News
JENNIFER GOUCHIE-TERRIS TIMES & TRANSCRIPT
Many great productions have been staged at the Capitol Theatre in Moncton throughout the years but until now they had never taken the time to produce their own.
The Capitol Theatre and Capitol Theatre School for the Performing Arts, in partnership with the New Brunswick Youth Orchestra (NBYO), Sistema NB and Tutta Musica, are joining together to stage an annual professional musical theatre production beginning with the famed musical stage play The Sound of Music, Feb. 18 to 21.
“We’re the proprietors of the production on our own stage,” says director and Capitol Theatre artist-in-residence Marshall Button of what he hopes will become an annual initiative to entice artists of all kinds to the region including musicians, actors, dancers, visual artists, arts managers and theatre technicians.
“We’re hoping to continue this kind of project in the future.”
2015 marked the 50th anniversary of The Sound of Music motion picture, which remains the most popular mov ie musical of all time.
“This is a well-known musical because of the movie but we wanted to do the actual Broadway production with extra special parts not shown in the movie,” adds Button of the large-scale production comprised of about 60 top quality musicians, actors, designers, dancers and technicians from throughout the Maritimes.
The Moncton production of The Sound of Music includes more than 20 local theatre, music and dance professionals and provides professional opportunities for artists from across the region who work nationally and internationally.
“The most important thing is getting the right people and letting them do what they do best,” explains Button, who has been in show business his whole life.“Casting is critical to find the right people doing the right things and then allow them to bring what comes naturally to them.”
Musical director Antonio Delgado wanted to offer a high quality production by gathering together an ensemble of professional musicians to perform some of most iconic music from the movie.
“If people watched the movie, they will definitely recognize the music plus some special additions,” says Delgado, who has been the musical director and conductor of the New Brunswick Youth Orchestra (NBYO) since 2010.
“It’s about the story but also about the music.”
The production is an opportunity for Moncton-area youth to perform alongside seasoned professionals. Ranging in age from 10 to 23 years, the young cast is an essential part of the play.
“They’re a key part of it so we had to get the right mix of people,” the director goes on to say.“There was no criteria but five of the seven children cast are either current or past members of the Capitol Theatre School for Performing Arts.”
Michelle Thibodeau is one of them. The 22-year-old takes on the role of Liesl, the first and eldest of the von Trapp children. She sings the iconic “Sixteen Going On Seventeen.” Playing Liesl is a dream come true for the Metro Moncton native who gladly returned home from Toronto where she works in performing arts to be a part of the production.
A graduate of the Canadian College of Performing Arts in Victoria, B.C. in 2012, Michelle is also a talented singer/songwriter. Like many other professional artists, she was forced to leave the province to find work but she’s glad to be back home and working full time on the production until the end of the month.
“It’s a great opportunity to come home and spend time with my family.”
In the two lead roles are actors Josée Boudreau of Shediac and Réjean Cournoyer of Halifax who recently wrapped up a tour with the musical Evangeline.
Josée was quick to accept an invitation to return to her home province of New Brunswick to play the role of Maria in the upcoming production. Ironically, The Sound of Music was one of the first productions she appeared in at the beginning of her career.
“So, I already loved the story and the movie. It’s one of my favourite musicals,” says the musical theatre professional who was not only eager to support the production but to be a part of it as well.
Over the course of the show, audiences will have the opportunity to watch her character grow from a girl into a woman in a transformation she can only describe as touching.
She’s thrilled to be back at home where her family and friends can come watch her perform and would like to see more opportunities open up not only for herself but other local artists who have had to leave the province in search of work.
“I prefer to work in New Brunswick. If the opportunity had been here, I would have stayed here.”
Tickets are going fast for the production, and an extra show has already been added. In addition to four regular performances, there will be a dedicated morning matinee performance for students sponsored by the Anglophone East School District and community donors. The fifth and final performance is a live sing-a-long.
SHOW FACTS
WHAT: The Sound of Music
WHERE: Capitol Theatre, 811 Main St., Moncton
WHEN: Thursday, Feb. 18, 9:30 a.m. (matinee for students); Thursday, Feb. 18, 7 p.m.; Friday, Feb. 19, 7 p.m.; Saturday, Feb. 20, 2 p.m. and 7 p.m.; Sunday, Feb. 21, 2 p.m. (Sing-a-long)
TICKETS: $29.95, $39.95, $65 (VIP); $29.95 (student matinée)
