Louise Pitre | |
---|---|
Born | Smooth Rock Falls, Ontario, Canada | January 1, 1957
Alma mater | University of Western Ontario |
Occupation(s) | Actress, singer |
Years active | 1979—present |
Website | LouisePitre.com |
Louise Pitre (born January 1, 1957) is a Canadian actress in musical theatre. She performs on Broadway and in Canada. She is best known for her role as Donna Sheridan in the ABBA-themed musical Mamma Mia! , which earned her a 2002 Tony Award nomination.
Pitre was born in Smooth Rock Falls, Ontario; her family moved to Montreal and then to Welland during her childhood. [1] Her first language is French. [2] At age seven, she began to play piano, eventually taking professional lessons. She attended the University of Western Ontario and graduated with a bachelor's degree in music education. [3] After performing in a college musical, however, she began combining music with acting on stage.
Pitre moved to Toronto to pursue a musical theatre career. Her performance as Fantine in the musical adaptation of Les Misérables earned her acclaim in Toronto, Montreal, and Paris. [4] In 1992 she portrayed French singer Edith Piaf in three productions of Piaf. [4]
Other musicals she was involved with include Jacques Brel is Alive and Well and Living in Paris , I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change , The World Goes 'Round, Blood Brothers , Tartuffe , Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? , The Roar of the Greasepaint - The Smell of the Crowd , Applause , and Rock 'n' Roll.
Pitre auditioned in New York City for the musical Napoleon being produced in London, but was turned down for the role of Josephine. [5] The director, Francesca Zambello, told her she was perfect for a show she was also casting in Toronto entitled "Mamma Mia!" Pitre auditioned for the role of Donna Sheridan. Although initially hesitant about the part, she accepted after seeing the show. [6] She performed the role in Toronto and in its United States national tour, and after 18 months, was asked to play the role on Broadway. [7]
Reviews were positive; Variety Magazine, although unenthusiastic about the musical, called her "a terrific Donna", [8] The New York Times called her performance "delightful" and praised her "terrific pop belter's voice", [9] and the San Francisco Chronicle praised her for making the show "a dramatic showstopper". [10] For her performance, she was nominated for the Tony Award for Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Musical, [3] and won the National Broadway Touring Award and an award from the San Francisco Theatre Critics Circle. [11] Pitre left the show in October 2003.
Pitre performed as Mrs. Lovett in Sweeney Todd with Calgary Opera in 2003. [12] and as Annie in Annie Get Your Gun in 2005. [13]
Pitre has released several CDs including, All My Life Has Led To This, featuring songs in English and French, Shattered,La vie en rouge (all French) and Songs My Mother Taught Me. She can also be heard on the cast recordings of Could You Wait?, a show she co-wrote with W.J. Matheson and Diane Leah, Kristina playing the role of Ulrika and Les Miserables (role of Fantine) in the Paris cast recording.
She starred as Mayor Babs Belgoody and Ma Ferd in the Toronto production of The Toxic Avenger at the Danforth Music Hall from October 2009 through January 2010 with Dancap Productions. [14] She was on stage in summer 2010 in Love, Loss and What I Wore and finished the year to positive reviews [15] of her performance as Toad in A Year With Frog and Toad at Lorraine Kimsa Theatre for Young People. She garnered her sixth Dora Mavor Moore Award nomination for this performance [16] and captured Best Actress in a Musical with an inaugural Toronto Theatre Critics' Award. [17]
Pitre is a founding artist of Theatre 20, a musical theatre company in Toronto formed by artists in 2009, and headlined their first project, a workshop of the first English translation of the French musical Les Belles Soeurs . [18] She also performed in Theatre 20's 2011 Concert Series at the Panasonic Theatre. [19]
On June 1, 2011, she performed a solo, self-produced, one-night, sold-out concert La Vie en Rouge at the St. Lawrence Centre for the Arts' Jane Mallett Theatre. The French album, of the same name, was recorded live, off the floor, at Number 9 Audio Group in Toronto and released in conjunction with the concert. This theatrical event was documented to video and some highlights are shared on Louise Pitre’s YouTube channel. [20] [21] [22]
In July 2011, Toronto Life magazine named "Louise Pitre's musical theatre renaissance" as #12 in their "50 Reasons to Love Toronto" feature article.
In 2011 she was the host of Star Portraits on Bravo! and performing solo concerts across North America. [23]
Pitre wrote and performed in a show about her life, On the Rocks, in 2013. [1] During the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic restrictions, Louise sought an opportunity to stream a filmed version of On the Rocks in May 2021 through Stream Stage Productions. [24] In 2014 she once more performed with Theatre 20, in the musical Company ; the show received an unfavourable review from the Toronto Star, although Pitre's performance was praised. [25]
In 2016 Pitre performed in London, Ontario with Brendan Wall and Emm Gryner in The Grand Theatre production of Joni Mitchell: River. [26] Later that year, she performed with Kenneth Welsh in the show A Coal Mine Christmas at Toronto's Coal Mine Theatre. [27]
In 2023 and early 2024, she portrayed Marya Dmitriyevna in the Canadian premiere of Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812 . [28]
Other musical theatre performances include Pitre’s META’s (Montreal English Theatre Awards) nominated role of Edith Piaf in the 2018 North American premiere of The Angel & The Sparrow presented at the Segal Centre for Performing Arts in Montreal under the direction of Gordon Greenberg. [29] [30] In the spring of 2019, she played Adult Marie van Goethem in Marie, Dancing Still; music by Stephen Flaherty and book and lyrics by Lynn Ahrens. This premiere production, directed and choreographed by Susan Stroman was presented by the 5th Avenue Theatre in Seattle, Washington. [31] Also in the spring of 2019, Louise Pitre broke gender boundaries by playing the role of Doctor Madden (Doctor Fine) in the Toronto, Off-Mirvish production by The Musical Stage Company of Next To Normal at the CAA Theatre. [32] In the fall of 2019, The Angel & The Sparrow was brought to Toronto by Mirvish Productions again under the direction of Gordon Greenberg and retitled Piaf/Dietrich, A Legendary Affair at which time Louise reprised her role as Edith Piaf opposite Jayne Lewis as Marlene Dietrich. [33]
Year | Award | Category | Title | Role | Result |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
2020 | Dora Mavor Moore Award | Outstanding Performance in a Leading Role - Musical Theatre Division | Piaf/Dietrich | Edith Piaf | Nominated |
2019 | Dora Mavor Moore Award | Outstanding Performance in a Featured Role - Musical Theatre Division | Next To Normal | Doctor Madden (Doctor Fine) | Nominated |
2018 | METAs (Montreal English Theatre Awards) | Outstanding Lead Performance by an Actress | The Angel & The Sparrow | Edith Piaf | Nominated |
2016 | Critter Award (Calgary Theatre Critics’ Awards) | Best Supporting Actress in a Musical | The Little Prince | Snake | Won |
2014 | Jeff Award | Best Actress in a Principal Role in a Musical | Gypsy | Mama Rose | Nominated |
2011 | Toronto Critics Circle Award | Best Actress in a Musical | A Year With Frog and Toad | Toad | Won |
Dora Mavor Moore Award | Best Actress in a Musical | A Year With Frog and Toad | Toad | Nominated | |
2010 | Dora Mavor Moore Award | Best Actress in a Musical | The Toxic Avenger | Mayor | Won |
2006 | Dora Mavor Moore Award | Best Actress in a Musical | Song & Dance | Lead | Nominated |
2004 | Barrymore Award | Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Musical | The Great Ostrovsky | Rose | Nominated |
Betty Mitchell Award | Best Actress in a Musical | Sweeney Todd | Mrs. Lovett | Won | |
2002 | Tony Award | Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Musical | Mamma Mia! | Donna | Nominated |
Theatre World Award | Best Actress in a Musical for Debut Performance on Broadway | Mamma Mia! | Donna | Won | |
Outer Critics Circle Award | Outstanding Actress in a Musical | Mamma Mia! | Donna | Nominated | |
Drama Desk Award | Outstanding Actress in a Musical | Mamma Mia! | Donna | Nominated | |
2001 | Dora Mavor Moore Award | Best Actress in a Musical | Mamma Mia! | Donna | Won |
San Francisco Critics Award/National Broadway Award | Best Actress in a Musical | Mamma Mia! | Donna | Won | |
1994 | Dora Mavor Moore Award | Best Actress in a Musical | Piaf | Piaf | Won |
1989 | Dora Mavor Moore Award | Best Actress in a Musical | Blood Brothers | Mrs. Johnstone | Won |
(Sources: Dora Awards, Jeff Awards, Broadway World, Tony Awards, Outer Critics Circle Awards, Barrymore Awards, Theatre World Awards, METAs Louise Pitre website) |
Year | Title |
---|---|
2011 | La vie en rouge |
2004 | Shattered |
1998 | All Of My Life Has Led To This |
1995 | Songs My Mother Taught Me |
(Sources: Apple Music, AllMusic, Louise Pitre website) |
Year | Title / Role |
---|---|
2013 | On The Rocks / Self |
2012 | Mame / Mame Dennis |
2009 | Kristina At Carnegie Hall / Ulrika |
2006 | Could You Wait? / Mary |
1991 | Les Misérables / Fantine |
(Sources: Apple Music, AllMusic, Louise Pitre website) |
Mamma Mia! is a jukebox musical written by British playwright Catherine Johnson based on songs recorded by Swedish group ABBA and composed by members Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus. The musical's title is taken from the group's 1975 chart-topper "Mamma Mia". Ulvaeus and Andersson were involved in the development of the show from the beginning, while singer Anni-Frid Lyngstad was involved financially in the production and also appeared at many of the premieres around the world.
Colm Wilkinson, also known as C. T. Wilkinson, is an Irish singer and actor who is best known for originating the lead role of Jean Valjean in Les Misérables and for creating the title role in The Phantom of the Opera (1985) preview at the Sydmonton Festival and the original Canadian production.
Camilla Eves is a Canadian actress and television host.
Carolee Carmello is an American actress best known for her performances in Broadway musicals and for playing the role of Maple LaMarsh on the television series Remember WENN (1996–1998). She is a three-time Tony Award nominee and a five-time Drama Desk nominee, winning the 1999 Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Actress in a Musical for her role in Parade.
Kendra Kassebaum is an American theatre actress, who has performed in many different musicals, and is perhaps best remembered for playing the role of Glinda in the first national tour, Broadway, and San Francisco casts of the blockbuster musical Wicked.
Judy Kaye is an American singer and actress. She has appeared in stage musicals, plays, and operas. Kaye has been in long runs on Broadway in the musicals The Phantom of the Opera, Ragtime, Mamma Mia!, and Nice Work If You Can Get It.
Ma-Anne Dionisio is a Filipino-Canadian singer and actress.
Beth Leavel is an American stage and screen actress and singer.
Scarlett Aimee Vaigncourt-Strallen is an English stage actress, best known for her work in musical theatre productions in the West End and on Broadway. She has received two Olivier Award nominations, in 2006 for her portrayal of Josephine in an adaptation of H.M.S. Pinafore, performed at Regent's Park Open Air Theatre and in 2012 for her role in Singin' in the Rain. Strallen is also a former voice actress.
The 56th Annual Tony Awards ceremony was held at Radio City Music Hall on June 2, 2002 and broadcast by CBS. "The First Ten" awards ceremony was telecast on PBS television. The event was co-hosted by Bernadette Peters and Gregory Hines.
Caroline Ann O'Connor is an Anglo-Australian singer, dancer, and actress. For her theatre work she has won three Helpmann Awards: Best Female Actor in a Play for Edith Piaf in Piaf in 2001; in the same category for Judy Garland in End of the Rainbow in 2006; and Best Female Actor in a Musical for Reno Sweeney in Anything Goes in 2015.
Lisa Brescia is an American musical theatre actress who has performed as lead and understudy in several Broadway shows. Raised in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, she went on to pursue acting and graduated from the American Academy of Dramatic Arts. She taught Acting I and IV at Missouri State University and is now set to be the head of the Musical Theatre department at Stephens College in Columbia, Missouri.
Willemijn Verkaik is a Dutch singer and actress. She is best known for her stage roles in Wicked and Elisabeth, and for providing the singing voice for Elsa in both the German and Dutch versions of Disney's Frozen. She was the longest running Elphaba in the musical Wicked, having played the role over 2,000 times, and is the only person to have played the role in three languages. Her first performance as Elphaba was on 31 October 2007, in Stuttgart, Germany, and her final performance was on 22 July 2017 in the West End of London.
Mirvish Productions, commonly known as Mirvish, is a Canadian theatrical production company, based in Toronto. Founded in 1986 by David Mirvish with his father, Ed Mirvish, it is the largest commercial theatre company in Canada. Mirvish Productions own and operate four theatres in the downtown Toronto area: the Royal Alexandra Theatre, Princess of Wales Theatre, Ed Mirvish Theatre, and the CAA Theatre.
Dancap Productions was a Canadian theatrical production company, based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Founded in 2007 by Aubrey Dan, the company presented large-scale musicals and plays in Toronto. The company initially found success with its Canadian production of Jersey Boys, which ran in Toronto for two years. After six years, Dancap Productions closed in July 2012.
Christine "Christy" Altomare is an American actress and singer-songwriter.
Rose Hemingway is an American actress, performer and singer. She made her Broadway debut starring as Rosemary Pilkington in the musical How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying (2011) earning a Theatre World Award.
Dan Chameroy is a Canadian actor and singer, best known for his work in musical theatre. In 1995, he originated the role of Gaston in the Canadian premiere production of Beauty and the Beast at the Princess of Wales Theatre. Chameroy also originated the role of Miss Trunchbull in the Canadian premiere production of Matilda at the Ed Mirvish Theatre, and reprised the role in the show's first national tour. He has also co-created and performed as the character "Plumbum" at several Ross Petty pantomimes.
Amanda Jeannette Bridel, known as AJ Bridel, is a Canadian actress and singer. She first rose to prominence as a finalist on Over the Rainbow, where she finished in third-place. Since then, Bridel originated the role of Lauren in the Canadian premiere of Kinky Boots at the Royal Alexandra Theatre and has appeared in several regional productions across Ontario. In 2022, Bridel started voicing the main character Pipp Petals in the My Little Pony series.
Danielle Wade is a Canadian actress and singer. She first rose to prominence for winning the 2012 Canadian reality television series, Over the Rainbow. She originated the role of Dorothy Gale in the Andrew Lloyd Webber production of The Wizard of Oz, which began performances at the Ed Mirvish Theatre in December 2012. She continued on in the role for the subsequent North American tour of The Wizard of Oz.