Here’s a press release from our friends at the Puffin Foundation in Teaneck, NJ –

“Woody Sez,” the Argus Angel Award-winning celebration of Woody Guthrie’s words, music and spirit, is a joyous, toe-tapping, moving event, using Woody’s words and music to create a biographical and musical portrait of this legendary folk musician and social commentator. It brings together charismatic Broadway veteran David Lutken, as Woody, with actor/director Nick Corley and musicians Darcie Deauville, Andy Tiersten, and Helen Russell in a must-see performance of twin fiddles, guitars, bass, harmonica, banjo, mandolin, dulcimer, dobro and beautiful folk harmonies. “Woody Sez” gives voice to the spirit of this immortal American troubadour, just as he gave voice to the beauty and struggles of the common people. $15.00 suggested donation. Reservations recommended: tix@puffinfoundation.org. Friday, July10, 8:00 p.m. 20 Puffin Way (formerly East Oakdene Ave., off Teaneck Rd.) in Teaneck. Call 201-836-3499 or visit http://www.puffinculturalforum.org/.

THE “WOODY SEZ” COMPANY:

DAVID LUTKIN, born and raised in Dallas, Texas, received a BA in Classical Studies from Duke University and studied in London at the Royal School of Church Music, the Royal College of Music, and the Webber Douglas Academy of Dramatic Arts. His Broadway credits include “Ring of Fire,” “The Civil War” and “The Will Rogers Follies.” He has appeared at Carnegie Hall, with the New York City Opera, the Baton Rouge Symphony Orchestra and internationally in the UK and Europe. As a player of traditional American instruments, folk music comprises a very large part of his repertoire. David began his professional connection with Woody Guthrie and Woody Guthrie Publications in 1988, which led to his creating various folk music/ American history lessons for school children and young adults. Most recently seen in the 2007 Broadway revival of “Inherit the Wind,” David led the 1920’s gospel-style quartet and served as the production’s music supervisor.

DARCIE DEAVILLE, originally from Toronto, has collaborated with Ray Wylie Hubbard, Jimmy LaFave, Ani di Franco, Tom Paxton, Slaid Cleaves, the Austin Lounge Lizards, Tish Hinojosa, The Meat Purveyors and John McEuen. Darcie is equally at home playing the guitar, mandolin, octave mandolin or violin, and is also an accomplished actor, writer, producer and musical director. In August 2001, Darcie’s one woman musical, “Tornado In Slo Mo,” debuted at the Hyde Park Theatre in Austin, Texas, which she now calls home. She has recorded and released four CDs: “Darcie Deaville Plays the Fiddle and Sings” (Taller Dog), “Tornado In Slo Mo”(Redwing Music), “Ways To Fly Gillman Deaville” (Flying Fish Records) and “Last Hitchhiker on the Lost Highway” (independent). Her book on learning to playing the fiddle, “Twinkle, Twinkle Fiddle Star” is soon to be published.

HELEN RUSSELL has been playing and singing in theatrical and folk ensembles all of her life. An accomplished pianist, she took up the bass to join David Lutken’s “Seat of the Pants Band.” A Maryland native, now at home in New York City, Helen is the founder and director of The City Singers, an a capella choir, featured on Blues Traveler’s “Save Your Soul.” She has co-written and produced over 15 shows with Ten to One Productions, has recorded with Jane Gillman, Christine Lavin and Nick Demas, and can be heard on the original cast album of Woody Guthrie’s “American Song.” She was also a cast member for the European debut of “American Song.” Helen recently completed a 5- month tour of Austria (with Mr. Lutken and Ms. Deaville) in “This Land is Your Land” with Vienna’s English Theatre.

ANDY TEIRSTEIN, in addition to performing, writes music for the concert hall, film, theatre, and dance. He has composed several film scores, including “Men” for BBC and “Margaret Sanger” for PBS. Two of his musicals, “Winter Man” and “Skels” received an NEA Opera/Musical Theatre Award. Andy’s eclectic background has led him to collaborations with choreographers Donald Byrd, Stephen Petronio, Phyllis Lamhut, Liz Lerman, Sara Pearson, Nina Wiener, Patricia Nanon, and Randy Warshaw. He received an MFA as a member of the first class of the New York University Musical Theatre Program, where he studied with Leonard Bernstein, Stephen Sondheim and Arthur Laurents. He has continued his musical education in the pubs of Ireland, studying with Hopi and Cheyenne Indians in the U.S. and Mexico, performing as a musical clown with a Mexican circus and journeying to Romania and Bulgaria on an Artslink Fellowship to collect traditional music. Andy is currently Associate Professor of Arts at New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts.

NICK CORLEY (Director) has directed several world premieres, including recent off- Broadway productions of “Tall Grass” at the Beckett Theatre and “Flight at the Lucille Lortel.” He also directed “Fables in Slang – A Ragtime Revue,” “The Civil War”(co-directed with Gregory Boyd) at Houston’s Alley Theatre, “Eliot Ness In Cleveland” at Denver Theatre Center, “A Young Lady of Fashion” at the historic Fulton Opera House, “The Overcoat” (Fringe Festival), “The Bomb-itty of Errors” at the Adirondack Theatre Festival, “The Little Foxes” at the Fulton Opera House, Ned Rorem’s “Four Dialogues” at Merkin Concert Hall and “Sherlock’s Last Case at the Alley Theatre.” Recent productions include “The Ghost Brothers of Darkland County” by Stephen King and John Mellencamp, and Lance Horne and Mark Campbell’s “A Hunger Artist.” ______________________________________________________________________The Puffin Cultural Forum is a project of the Puffin Foundation, Ltd and hopes through the arts to encourage dialog about issues important to the community. The Forum is located at 20 Puffin Way (formerly East Oakdene Avenue) in Teaneck, NJ right off of Teaneck Road. For directions, upcoming events, or other information about the Puffin Cultural Forum please consult puffinculturalforum.org or call us at 201-836-3499. This and all other Puffin Cultural Forum events and programs are underwritten by the Puffin Foundation, Ltd. in an effort to make it possible for anyone to attend.