Michel Tremblay

[inception]

Posted: 2/28/14 at 8:57pm

I am curious if anyone here can tell me if any of Michel Tremblay's plays have had productions in New York. After Googling and Wikipedia-ing all I can find is that the English version of Hosanna played for about a month in 1974 at the Bijou after transferring from Toronto's Tarragon. I am guessing it is more likely that some of his plays might have played off-Broadway?

I am curious because last night I saw a production of his 1998 play For The Pleasure of Seeing Her Again, that has been on a bit of Canadian tour. It played a week here in Vancouver as part of an Aboriginal arts festival in a production that originally featured a couple Aboriginal stars from two different popular Canadian television programs - though only one of them was able to make this string of dates. Tremblay is a famous Quebecois playwright and this is an autobiographical play about his relationship with his mother who was part Cree. I had never seen the play before but it was astounding - I think the last thing I saw in a theatre that made me laugh so hard was Buyer & Cellar in NY.

I have been reading through so many old threads on this site, and I really appreciate the wealth of information available here from people who have such a great knowledge of theatre history. Thanks

[nobodyhome]

Posted: 2/28/14 at 10:13pm

Bonjour, La, Bonjour was produced by the Phoenix in 1980. This was when they were using the theatre at Marymount College on the upper east side.

http://www.lortel.org/LLA_archive/index.cfm?search_by=show&id=2547

And Hosanna has been revived a couple of times.

http://www.lortel.org/LLA_archive/index.cfm?search_by=people&first=Michel&last=Tremblay&middle=

I saw that 1974 production at the Bijou and enjoyed it.

Damnee Manon, Sacree Sandra was produced at La Mama in 1983, with Priscilla Smith and Ray Wise, directed by George Ferencz.

Forever Yours, Marie-Lou has been produced in New York at least a couple of times, first at the Westbeth Theatre Center in 1978, then in 1984 on Theatre Row.

I'd guess that a few others plays of his may well have shown up Off-Off over the years.

[sowren1020]

Posted: 3/1/14 at 1:23pm

Nobodyhome thank you so much for your response. I've been a fan of his plays since I saw Bonjour La Bonjour in Seattle several decades ago.

[EricMontreal22]

Posted: 3/1/14 at 3:17pm

I am a massive fan--I had the pleasure of being SM for a production he was supervising at my university about ten years ago--a pleasure to work with.

I'd be surprised if his biggest hits like Les Belles Soeurs haven't had a New York production. My personal favorite is Albertine en cinq temps

[inception]

Posted: 3/1/14 at 4:24pm

^
I found a review in the NY Times for a 2005 production of Les Belles Soeurs at Center Stage NY. It is interesting that the reviewer doesn't seem to be familiar with a play from 1968 that is so well known in Canada.

Also thank-you nobodyhome
New York Times review Les Belles Soeurs

[Emma White]

Posted: 3/1/14 at 4:49pm

"My personal favorite is Albertine en cinq temps"

Have you read the Chroniques du plateau mont-royal series? La grosee femme d'a cote est enceinte is one of my all time favourite books.

I'm glad to know Michel Tremblay gets put on in NY! Here in Montreal there are obviously Michel Tremblay productions up the ying yang, but it's cool to see it out of our own theatre community.

[Emma White]

Posted: 3/1/14 at 4:49pm

"My personal favorite is Albertine en cinq temps"

Have you read the Chroniques du plateau mont-royal series? La grosee femme d'a cote est enceinte is one of my all time favourite books.

I'm glad to know Michel Tremblay gets put on in NY! Here in Montreal there are obviously Michel Tremblay productions up the ying yang, but it's cool to see it out of our own theatre community.

[EricMontreal22]

Posted: 3/1/14 at 6:26pm

Yes! I actually had to read that book for a french course at Concordia--but I am glad I did. Amazing stuff.

[EricMontreal22]

Posted: 3/28/14 at 5:04am

So apparently the English version of the French "hit" musical of Belles Soeurs opens in Montreal this Fall. Did anyone see the French one? (BWW actually had an article on this that I missed... ) https://www.broadwayworld.com/montreal/article/BELLES-SOEURS-THE-MUSICAL-to-Debut-in-Montreal-at-the-Segal-Centre-Oct-19-Nov-9-20140227