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.
Louise Pitre | |
|---|---|
 Pitre in 2017 | |
| Born | January 1, 1957 Smooth Rock Falls, Ontario, Canada |
| Alma mater | University of Western Ontario |
| Occupation(s) | Actress, singer |
| Years active | 1979—present |
| Website | LouisePitre.com |
Early life
editPitre 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.
Career
editPitre 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]
Theatre awards & nominations
edit| 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) | |||||
Discography
editSolo albums
edit| 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) | |
Musicals; cast recording credits
edit| 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) | |
See also
edit
References
edit- ^ a b "Niagara's Louise Pitre lays herself bare in new show". John Law, Niagara Falls Review, September 6, 2013
- ^ PLAYBILL ON-LINE'S BRIEF ENCOUNTER with Louise Pitre Archived 2007-09-27 at the Wayback Machine. October 16, 2001. Retrieved June 24, 2007.
- ^ a b "Joni Mitchell: River follows the arch of a love affair through the artist’s classic songs". By Joe Belanger, The London Free Press, October 19, 2016
- ^ a b James Neufeld; Charles Foster; Mel Atkey; Martin Hunter; Sheila M.F. Johnston; Ward McBurney (26 December 2013). Dundurn Performing Arts Library Bundle — Theatre: Broadway North / Let's Go to The Grand! / Once Upon a Time in Paradise / Passion to Dance / Sky Train / Romancing the Bard / Stardust and Shadows. Dundurn. pp. 2033–. ISBN 978-1-4597-2830-1.
- ^ Stevenson, William. Louise Pitre.
- ^ Vercammen, Paul. Old ABBA hits go from radio to stage, April 20, 2001. Retrieved June 24, 2007.
- ^ Cdn. Mamma Mia star 'shattered' by Bush win, November 8, 2004. Retrieved June 24, 2007.
- ^ Oxman, Steven. Mamma Mia! February 28, 2001. Retrieved June 24, 2007.
- ^ Brantley, Ben. THEATER REVIEW; Mom Had a Trio (And a Band, Too), October 19, 2001. Retrieved June 24, 2007.
- ^ Winn, Steven. Mamma's' a guilty pleasure for ABBA fans despite its weaknesses, November 18, 2000. Retrieved June 24, 2007.
- ^ 'Mamma Mia!' It's Louise Pitre And Her Tony Nomination. CBS News, May 31, 2002. Retrieved June 24, 2007.
- ^ Gans, Andrew. Playbill News: Mamma Mia!'s Louise Pitre Is Mrs. Lovett in Sweeney Todd. Playbill, September 16, 2003. Retrieved June 24, 2007.
- ^ Gans, Andrew. Playbill News: Mamma Mia!'s Louise Pitre Finds Next Musical Role. April 13, 2005. Retrieved June 24, 2007.
- ^ "Final Three Weeks to Laugh Your Head Off!". Dancap Toxic Avenger Press Release. Dancap Productions. Retrieved 9 August 2011.
- ^ Ouzounian, Richard (18 November 2010). "Gentle show is good family fare". Toronto Star. Retrieved 9 August 2011.
- ^ "DORA Past Awards Nominees". Toronto Alliance for the Performing Arts. Retrieved 30 January 2018.
- ^ Nestruck, Kelly (6 June 2011). "Toronto theatre critics name inaugural award winners". The Globe and Mail Inc. Retrieved 30 January 2018.
- ^ Ouzounian, Richard (22 December 2010). "Louise Pitre heads all-star cast for Sisters, Theatre 20's first project". Toronto Star. Retrieved 9 August 2011.
- ^ Jones, Kenneth (12 April 2011). "Colm Wilkinson, Louise Pitre and New Musical Amelia Will Be Heard in Toronto Concert Series". Playbill. Archived from the original on 21 October 2012. Retrieved 9 August 2011.
- ^ Leong, Melissa (2011-05-27). "Similar types: Louise Pitre and Charlotte Moore compare resumes". National Post. Retrieved 11 March 2018.
- ^ "La Vie En Rouge". iTunes Apple. 5 June 2011. Retrieved 11 March 2018.
- ^ "Music Notes". Louise Pitre/Albums. Retrieved 11 March 2018.
- ^ "Upcoming Appearances - Concerts". Louise Pitre Website. Louise Pitre. Retrieved 9 August 2011.
- ^ Ghosal, Arpital (22 May 2021). "Louise Pitre's film "On the Rocks" is a revealing portrait of the artist's life". SesayArts Magazine. Retrieved 1 June 2021.
- ^ "Theatre 20's 'Company' a disappointment: review". Toronto Star, Richard Ouzounian, June 27, 2014
- ^ "Review: This River a journey of love and life’s illusions". Morris Lamont, The London Free Press, October 22, 2016
- ^ "Have yourselves a Coal Mine Christmas". Toronto Star, December 5, 2016, page E4.
- ^ ANNOUNCING THE CAST OF NATASHA, PIERRE & THE GREAT COMET OF 1812
- ^ Burke, Jim (2018-04-11). "When Dietrich met Piaf: The Angel and the Sparrow takes flight". Montreal Gazette Updated. Retrieved 2019-04-26.
- ^ "2017-2018 Nominees and Recipients". 2018-08-06. Retrieved 2019-04-26.
- ^ Franklin, Marc J. (March 5, 2019). "See the Cast and Creative Team of Marie, Dancing Still Meet the Press". Playbill. Retrieved 2019-04-26.
- ^ Henry, Alan. "Ma-Anne Dionisio and Louise Pitre Will Lead NEXT TO NORMAL in Toronto". Broadwayworld. Retrieved 6 May 2019.
- ^ "Louise Pitre and Jayne Lewis Will Star in Toronto Premiere of Piaf/Dietrich, A Legendary Affair". 2019-07-22.
