A dramatic comedy with music.
The script by Claude Guilmain is published by Éditions Prise de parole.
Created at the Toronto Centre for the Performing Arts 2001.
Presented at the Studio of the National Arts Centre as part of the Festival du théâtre des regions (Ottawa) in 2001.
Isabel Bader Theatre (Toronto) in 2003.
Toured Quebec in 2003.
Synopsis
In 1910 Ève-Marie Guérin, a young singer with a promising talent, leaves Montreal to enrol in the Paris Conservatory, with the hopes of pursuing a career in opera. Maurice Kleinman, a childhood friend, gifted at the piano, dreams of becoming a concert pianist; he leaves with her to complete his studies in the City of Light. With the destiny that unites them, they will experience quite different paths. La Passagère, a dramatic comedy explores the nuance between ambition and transcendence.
Live performance excerpts of musical works by Bach, Chopin, Debussy, Mozart and Verdi.
Distribution
Original music and musical direction: Claude Naubert
Scenography: Claude Guilmain
Lighting Design: Michel Charbonneau
Costumes : Yvonne Sauriol
Costume Designer (Ève-Marie Guérin) : Carol McNutt
Hair and Wigs: Melissa Veal
Choreography: Sylvie Bouchard et David Danzon (Corpus)
Vocal Coach: Brahm Goldhamer, Gwenlynn Little
Direction: Claude Guilmain
Assistant to the Stage Manager / Accessories: Dany Boivin
Production Manager: Dany Boivin
Stage management (premiere): Michel Charbonneau
Stage management (tour): Guillaume Houët-Brisebois
Distribution à la création
Caroline Bard (assistant, passerby), Sébastien Bertrand (journalist, Fritz, director, Beker), Lina Blais (Madame Riser, passerby), Éric Charbonneau (photographer, journalist, concierge, paperboy), Marie-Hélène Fontaine (Irène von Stross), Robert Godin (journalist, father, cleric, director), Richard Greenblatt (Maurice Kleinman), François-Régis Klanfer (journalist, Gustav Schmidt, director), Louise Naubert (Ève-Marie Guérin).
Musicians:
Marie-Line Ross at the piano and musical direction
Alex Grant on cello
Touring production cast
Simon Barry (journalist, Fritz, director, Beker), Lina Blais (Madame Riser, passerby), Suzanne Champagne (Irène von Stross), Éric Charbonneau (photographer, journalist, concierge, paperboy), Robert Godin (journalist, father, cleric, director), François-Régis Klanfer (journalist, Gustav Schmidt, director), Fabienne L’Abbé (assistant, passerby), Louise Naubert (Éve-Marie Guérin), Sébastien Ventura (Maurice Kleinman).
Tour musicians : Marie-Line Ross at the piano with Mary Katherine Finch (Ottawa) and Élizabeth Dubé (Quebec tour) on cello.
Photos / Videos
Awards and Distinctions
Selected and presented by the Festival du théâtre des régions in 2001.
Nominated for a Dora Award, category, Best Costume Design (Yvonee Sauriol).
In 2003, the production carried out the largest tour in Quebec – 15 communities – a creation for adults in Ontario.
A radio drama production of La Passagère produced by CBC radio in the autumn of 2003 and broadcast on the national network.