Review: LOUISE PITRE in Concert at the Harold Shenkman Hall

Louise Pitre walked onto the stage at Harold Shenkman Hall looking every bit of the star that she is. In a glittering white dress, she sparkled under the stage lights and looked genuinely happy to be in the Nation's Capital. Despite her glamourous attire, Pitre is remarkably down to earth.  She shared stories about her career, playing Fantine in the original Toronto production of Les Misérables, as well as anecdotes and mishaps from the show's bilingual production that took place at Montreal’s Théâtre St Denis.

Pitre talked about the incredible highs that came from originating the role of Donna Sheridan in Mamma Mia on Broadway and balanced that with the reality of doing eight shows a week and the multitude of unspoken commitments that go along with stardom, and how it felt to be able to give New York audiences a piece of escapism in the aftermath of 9/11. Pitre also shared stories about her family and friends, notably her long-standing pianist, Diane Leah, who accompanied Pitre in concert. Pitre commented that her proudest role was that of Édith Piaf in Piaf/Dietrich and performed "La Vie en Rose", as well as "Je Ne Regrette Rien", her mother's favourite song. Pitre spoke and performed in both English and French with her rendition of "I Dreamed A Dream", beginning in French and ending in English.