Houdini – a Montreal connection becomes a Montreal creation
By Peter Kerr
Harry
Houdini was arguably one of the most famous entertainers of the 20th
Century, certainly in the first half. While in Montreal for a
performance, a McGill student surprised the great escape artist with a
fierce punch to the abdomen, and Houdini died soon after from the
effects of the blow…or was there another factor in his premature
death? Houdini’s connection to Montreal will be part of the
original musical opening at The Segal centre for performing Arts in
February; co-produced by Ernst & Young and The Montreal Highlights
Festival.
| The Leanor and Alvin Segal Theatre has participated in the annual
Montreal Highlights Festival since its inception 9 years ago. A winter
celebration of cultural and artistic activities; the festival is run by
Équipe Spectra, the same folks who organize our world famous
Montreal International Jazz Festival. This year, The Segal is playing a
central role in the Festival - with the staging of an original musical:
Houdini, with book by Ben Gonshor, lyrics by Elan Kunin and directed by
Bryna Wasserman.I n a recent interview, Ben gave us a behind-the-scenes
glimpse into how this evolved. |

Ben Gonshor – “It’s an absolute trip to hear the words you’ve written spoken out loud.” |
“Bryna Wasserman had directed a successful Yiddish musical based
on Houdini in 2000 at both the Segal Theatre and the Monument National.
It was a limited run, but it was successful and gave her an insight
into Houdini’s story. There have been very few dramatic
interpretations of his life – let alone a dramatic stage
presentation.” Ben continues; “In the 50s, there was a
movie with Tony Curtis and Janet Leigh. Then, in 2006 the book, The
Secret Life of Harry Houdini once again brought him and his legendary
status forward. In today’s show business reference –
Houdini was ‘hot’.”
“There are many fascinating aspects to his life. His incredible
feats of magic, his work as a spy, his relationship with the
Spiritualist movement, and his friendships with high profile figures
such as Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. In addition to his talent; Houdini was
highly adept a self-promotion – making him the first mega-star of
the 20th Century.”
“After WWI, there were millions of people who wanted to believe
that they could communicate with sons and husbands that had been killed
in the war. The Spiritualist movement literally preached that their
mediums could do this. |

Elan Kunin is the composer and lyricist of Houdini |
While he was always prepared to be a believer,
particularly following the death of his beloved mother, Houdini could
never be convinced. He became disenchanted and continually challenged
the validity of the Spiritualists’ claims, asserting that his
magic was entertainment, and the other was fraud masked under the guise
of religion.”
The situation became very serious for Houdini. He had debunked the
Spiritualist contentions so thoroughly that many of them had lost their
livelihood, and his personal safety was in jeopardy. This is how the
theory that Houdini was poisoned by his rivals came about. Following
the 2006 book release, his last living relative wanted Houdini exhumed
and DNA testing done to confirm (or not) that he had been poisoned. Ben
explains: “Harry Houdini was back in the news!”
“At the very least, most musicals take two years from conception
to being staged. Bryna decided that we’d do it in 12 months. As
she says ‘Sometimes you have to take a risk’.” Ben
continues; “On the practical side – Elan and I have had
very close working relationships with Bryna over the years, and she
believed that we could accomplish the task.”
Ben explains how Houdini came to play a significant role in the
Montreal Highlights Festival. “With Bryna having commissioned
Elan and me to write the musical, we felt that this would be a good
year to approach the festival management with the idea that we’d
play a larger role. It was consistent with the investment that Leanor
and Alvin Segal were making with the rebirth of this facility as a
performing arts centre.” |

Bryna
Wasserman is the Artistic and Executive Director of the Segal centre
for Perfoming Arts – and the driving force behind the creation
and production of Houdini |
An appointment was made with Alain Simard, President of Groupe Spectra
and co-founder of the Jazz Festival. “He liked the concept right
from the very start, and asked his colleagues André Menard and
Caroline Price to join the discussion.” Ben continues; “At
this point- all we had was an idea. Mind you – we’re not
amateurs – but still it was a leap of faith for them. Not only
did we want them to co-produce, and thereby making a financial
commitment, we were candid in saying that the musical would be in
English.”
“I’m very proud that we were able to convey our passion for
the project, thereby making it easy for them to say
‘Yes’.”
“Alain suggested that we go for lunch to further discuss the
production. I was thinking – ‘This is as good as it gets
– like being in LA and solidifying a movie deal over lunch with
the chairman of a major Hollywood studio.’ As it turned out,
André Menard is a great fan of theatre, and goes to shows in New
York, London, Toronto and Paris when he’s scouting talent for the
Jazz Festival. He and Bryna started talking about theatre and it was as
if they had known each other for decades – and yet we’d
just a short time before!”
“The deal was struck – The Montreal Highlights Festival
would co-produce the show and Houdini would be a premiere featured
production of this year’s festival.”
Houdini has become a ‘brand’ associated with illusion,
entertainment and skill. We’re going to show you tricks that were
revolutionary at the time – and are still pretty cool.”
Our visit is drawing to close, and Ben’s excitement for Houdini
is palpable. He’s excited about his contribution and the opening
of the show. “So here we are – 2 weeks before rehearsal.
Bryna has been to New York and Toronto to find the cast. We have 14
actors and a 6 person orchestra. This has been a collaborative effort
– but so much credit has to go to Bryna for having the vision and
the ability to take the creative risk in staging a project like
this.”
Houdini opens at The Segal Centre for the Performing Arts on February
10 and runs until March 2. For tickets, please call the box office:
514-739-7944.
Editor’s Note: Ben Gonshor is the Director of Marketing and
Communications & Executive Producer of Online and New Media for The
Segal Centre for Performing Arts; and has written several engaging
travel articles for The Montrealer - with a focus on his passion for
golf.
The Syringa Tree – a stunning performance of a riveting story
By Peter Kerr
Now
I understand what the fuss was all about. A smash Off-Broadway hit for
two years, this award winning play will undoubtedly capture the
imagination of Montreal audiences. While attending a press briefing
before opening night, Kika Armata, Centaur’s Director of
Communications told me that a small dress rehearsal audience gave a
standing ovation – a first in the history of Centaur rehearsals.
| The
Syringa Tree is a reflection of the real life experiences of playwright
Pamela Gien, who grew up in South Africa and was a young girl during
early days of the apartheid policies invoked in 1963. Central to this
play was the rule that prevented black servants working and living in a
white household to keep their children with them – even if their white
employer was agreeable. |

Caroline Cave |
We
see how ultimately this policy trapped both white and non-white
populations. Elizabeth, the main character and narrator; has a nanny
Salamina, who gives birth, and ultimately her daughter Moliseng must go
to Soweto to live with her grandmother. A family is torn apart, and
there are consequences that on an individual level are representative
of what eventually shook the social foundations South Africa.
Caroline
Cave plays all twenty-six characters in a stunning performance of an
equally riveting story. She is able to switch from the
“Lizzie”; to her father; to her nanny and so on throughout
the play. The reasoning behind this is that it is her story - and her
life that is being revealed - and who better to interpret this vision
than the central character. “I spent a month in South Africa,
studying and observing the types of people who are the play’s
characters; and then I made a mental construction of each
character,” explained Caroline in describing how she deals with
the huge task of portraying 26 people. She continues, “As I
breathe out the last line of one character, I take in my next breath as
the next character. It becomes almost like muscle memory.” In one
scene where young Lizzie is walking with her physician father, Caroline
switches between adult and child so effectively that as her father
delivering the last line of the scene; “…don’t make
this place your home Lizzie,” the eyes looking out at the
audience are as dark and furious as Rocket Richard’s.
“Lizzie”
and the 25 other “actors” in The Syringa Tree will take you
on a South African tour that has many, many fine moments…
moments of joy, of childhood innocence, of a parent’s anguish at
the loss of a child, of defiance, and above all – of human
respect and love. The final scene of an aged Salamina reaching up to
touch Moliseng’s spirit on the wind will leave you with a lump in
your throat.
The
Syringa Tree is a wonderful play, portraying a real-life apartheid
story on a human scale. It’s a story about the strength of human
spirit, how servants and employers were devoted to each other, casting
aside their social status. When you go, take a few minutes to read the
Playwright’s Notes in the playbill – it will provide you
with an important context of the play.
The
Syringa Tree continues at The Centaur Theatre until December 2nd, with
selected matinees performances. Tickets are available at the Box
Office: 514-288-3161 or online at: www.centaurtheatre.com Enjoy!
The Centaur has booked the ever-popular Bowser and Blue for 3 performances of an updated version of Two Nuts Roasting on an Open Fire
on December 11, 12, and 13. Tickets are already selling quickly, and
these performances will certainly be a “hot” holiday
ticket.
Urban Tales
is another new holiday offering that has been a popular tradition in
French theatre for the past 13 years. These are Christmas and holiday
stories by Michel Tremblay and six other writers; told by a single
actor and complemented by a musician to create a unique evening of
holiday entertainment. There are just six performances on December 6,7,
8 and 13, 14, 15.
There
is a special holiday price for both shows of just $49.99 for
subscribers (regularly $59.99). Box Office: 514-288-3161. Ho! Ho! Ho!
The Carpenter – Vitorrio Rossi’s masterful conclusion to Hellfire Pass and Carmela’s Table
“Luciano,
I don’t know when I’ll be this clear – so I’m
saying goodbye. When I forget who you are – know that
you’ll always be with me.” Silvio Rosato
By Peter Kerr
The Carpenter is arguably the best play I’ve seen in a very, very long time. The third play in the trilogy titled A Carpenter’s Tale,
this production sees Silvio Rosata nearing the end of his life. What
the family thought was forgetfulness brought on by a little too much
homemade wine turns out to be a more serious diagnosis of
Alzheimer’s. That alone is subject matter for a play. But
it’s so much more… Vittorio Rossi’s father gave him
a gift, which he has in turn passed on to us in the form of three
remarkable plays that capture the lives of his father and mother; their
wisdom; their love for their children and each other.
| The Carpenter is a the real
life story of Vittorio Rossi’s relationship with his father, how he
came to appreciate him and their race against time to complete the play
while his father could still relate his life’s story to the son who
brought him such enormous pride. |
|
The story of Silvio and his wife Carmela; their love for daughters
Maria and Liliana and son Luciano is in fact the story of the Rossi
family – and in particular the story of Vittorio’s
discovery of his father’s life and the love they share.
The Carpenter
is Gordon McCall’s final production as a director for Centaur
Theatre. It was Gordon, who upon reading the draft of Hellfire Pass and
discussing the concept of the trilogy with Vittorio; agreed to put the
company’s resources behind the project and provide Vittorio a
home for the development and staging of the plays. Centaur audiences
have been rewarded by his vision and Vittorio’s writing talent.
And there is truth in the expression of the best being saved for the
last – The Carpenter is outstanding.
| We saw the first night preview, and
what were outstanding performances will get even better. The cast is
very strong; firstly with Richard Zeppieri reprising his role as the
young Silvio. Richard is a compelling and intense as he’s ever been,
and his stage presence is such that you appreciate that you are witness
to a major charismatic talent. |
|
David
Calderisi is terrific as the older Silvio, still passionate – but
increasingly bewildered. Calderisi appears to be at ease and
comfortable in the role – so much so that at times you forget
that this is an acting performance.
Patricia Yeatman as the older Carmela is eloquent in her portrayal of
the devoted wife whose life revolves (in a positive way) around her
family and her beloved husband. Yeatman delivers an inspired
performance of a wife who is not in denial as we may suspect, but
rather is “moving forward” with a resolve that is
awe-inspiring. On two occasions Yeatman delivers show-stopping
performances.
Anita La Selva plays the young Carmela to Richard Zeppieri’s
young Silvio. Anita is simultaneously strong and sensual. The scene of
a stuttering young Silvio meeting Carmela in their Italian village is a
sequence of tender and warm moments - to become memories for the older
Silvio and Carmela to reflect on and cherish.
Andreas Apergis is stunning in the role of the playwright son Luciano,
(he even has a striking resemblance to Vittorio). We see a young man
who is deeply troubled by his father’s forgetfulness, which he
believes is due to excessive drinking. And while he professes that his
daily visits to the family home are to support his mother, it is his
quest for a deeper relationship with his father Silvio that keeps
bringing him back.
The Carpenter
makes effective use of flashbacks to show us Silvio as a young soldier
in the Italian Army preparing an ambush in Hellfire Pass; later with
Carmela in their village in Italy; and then again in their Ville Emard
apartment. They also serve to provide important contributions to the
context of the Rosato/Rossi family history.
Ellen David as the eldest Rosato sibling Maria; and Giovanna Carrubba
as her sister Liliana are superb. Maria, who married too young and too
often, gropes with her lifetime of poor decisions. Liliana is the
daughter who never left home, and bears much of the brunt of her
father’s failing mental health. However, their love for their
father binds the siblings – even at the end.
Guido Cocomello (are you beginning to feel the authenticity of this
portrayal of Ville Emard’s Italian community?) as Silvio’s
Captain Gatusso in the army and also as his friend Dave Damonti does a
fine job, taking what was initially a supporting role to being an
integral figure in the play. Similarly, Paula Costain as Dr. Lewis
makes an important contribution in her role as physician and eventually
friend to the Rosato family.
The set plays a huge role in creating the tone and mood of the play,
welcoming the audience into the comfortable Rosato kitchen and back
garden. It is easily modified to become the LaSalle Welcoming Home
Centre for the Elderly.
This is a wonderful play about life and how a family manages when
Alzheimer’s strikes the patriarch. More importantly it’s
about values, decency and above all – love. Vittorio Rossi bares
his soul in this play, and we’re the better for his bravery.
The Carpenter
continues at Centaur Theatre until October 28th. For information about
tickets and matinee performances, please call the box office at: 514-288-3161 or visit www.centaurtheatre.com
Enjoy!
The Diary of Anne Frank opens October 14 at “The Segal”
“…I still believe, in spite of everything, that people are truly good at heart.” Anne Frank
Editor’s Note:
This season will be the most important since the theatre first opened
its doors. The patronage of Leanor and Alvin Segal has seen the
transformation of the Saidye Bronfman Centre to the Segal Centre for
the Performing Arts at the Saidye – the respect and gratitude for
the original endowment from the Bronfman family still very much
evident. Renovations have been continuing in the space adjacent to the
theatre throughout the summer. The intimate jewel of a crescent-shaped
theatre that we all enjoy so much remains as it was – all the
activity has been on the east side of the building.
By Janis Kirshner
The
Leanor and Alvin Segal Theatre is excited to open the 2007-08 theatre
season with this universal and important work This powerful new
adaptation for a new generation offers a more gritty and authentic
portrayal than the more sanitized 1955 original.
| The Diary of Anne Frank is
the impassioned drama of the legendary journals of a Jewish girl hiding
from the Nazis in Amsterdam during World War II. The Frank family,
along with family friends the Van Daans and local dentist Mr. Dussel,
is forced to spend 25 months in the confines of a concealed storage
attic in the annex of rooms above Otto Frank’s office. After being betrayed to the
Nazis, all were arrested and deported to concentration camps. Anne
Frank died of typhus at Bergen-Belsen. She was 15 years old. However,
knowing the tragic ending does not detract from experiencing the hope
within these people as they struggle to overcome their situation and
try to prevent the tensions of the outside world from affecting their
present one. |
Director Marcia Kash is delighted with the attention already generated for Diary of Anne Frank
|
Anne
Frank’s writing displays wisdom far beyond her years and she
emerges from history a living, emotional, intensely gifted young girl.
She confronts her rapidly changing life and the increasing horror of
her time with astonishing honesty, wit and determination. First
published 60 years ago, the diary has newfound social resonance.
Director Marcia Kash comments on confronting our present catastrophes.
“Unfortunately, we live in a world in which we still battle
racism, prejudice, hate, corruption, greed and the abuse of power.
Despite pledging to learn from history, we haven’t.” She
continues, “The world still turns away at critical times. We need
only look at Rwanda, at Darfur, at North Korea.” The play forces
people to understand that these tragedies were not just about numbers,
but about real people.
The Diary of Anne Frank
communicates other timeless relevancies that are brought to the fore
because of extenuating conditions. The play captures the claustrophobic
realities of a family’s daily existence- their fear, their hope,
their laughter, their grief. We witness Anne’s sexual discovery,
familial tensions and all the issues of a normal teenager growing up.
Everyone can identify with someone in this play and imagine themselves
in a similar circumstance.
Ms Kash is a respected director with credits on both sides of the country. Her work was last seen at The Segal as director of Tuesdays with Morrie. She is also an actor and internationally produced playwright (Who’s Under Where written with Doug Hughes).
The
Frank family is made up of recent National Theatre School graduate
Natasha Greenblatt (Anne), a role she has dreamt of playing since she
read the book when she was eleven; Sally Singal (Edith), who has
performed extensively across Canada, including originating the role of
Zhaboonigan Peterson in Tomson Highway’s The Rez Sisters
and three seasons at the Stratford Festival; Nicholas Rice (reprising
his role of Otto, Manitoba Theatre Centre), seen locally in Jerusalem the Musical, Waiting for Godot and Oliver!,
as well as in most major theatres across the country; and Susanna
Fournier (Margot), a recent graduate of the National Theatre School of
Canada who has been acting and writing theatre for the past ten years.
The others in hiding include Montreal favourites Felicia Shulman as
Mrs. Van Daan, James Downing as Mr. Van Daan, Gianpaolo Venuta as Peter
Van Daan and Brian Wrench as Mr. Dussel. The Christian helpers are
played by Tara Nicodemo as Miep Gies and Marcel Jeannin as Mr. Kraler.
Also with Ivan Peric and Alexander Gorchkov.
Three thousand non-Jewish
students have already booked to see this production. Director Kask
comments; “For younger audiences, this might be their first exposure to
the Holocaust, and it could be a life-altering experience for them. I
hope that it will awaken their compassion and curiosity to the subject,
and that they will never forget it. I hope they will vow to make a
difference in the world, that they will forever be on the lookout in
themselves and in the world for feelings of prejudice and work
tirelessly to eradicate them.”
The
Diary of Anne Frank will run from October 14 – November 4 at the Leanor
and Alvin Segal Theatre. In addition to the evening performances, there
are various matinees. For tickets, please call the box office at:
514-739-2301 or visit the website at: www.segalcentre.org
The
popular Sunday-@-The Segal will continue this year with the sponsorship
of CBC Radio 88.5. on Sunday, October 14 at 11am. The guest speaker is
Yehudi Lindeman, Professor Emeritus of English at McGill University and
the founder and past Director of Living Testimonies, the Holocaust
Video Archive at McGill, which is a centre for Holocaust research and
documentation. A child survivor of the Holocaust, he was separated from
his family in 1942 when he was four years old. For the next three
years, members of the Dutch resistance moved him through fifteen
different safe houses in Nazi-occupied Holland. He started the
organization Child Survivors in Montreal and is a founding member of
the World Federation of Jewish Child Survivors of the Holocaust. Mr.
Lindeman has published widely on Renaissance poetry and translation,
and on resistance and rescue during the Shoah. His most recent book is
Shards of Memory: Narratives of Holocaust Survival (2007).
“The
only sense of stability I felt was when yet another stranger, some
young man or woman, (a courier working for the resistance, no doubt),
would take me once again to a new place of hiding, usually on the back
of a bicycle. I recall feeling very safe during those many nocturnal
rides, sitting close to the person in front of me, the sound of the
bicycle’s tires steady and reassuring in the night. I think they gave
me the only sense of faith that I ever had during those years.”
(Coffee
and refreshments will be served in the lobby afterwards, followed by
the first preview of The Diary of Anne Frank at 1:30 pm – tickets on
sale now.) |
Infinitheatre - Montreal’s ‘risk’ theatre will present their season in the trendy Quartier des Spectacles
By Barbara Ford.
Guy
Sprung, Infinitheatre’s Artistic Director, and his infinitely
creative team, recently unveiled the iconic company’s 2007-08
season. With three plays by Montreal playwrights, the return of The
Pipeline reading series and another fun and unique idea for the annual
fundraising event, the coming year promises to live up to the brand of
Montreal's 'risk' theatre, exploring life in the 21st century.
This year, as
part of its continuing efforts to make theatre available to all
Montrealers, Infinitheatre has created a package already nick-named
'the best theatre deal in town': the ‘Infinite 6-PACK’.
The $60 pass affords the bearer six theatre tickets – a mere $10
for a dramatic hit - cheaper than a flick at the local cinema! Even the
most budget-challenged can easily afford to share a pass and see every
play of the season.
That Woman,
a co-production with Talisman Theatre, written by Daniel Danis,
directed by Emma Tibaldo and featuring Marcelo Arroyo, Guy Sprung and
Sarah Stanley will start the season in September. Daniel Danis is one
of Québec's greatest playwrights, winning the 1993 Governor
General’s Award for his first play, Celle-là, translated to That Woman
by Linda Gaboriau (who also does the translations for Michel
Tremblay’s plays). Last fall's Talisman Theatre production was a
critical success during its sell-out run - and the remount will allow a
wider audience to catch this extraordinary piece of theatre.
Set in an imagined rural Quebec community, it is the story of the
Mother, the Old Man who lives upstairs and their Son, striving to
survive in a world stifled by the norms of small town philistinism. In
a series of twenty-four snapshots, That Woman
breathtakingly transports one into a landscape painted by memory,
repressed desire, and the small yet meaningful victories in life's
search to experience glimpses of happiness. "…the play's
Montréal English-language premiere, enlivened by instantly
memorable performances from Sarah Stanley and Guy Sprung..." - Matt
Radz, The Gazette. That Woman will be performed from September 13 – 27.
GAS is
a world première by Jason Maghanoy, recent graduate of the
National Theatre School Playwright Program and a McGill alumnus, and
directed by Guy Sprung, set in the current chaos of the
liberation/occupation of Iraq. Five young American soldiers are ripped
apart by moral confusion as their genuine belief in democracy and
freedom is challenged by the deaths of thousands of innocent civilians.
A play that intertwines comedy and tragedy to devastating effect, Gas is certain to be one of the major theatrical events of the 2007-08 season. Previously, Infinitheatre produced Jason's play, The Contract. “The humanizing empathy is the …author's special genius”
– Matt Radz, The Gazette. Gas will be presented from October 25 – November 18.
The Pipeline
is a series of public, in-house readings that focuses on writers,
script development and issues facing English theatre in Quebec. As part
of Infinitheatre’s mandate to seek out innovative Quebec plays
and new theatrical styles, helping to develop, promote, produce and
broker new work and writers, these events also give the public a chance
to voice their opinion and influence the direction of future
Infinitheatre seasons. Both Zarathustra and Gas had received readings in previous seasons. On the menu this year are: The Source by Guy Sprung, Elephants by Jaspreet Singh, Blessed Are They by Bruce M. Smith and Anarchy's Child
by David Freeman. The latter two are receiving second readings; thus
reflecting the ongoing development/workshop process that enables
Infinitheatre to bring the best writing to Montreal stages.
Montreal Idle
by Tex Dawson, the 'King of Montreal musical comedy', features
high-powered industry 'tycoons' plucked from the Montreal business
community. Infinitheatre whips up another original creation to abuse
and amuse local audiences while raising money to finance its
development activities. This year, it's a musical murder mystery spoof
on the current tsunami of ghastly reality TV shows inundating the
airwaves. The audience is invited to vote (many times) for their
favourite Montreal performer. Bonus?…the winner of the Montreal Idle
competition gets to be the next Prime Minister of Canada! The event
goes all the way with live-to-tape television, celebrity judges and
nefarious backstage shenanigans. The much sought after tax-deductible
tickets are $100 each, which includes a post-show reception, with a
discount on the ticket price if purchased before November 1, 2007. Montreal Idle
will be presented for a limited run at The Leanor & Alvin Segal
Theatre on January 6, 8, 9 and 10, 2008. Don’t miss out on the
fun!
Zarathustra Said Some Things, No?,
a Canadian première by Trevor Ferguson, directed by Guy Sprung
and starring Lina Roessler and Brett Watson. Infinitheatre continues
its successful association with Montreal novelist/playwright, Trevor
Ferguson, in this intense and insightful examination of addiction and
abuse. Adrienne and Ricky, a Canadian couple living in a seedy Paris
hotel, have entered into a suicide pact, which they have, so far,
failed to complete. As the story unfolds and their relationship becomes
more unsettling and the games they play more disturbing, the reasons
for their dysfunction are slowly revealed.
Zarathustra
paints a riveting vision of a lost generation overwhelmed by a tide of
convoluted pathologies. Trevor Ferguson wrote the play specifically for
Ms. Roessler and Mr. Watson, who had both previously been in two world
premières of his plays. The play received extraordinary reviews
for its "out-of-town tryout" in the spring of 2006 at Theatre 54 in New
York. “...brilliance of the writing... Lina Roessler and Brett
Watson are astonishingly powerful in these roles...” - nytheatre.com.
“The play and these two performances are easily among the best
you will see on the off-Broadway stage this year.” - blogcritics.org. Zarathustra will be performed from March 18 – 30, 2008 at Theatre La Chapelle, 3700 rue St-Dominique.
That Woman, Gas, and Pipeline will take place in The Plateau at Bain St-Michel, located at 5300 St-Dominique. Infinitheatre’s Annual Fundraiser, Montreal Idle,
will be presented at The Leanor & Alvin Segal Theatre on Cote
St-Catherine, and the company will return to The Plateau with Zarathustra Said Some Things, No?
at Theatre La Chapelle, 3700 St-Dominique. For information about
tickets, please call: 514-987-1774. The company’s web site is: www.infinitheatre.com
Editor’s Note: Barbara Ford is a freelance journalist and publicist with a vast experience in theatre and the arts community.
The
Leanor and Alvin Segal Theatre 2007-08 Season
Popular season to be at heart of new
Segal Centre
for the Performing Arts at the Saidye
By Ben Gonshor
An all new season of First Class Theatre
comes to Montreal next year as Segal Theatre Artistic & Executive Director
Bryna Wasserman recently announced the 2007-08 lineup. The new season will
include the beloved story of Anne Frank, the popular Neil Simon comedy,
The Odd Couple, and an all new musical on the life of Harry Houdini. “
It is my hope that next season’s program will attract record numbers to
the Leanor and Alvin Segal Theatre, which will form the core of the all
new Segal Centre for the Performing Arts,” Wasserman said.
| The
Segal Centre for the Performing Arts at the Saidye is a new vision for
the Saidye Bronfman Centre. Following forty years as a multidisciplinary
arts centre, the new Segal Centre for the Performing Arts is being launched
with a major commitment by Leanor and Alvin Segal, in partnership with
the Bronfman family and other corporate and private partners. |
The
new lobby will also serve as a popular
meeting
place
|
“We look forward to the Centre being dedicated
to excellence in creating, presenting and educating through the performing
arts,” said the Segals. “We hope that the Centre will continue being a
vibrant cultural force in our city and strengthen its national reputation
for excellence.”
The season will open in October with the
Tony Award and Pulitzer Prize winning play, The Diary of Anne Frank, by
Frances Goodrich and Albert Hackett, adapted by Wendy Kesselman. This is
the iconic dramatization of the legendary journals of a Jewish girl hiding
from the Nazis in Amsterdam during World War II. It is the world renowned
play that movingly details the inhuman darkness waiting to claim its incandescently
human heroine.
It will be followed later in the fall by
the Segal Theatre’s first “green” production, An Enemy of The People, by
Henrik Ibsen, adapted by Arthur Miller, directed by Miles Potter. In An
Enemy of The People, Dr. Stockmann exposes pollution that's fouling the
waters of a spa, threatening the health of its guests. Instead of receiving
gratitude, he is taunted and denounced as a lunatic, an "Enemy of the People"
by his fellow townspeople (including his brother the mayor), who are getting
rich from the spa and want to sweep the problem under the rug. This is
the story of a man who will sacrifice all – his standing, his reputation,
his wealth, and the security of his family and person – in order for the
truth to prevail. Ric Reid, most recently at the Segal in Who’s Afraid
of Virginia Woolf?, will star as Stockmann. This “green” production is
an effort by the Segal Theatre to look for new means and materials in set
and costumes that are more environmentally friendly and sustainable.
The second half of the Segal Theatre season
will begin with an all new, Canadian musical production on the life of
Harry Houdini - book by Ben Gonshor, music\lyrics by Elan Kunin and directed
by Bryna Wasserman. Featuring some of Houdini’s most legendary routines,
an all Montreal creative team will endeavour to create a thrilling, entertaining
ride through his life - from his humble vaudeville beginnings; to the heights
of his fame; and eventually to his fierce, highly publicized battle against
mediums, Spiritualists and their growing popularity.
In March, 2008 a production of Kristin
Thomson’s I, Claudia, by Kristen Thomson, starring Michelle Polak and directed
by Leah Cheriniak, will inaugurate the new Studio B space at the Segal
Centre. Studio B is a multi-purpose space that can morph from a 150-seat
theatre into a dance studio, lecture hall, cabaret or jazz bar. In I, Claudia,
the title character is a pre-teen, still reeling from her parents' divorce.
Her father is getting re-married, she has a science fair project coming
due, and she is in the physical and emotional throes of puberty. Claudia
speaks to us from inside the boiler room of her school where she stores
all the things that are secret and dear to her.
The English language portion of the 07-08
season will conclude in the spring with Diana Leblanc (Fallen Angels, Rose)
returning to direct Neil Simon’s beloved comedy, The Odd Couple, starring
Rod Beattie and John Evans in their Segal Theatre debuts. The Odd Couple
tells the story of Felix Ungar, a neurotic, neat-freak news writer, who
is thrown out by his wife and moves in with Oscar Madison, a slovenly sportswriter.
Simon based the play on his brother Danny's true-life experience and described
it as: "Two men -one divorced and one estranged and neither quite sure
why their marriages fell apart—who move in together to save money for alimony
and suddenly discover they're having the same conflicts and fights they
had in their marriages."
The 2007-08 season culminates with Yiddish
Theatre at its best: The Dora Wasserman Yiddish Theatre production of the
beloved musical, The Wise Men of Chelm, by Abraham Shulman, Music by Eli
Rubinstein. It is said that after God made the world, he filled it with
people. He sent off an angel with two sacks, one full of wisdom and one
full of foolishness. The second sack was much heavier and, after getting
caught on a mountaintop, all the foolishness spilled out and fell into
Chelm. Created by the legendary duo of Dora Wasserman and composer, Eli
Rubinstein, The Wise Men of Chelm is a loving tribute to one of the most
enduring icons of Eastern European folklore – the town and people of Chelm.
The wildly popular Sunday-@-the Segal lecture
series will once again be presented by CBC Radio One. Wasserman: “S@TS
is a truly remarkable program. It began with a handful of people sitting
in the audience and grew to become our most popular program. We are always
delighted to welcome the public to these programs to learn about the plays
we will be presenting as well as some of the ideas and themes that enhance
the play going experience.”
Another program gaining in popularity with
each passing season is Monday Night Talkbacks; presenting an opportunity
for audiences and artists to talk about their shared theatrical experience.
Monday Night Talkbacks are a reflection of the drama, emotion, the here
and now of live theatre. Wasserman adds: “The success of Monday Night Talkbacks
and Sunday-@-the Segal are perhaps a reflection of a need for people in
this age of virtual relationships to participate in actual relationships.
We couldn’t be more delighted to provide that to our audience.”
As part of its mandate to support Canadian
artists and the Canadian theatre community, the Segal Theatre, in addition
to its main stage programming, will be hosting and supporting numerous
independent presentations. These will include two productions by SideMart
Theatre, a new company founded by Sabooge regulars, Andrew Shaver, Graham
Cuthbertson, Patrick Costello and Trent Pardy, as well as an all new Story-
Telling Festival for children.
Wasserman concluded: “The 07-08 season
marks a new beginning for all of us at the Segal Theatre. The creation
of the new Segal Centre for the Performing Arts is truly a precious gift
to the arts community that we look forward to sharing with our audience
for many years to come. Join us as we embark on a wonderful new chapter
in the performing arts in Montreal.”
Season subscriptions are now available,
with a choice of 4, 5 or all 6 plays. Sundays and Mondays are at Matinee
prices, tickets are exchangeable, and can be considered a 100% tax deductible
entertainment expense. Please call: 514-739-2301, ext. 327; or visit the
web site at: www.saidyebronfman.org
Editor’s Note: Ben Gonshor is the Director
of Marketing for the Leanor and Alvin Segal Theatre, and a regular contributor
of golf and travel articles to The Montrealer.
The
Segal Centre for The Performing Arts
A new home for Montreal’s performance
community
introduced at a ‘cultural love-in’
By Peter Kerr
“There used to be wooden benches before
we had this theatre seating. There was a little girl that used to curl
up under one of those benches and sleep. There weren’t milk and cookies
for her after school. But – she was able to watch her mother direct plays
in this very theatre from under her bench. That little girl was me.” Bryna
Wasserman has literally grown up in the theatre started by her late mother
Dora Wasserman. Today, Bryna was celebrating the inauguration of the redevelopment
of The Segal Centre for The Performing Arts at The Saidye.
| It was
a star-studded event – urbane Dennis Trudeau was the Master of Ceremonies
and the guests included; Isabelle Hudon, President of the Chambre de Commerce,
Elliott Lifson, Chairman of the Chambre de Commerce, Marc Gold, First VP
of Federation CJA, Bryna Wasserman, and Leanor and Alvin Segal. Bryna paid
tribute to the support of the Bronfman Family and the YM-YWHA since the
inception of “the Saidye” forty years ago. Indeed, the Bronfman family
will continue to be involved.
The Centre will be based on five pillars.
The Leanor and Alvin Segal Theatre, The Dora Wasserman Yiddish Theatre
which are both already in place. The Academy of Performing Arts will be
a first class educational facility nurturing talent in music, dance, theatre,
and performance art.
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(Left
to right) Elliott Lifson, Chairman of le Chambre de Commerce; Isabelle
Hudon, President of le Chambre de Commerce, Bryna Wasserman, Artistic and
Executive Director of The Segal Centre For the Performing Arts; Leanor
Segal, Marc Gold, First VP of federation CJA.
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The multi-purpose Second Stage in Studio
B and the Cinema Space complete the five aspects of the project.
| In addition
to the theatre, which has seen its attendance grow to over 55,000 per year,
including 5,000 students, The Segal Centre is designed to accommodate rehearsal
rooms, a 75 seat screening room, and Studio B – a multi-purpose space on
the main floor that can be used as a 150 seat theatre, a dance studio,
lecture hall, cabaret or jazz bar. During an interview Bryna noted;
“It’s a space that will lend itself to young companies, perhaps with productions
that will be a little edgier.”
In addition to all the space for “work”
and “education”, Bryna announced that there will also be a lounge equipped
with a bar. “We want this to be a meeting place, where actors, performers
and writers can meet each other in a social setting and share ideas.”
|
Leanor
Segal “The Centre is built on the concept that culture can bridge the huge
gap between communities”
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| Over
the years, I’ve come to know Bryna quite well, and she is literally bubbling
over with enthusiasm and excitement with the plans for the Segal Centre.
In closing her remarks, she looked up into the lights and said in a voice
choked with emotion: “Mom – if you could see us now!” |
Leanor
& Alvin Segal getting the job done!
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Centaur
unveils new season -
Further
than the Eye Can See
By Peter Kerr
“As you see when we explore this season’s
play selections, we remain proudly Montreal and hope that you enjoy the
entertaining and provocative line-p of plays we have in store for you this
year,” announced Gordon McCall at a recent press conference to unveil the
2007-08 Centaur season. “With our title Further than the Eye Can See, we
have selected six main plays about memory, social upheaval in the world
and family,” Gordon continued.
| The
season opener is the final chapter Vittorio Rossi’s trilogy, A Carpenter’s
Tale, a dramatization of his own father’s life. In The Carpenter, Rossi
brings us forward 40 years to 2002, into the final chapter if Silvio Rosato’s
life. His father is now 82, and this character of superhuman strength and
iron will is in a battle with time that he cannot win. Playwright Rossi
offered this homage to his father; “I’m very touched about the story of
my Dad. I hope that I’ve treated it with some nobility and care.” |
(Left
to right) Daniel Lillford, Gordon McCall,
Vittorio
Rossi and David Gow launching
Further
Than The Eye Can See.
|
As Gordon noted, “They say the characters
of good plays can exist forever in people’s imaginations, as if they actually
lived among us. May Silvio and Carmela Rosato have such an honourable fate.”
Montreal audiences have thoroughly enjoyed the first two plays of this
trilogy, Hellfire Pass and Carmela’s Table; breaking box office records
at the Centaur, and The Carpenter promises to be an equally strong season-opener.
Opening in November, The Syringa Tree by
Pamela Gien is a one-woman tour de force of acting, with Caroline Cave
playing all 24 parts in this deeply personal play. Set in South Africa
in the early 1960s, this is a play about an abiding love between two families,
one black, one white, and the two children that are born into their shared
South African household. As stated in a review from The New York Post;
“Gien’s characters are people, not caricatures; she knows how they speak,
move and sing, and treats them with dignity… The evening builds to a climax
of striking intensity!”
The new year begins with Half Life, by
John Mighton, one of Canada’s most successful playwrights and features
a stellar cast. Carolyn Hetherington is a Centaur audience favourite, and
Eric Peterson is the famous star of CTV’s hit comedy, Corner Gas. Clara
lives in an old folks’ home and is confined to a wheelchair. Her memory
is failing, but sometimes there is a unique beauty to what she says. Patrick
is a newcomer to the residence, and also has gaps in his memory. There
is an attraction between Clara and Patrick, this play is a gentle and humorous
exploration of how vital people are as they age - and how indifferent we
sometimes are to them.
Montreal playwright David Gow’s Relative
Good is a reflection of the story of Maher Araar. A Canadian citizen of
Middle-East heritage is detained while transferring flights at JFK Airport
in New York. Canadian consular officials cannot (or will not) facilitate
his release or even gain due process for a Canadian citizen, who is increasingly
caught up in a morass of security law-language and a Byzantine Department
of External Affairs.
Maddy Heisler, set in rural Nova Scotia
during WWII, tells the story of a 17 years old young man who falls in love
with and older woman of 30. In the midst of their affair, the older Maddy
Heisler suddenly departs for England; never to return. Years later, a young
woman arrives and encounters the now aging Jacob. She brings a small notebook
whose contents open a door to the past, and Jacob will never be the same.
Playwright Daniel Lillford has been nominated for no less than 5 East Coast
Theatre awards for this play.
The season finale is another World Premiere
of a Michel Tremblay work, Forever Yours, Mary-Lou. Tremblay has an excellent
working relationship with Gordon McCall and the Centaur Theatre Company,
and this is another important step in the relationship that sees the theatre
building a cultural appreciation between Montreal’s French and English-speaking
communities. Set in the early 1970s, this play strikes at the heart of
an unforgettable, dysfunctional Quebecois family. Carmen, a country singer,
returns home to convince her sister Manon that it is time to end the years
of mourning for their parents. Past and present intermingle with the daughters
struggling to reconcile their visions of the past, while their parents,
Marie-Lou and Léopold play out the events leading up to their meeting
with powers beyond their control.
There are some important returning features,
as well as a major new addition for next season. New for the Holidays is
a program titled Urban Tales, and produced by Théâtre Urbi
et Orbi. Contemporary holiday stories will be woven together by a live
musician. Michel Tremblay and six other notable writers will create the
very first series of Urban Tales for Centaur. Performance dates are December
6,7,8 and 13,14,15. This promises to be a unique and enjoyable holiday
evening, and hopefully a new tradition for Centaur patrons.
Centaur will continue with the Brave New
Works initiative, and with Sabooge Theatre Company will present that company’s
newest creation, Speak Easy. Gordon states that the objective is, “to provide
audiences with an opportunity to celebrate the diversity, imagination and
highly original work of cutting edge companies and individual ‘auteurs’.”
Sabooge is an international company based in Montreal and Brooklyn, New
York.
The increasingly popular Wildside Theatre
Festival will continue January 8-19 in the new year. This will be the 11th
season for this repertory festival and the line-up of plays will be announced
in the fall.
Centaur will continue with the popular
Saturday Morning Children’s Series, Sunday Talkbacks, and the Theatre of
Tomorrow programs.
This will be a bittersweet fall for the
Centaur. Artistic Director Gordon McCall is moving on to teach theatre
at Purdue, and The Carpenter will be his last directing assignment as Centaur’s
Artistic Director. “There’s a feeling of community at this theatre that’s
palpable, and it’s very much a credit to our audiences” he noted in appreciation
of Centaur’s patrons.
This is the time to renew your season subscriptions,
and to seriously consider a season ticket package if you don’t already
have one. Please call the Box Office at: 514-288-3161, or visit
the website: www.centaurtheatre.com
Enjoy!
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