Brownstein: Segal Centre celebrates 'energy of coming collectively' in troubled instances

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Within the grandest of showbiz traditions, the present went on — and can proceed to go on on the Segal Centre.  

The present is Stunning: The Carole King Musical, and its first preview efficiency on Sunday — marking the beginning of the Segal Centre’s theatre season — not solely went off with no hitch, however blew the packed home away. A co-production with the Royal Manitoba Theatre Centre, Stunning, specializing in the rise of one of many biggest pop singers/composers of all, has its official launch Thursday. 

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However there was a lot trepidation main as much as the primary preview. Amid safety issues associated to the Israel-Hamas battle, the venue, positioned within the coronary heart of Montreal’s Jewish neighborhood, put out this missive on Friday: “Whereas there is no such thing as a credible risk, out of an abundance of warning, there will likely be an elevated safety presence surrounding the Segal Centre for these performances.”

“That is an unprecedented response as a consequence of an unprecedented concern locally,” says Lisa Rubin, Segal Centre govt and inventive director. “We haven’t had this stage of concern in a really very long time and persons are on edge. However the message we’re getting from the police and our safety group is we have to go on dwelling our lives. There aren’t any credible threats, however psychologically there’s a heightened sense for the neighborhood, and so if having an additional little bit of safety will make folks really feel higher, we’ll try this.  

“Coming right here and celebrating the ability of coming collectively is essential. 

“We had a full home for that first efficiency, so it’s very telling to me that persons are coming and are usually not afraid.”  

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Of observe, Stunning has been breaking Segal Centre data for pre-sold tickets. Actually, the theatre has been so buoyed by viewers response that on Monday it introduced the present’s run has been prolonged per week, till Nov. 12. 

“I want we may go on longer, however we have now one other present, Boy Falls From the Sky, beginning Nov. 19, and Stunning goes to Winnipeg’s Royal Manitoba Theatre Centre in January,” Rubin says. 

It’s robust sufficient for actors to carry out at one of the best of instances, significantly with intricate singing and dancing parts on this present’s combine, so one would possibly assume battle may convey one other stage of hysteria to the group. 

The 19-member forged of Stunning is a mixture of many various cultural backgrounds and comes from all corners of Canada.  

“They’re the proper instance of individuals from all communities coming collectively, however what’s actually related is seeing this group actually supporting each other as an ensemble,” Rubin says. “However what they’ll’t ignore is there’s a battle happening. Identical with the viewers, which comes from all backgrounds and all generations. The world may use much more of Carole King lyrics proper now. They communicate to you it doesn’t matter what you’re going by way of.” 

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True sufficient. There weren’t many dry eyes in the home when Tess Benger, who lights up the stage within the lead position, evocatively rendered such King classics as You’ve Obtained a Good friend and Stunning. 

Along with telling King’s story, Stunning supplies an enchanting historical past lesson on the early phases of the American pop-music scene within the late Fifties and early ‘60s. King and her one-time husband Gerry Goffin (performed by Darren Martens) started their careers penning tunes for the likes of the Shirelles, Bobby Vee, the Drifters and Little Eva. They have been quick pals with one other pair of songwriters, Cynthia Weil (Laura Olafson) and Barry Mann (Mike Melino), who composed tunes recorded by the Righteous Brothers and the Animals. 

After splitting from Goffin, King reluctantly got here into the highlight as a singer along with her chart-busting album Tapestry in 1971 and by no means appeared again.  

However as invested as forged members have been of their components, they haven’t been proof against the struggling happening in Israel and Gaza. 

“I used to be sort of in a bubble at first, not realizing what was taking place,” says Winnipeg native Martens, previous to a rehearsal on the theatre. “Then it hit laborious. One of many forged members received us all collectively for a second of silence.

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“This has affected me and the others in a profound manner. We’re all very conscious and harm, however we do really feel protected. If something, it has added to our purpose for doing this musical. It’s necessary to convey some pleasure to audiences at a time when so many are hurting.” 

Jonathan Patterson remembers a tragedy that occurred throughout his final performing gig on the Segal Centre, doing The Producers in 2016, when a gunman murdered 49 folks at an LGBTQ2+ nightclub in Orlando, Fla. 

“The load of being again on the Segal within the wake of one other main tragedy is extremely emotional and troublesome,” says the Montrealer, who does a dynamite belting of You’ve Misplaced That Lovin’ Feelin’ as one of many Righteous Brothers and likewise performs record-mogul producer Lou Adler. “However artwork is a part of the therapeutic course of and what can convey folks collectively, and it’s doing that right here.” 

“Within the midst of this tragedy, it’s a privilege to have the ability to carry a little bit of the load everyone seems to be feeling,” notes Torontonian Benger. “That’s our duty. Folks at all times ask me what’s my favorite tune within the present, and I am going again to Stunning: ‘You’ve received to rise up each morning with a smile in your face and present the world all of the love in your coronary heart.’ I actually want folks took these lyrics to coronary heart.” 

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Maybe Kelly Thornton, the present’s director and the inventive director of the Royal Manitoba Theatre Centre, sums it up finest: 

“All the forged has been quietly struggling, heartbroken by occasions,” Thornton says. “However Stunning has been drugs for us all throughout very troubled instances.” 

AT A GLANCE

Stunning: The Carole King Musical continues by way of till Nov. 12 on the Segal Centre, 5170 Côte-Ste-Catherine Rd. Reservations: segalcentre.org or 514-739-7944. 

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