Metis artist brings songs, tales of reconciliation to Grand Theatre stage
A premiere on the Grand Theatre stage guarantees “songs and tales of reconciliation, advocacy, and love.”
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A premiere on the Grand Theatre stage guarantees “songs and tales of reconciliation, advocacy, and love.”
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Rubaboo, written and carried out by Metis singer, actor, playwright, songwriter, speaker and wellness coach Andrea Menard, is on the Grand Theatre’s Spriet stage till March 25.
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The present is directed by Alanis King, the primary Indigenous girl to graduate from the Nationwide Theatre Faculty of Canada in Montreal. King additionally directed Menard’s critically acclaimed one-woman stage present The Velvet Satan.
The 90-minute present contains music and songs by Menard and her longtime collaborator Robert Walsh, who additionally serves as musical director.
Rubaboo, a Michif phrase for leftovers stew or massive pot, was commissioned by the Grand’s COMPASS new play growth program and is a co-production with Vancouver’s Arts Membership Theatre Firm. It was imagined to be staged in 2020 on the newly renovated Auburn Stage however was postponed as a result of pandemic.
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“Anticipate your hearts to fill and your spirits to soar as Andrea Menard makes use of her knowledge, heat, and formidable voice to take us all on a private journey on the planet premiere of Rubaboo,” mentioned Dennis Garnhum, the Grand Theatre’s creative director.
“Between her unmatched musical talents, fascinating storytelling, and awe-inspiring presence, Andrea is bound to entertain, uplift, and convey audiences collectively — in a manner that solely she will.”
Menard, who starred in Honour Beat on the Grand in 2020 simply earlier than the pandemic hit, mentioned when Garnhum approached her about creating a brand new present, she hesitated as a result of uncertainty introduced by the COVID-19 pandemic, however then her muses (grandmothers) coaxed her to go forward and use the chance to teach about and share Metis and Indigenous tradition.
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“I used to be referred to as to do Rubaboo,” mentioned Menard, an award-winning jazz singer and a five-time Gemini-nominated actress for her work in tv that features the Netflix sequence Blackstone, in addition to Rabbit Fall, Supernatural and Tribal.
“From the start, I knew it wasn’t going to be a easy play or a typical live performance, however one thing extra and now it’s. Canadian historical past is lacking a giant a part of the reality and . . . Rubaboo permits me to make use of my strengths as an actor, singer, author and messenger, to take audiences on an unimaginable journey. A journey which calls them to acknowledge that they, too, are concerned in reconciliation, in altering perceptions, and making this world a greater place – one coronary heart at a time.”
Director King is delighted with the present Menard created and helped dramatize Menard’s phrases and tales.
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“I like the music and I like Andrea’s writing and elegance,” King mentioned. “I like that audiences can’t assist however be a part of the present. She encourages audiences to sing alongside along with her. She’ll ask them questions. She loves to interact audiences. That’s the good facet of it.”
jbelanger@postmedia.com
IF YOU GO
What: Rubaboo, written and carried out by Andrea Menard, directed by Alanis King and introduced by the Grand Theatre
When: Persevering with till March 25
The place: The Grand Theatre, 471 Richmond St., London
Tickets: Beginning at $35, accessible on-line at grandtheatre.com, by telephone at 519-672-8800, or on the field workplace.
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