approach to establishing and supporting a network of artists associated with the theatre) is comprised of 70 actors, designers, playwrights, and directors richly diverse in age, race, geography, experience, and skill set, and helps to bring the community in Lowell and beyond access to some of the top names in American theatre.

In addition to our unwavering commitment to the highest artistic standards and the production of new work, MRT is also committed to increasing diversity both on and off the stage. Our home city of Lowell has a long history of immigration, and is one of the most diverse cities in the nation today. This diversity, however, has not always been reflected on the stage at MRT. In the three years since Sean arrived at MRT, we have committed to increasing diversity in our programming and our artists, and to increasing our engagement with the community. To this end, we have placed our focus on putting artists and the community at the center of our organization. We want the artists who work with us and the community around us to feel a mutual sense of ownership of the work being produced at MRT, and we want to encourage a greater sense of audience participation.

As the sole professional theatre in the Merrimack Valley region, MRT takes seriously its responsibility to educate and foster the next generation of artists, arts patrons, and culturally-aware leaders. To support this goal, we offer a range of education and outreach programs designed to introduce new audiences to the theatre, including the Cohort Club (a distinctive community immersion program that invites the public to follow a show from first rehearsal through opening night with access rehearsals, tech, artists, and more); Student Matinees (shows offered at a reduced rate during the school day for teachers and students from across the region); Young Company (our unique professional training program for high school students interested in careers in the theatre); post-show discussions featuring panelists from local organizations, artists, and more; and a variety of ticket discounts, including $5 Night, Lowell Resident Discount Night, and ongoing discounts for senior citizens, veterans, educators, and students.