Louise Pitre News

The names Edith Piaf and Marlene Dietrich still hold weight decades after their glory days, and Mirvish's production of PIAF/DIETRICH (directed by Gordon Greenberg) makes it easy to understand why. The sheer star power of the two titular women, embodied here by a powerhouse cast and set at major points in each one's personal lives is the kind of complicated, beautiful story of female relationships that the world needs now more than ever.

Edith Piaf and Marlene Dietrich were two of the greatest names in international show business during much of the 20th century. At a time when popular culture was still defined by a small handful of artists, these were two of the biggest. Piaf enchanted the world with her singing, her moving life story, and unostentatious appearance; while Dietrich's beauty, elegance, and bewitching stare helped to define the meaning of a Hollywood star. They were both divas without compromise, whose lives were as theatrical as their performances. Yet, these two women, who couldn't be more dissimilar and approached life and art in very different ways, became fast friends and eventually lovers.

The 2019/20 Mirvish Theatre Season is one of the company's biggest, with 24 different shows in six downtown Toronto venues.

Having two completely different shows premiere within a month of each other might be a daunting concept for many playwrights, but Eli Pasic is taking it in stride. The emerging Toronto writers' first fully produced work, the comedic farce FALSE CLAIMS, follows the story of a man who poses as his late aunt's husband in order to collect her life insurance policy and opens August 2. His nautical musical parody SOMETHING FOR THE BUOYS is set to premiere this fall. Pasic was able to take some time away from his heavy workload to discuss his journey from musician to produced playwright, and offered an in-depth look into the differences between writing for plays versus musicals, his creative process, and an unexpected collaboration with an established Broadway composer.

Edith Piaf and Marlene Dietrich were two of the greatest names in international show business during much of the 20th century. At a time when popular culture was still defined by a small handful of artists, these were two of the biggest. Piaf enchanted the world with her singing, her moving life story, and unostentatious appearance; while Dietrich's beauty, elegance, and bewitching stare helped to define the meaning of a Hollywood star. They were both divas without compromise, whose lives were as theatrical as their performances. Yet, these two women, who couldn't be more dissimilar and approached life and art in very different ways, became fast friends and eventually lovers.

 Currently celebrating its 25th Silver Anniversary, The Way Off Broadway Dinner Theatre is set to end the season with a bang this summer when the smash-hit musical Mamma Mia! arrives at the theatre. With over 60 million people having seen this worldwide phenomenon, for its 25th Anniversary Season, Way Off Broadway is bringing this international sensation to the Frederick stage for the very first time.

At a press conference held May 28 in the Davies Takacs Lobby of the Elgin and Winter Garden Theatre Centre, the Toronto Alliance for the Performing Arts (TAPA) announced 282 nominations for the 40th Anniversary Dora Mavor Moore Awards, which recognize excellence in professional theatre, dance and opera in Toronto. On Tuesday, June 25 at the Sony Centre for the Performing Arts, 49 Dora Mavor Moore Awards, the Silver Ticket Award and the Jon Kaplan Audience Choice Award will be presented.

NEXT TO NORMAL opened at Panasonic Theatre on April 30 and is running through May 19, 2019.

A high standard of musical drama is expected from the Musical Stage Company that sadly wasn't present at opening night of NEXT TO NORMAL. The three-time Tony Award-winning, Pulitzer Prize-winning rock musical by Tom Kitt and Brian Yorkey is Musical Stage's latest undertaking in its line of family drama shows. After multiple Dora Award wins last year for Fun Home and Life After, expectations were high for NEXT TO NORMAL - however, the show needs some work before it can truly harness the potential of its performers.

BroadwayWorld has a first look at The Musical Stage Company's and Mirvish's NEXT TO NORMAL. The first performance will take place on Tuesday April 30, 8 PM. The show will play until May 19, 2019.

BroadwayWorld has a first look at The Musical Stage Company's and Mirvish's NEXT TO NORMAL. The first performance will take place on Tuesday April 30, 8 PM. The show will play until May 19, 2019.

Broadway vets Ma-Anne Dionisio (Flower Drum Song) and Louise Pitre (Mamma Mia, Tony Nomination) will appear in the off-Mirvish production of NEXT TO NORMAL, beginning April 26th in Toronto - presented in partnership with The Musical Stage Company who recently presented the professional Toronto premiere of Fun Home.

The Segal Centre for Performing Arts announced today an exciting lineup of programming for its 2019-2020 season that is filled with new adventures, new stories, and new worlds to discover. Driven to bring Segal Centre audiences first-rate theatre that is both entertaining and transformative with the power to strengthen and connect communities, Artistic and Executive Director Lisa Rubin has planned a theatre season that features six must-see productions that will take audiences on astonishing and emotional inspiring journeys.

Dear Readers, in my capacity as a reviewer and as a musical theater geek at large, I've been privileged to witness more than a few out of town tryouts, those plucky wanna-be Broadway shows taking a shot in another city. Both here at home and abroad, I occasionally get a glimpse at greatness in the making, and yes, some at the 5th Avenue Theatre. I remember marveling at the glory of 'Memphis' and not being able to contain my enthusiasm or stay in my seat during the curtain call of 'Hairspray'. But not all are winners. (I'm looking at you, 'Princesses'.) So, each and every time the 5th Avenue announces their next great new musical, I'm a little trepidatious even when the show is from two of my favorite composers, Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty, not to mention directed and choregraphed by the indomitable Susan Stroman. So along came 'Little Dancer' which many whom I mentioned it to thought was an Elton John jukebox musical. (Wrong lyric, guys. That's 'Tiny Dancer'.) Then the show was changed to 'Marie', possibly owing to such confusion and finally to 'Marie, Dancing Still'. But whether they want to call it 'Little Dancer', or 'Marie, Dancing Still' or 'How Degas Got His Groove Back', what they have is a bona fide, must see, must cry throughout, accept no substitutes, hit in the making and a definite addition to my list of shows I was honored to catch early on.

5th Avenue Theatre presents Marie: A New Musical. Tony Award-winning authors Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty (Ragtime, Once On This Island), five-time Tony Award-winning director and choreographer Susan Stroman (The Producers, Contact), and acclaimed New York City Ballet principal dancer Tiler Peck. Check out a full gallery of photos from the production below!

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Peck and Louise Pitre play Marie  - young and adult, respectively. We sat down with Pitre to talk about creating the role of Adult Marie in the 5th Avenue Theatre production during early previews.

5th Avenue Theatre presents Marie: A New Musical. Tony Award-winning authors Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty (Ragtime, Once On This Island), five-time Tony Award-winning director and choreographer Susan Stroman (The Producers, Contact), and acclaimed New York City Ballet principal dancer Tiler Peck.

BroadwayWorld has an extended first look at The 5th Avenue Theatre'sin Marie: A New Musical. Tony Award-winning authors Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty (Ragtime, Once On This Island), five-time Tony Award-winning director and choreographer Susan Stroman (The Producers, Contact), and acclaimed New York City Ballet principal dancer Tiler Peck invite you backstage into 19th-century Paris, where glittering opulence hobnobbed with underworld dangers.

BroadwayWorld has a first look at The 5th Avenue Theatre'sin Marie: A New Musical. Tony Award-winning authors Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty (Ragtime, Once On This Island), five-time Tony Award-winning director and choreographer Susan Stroman (The Producers, Contact), and acclaimed New York City Ballet principal dancer Tiler Peck invite you backstage into 19th-century Paris, where glittering opulence hobnobbed with underworld dangers.