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| The Chioran/Carver Connection. | |
| Posted by: portenopete 04:17 pm EDT 08/08/20 | |
| In reply to: Yes, AND... (plus thoughts on another great Molina, Juan Chioran, in Man of La Mancha) - DanielVincent 05:30 pm EDT 08/07/20 | |
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| Thanks for that beautiful memory, DanielVincent. I've been reading a lot of memories on Facebook and I discovered that Brent had indeed played Don Quixote in Man of La Mancha at Neptune Theatre in Halifax in 1989. A number of people mentioned it in passing telling the story of his being asked to play David in Brad Fraser's Unidentified Human Remains and the True Nature of Love with Crow's Theatre, which opened at the tiny Poor Alex Theatre in Toronto in January of 1990. He was in the middle of the La Mancha run when he was asked to play the cynical gay waiter approaching a mid-life crisis in Fraser's jolting murder mystery/gay comedy thriller. It had a phenomenal cast and got great reviews so the only way to get in was to line up on Sunday morning to get a seat for the PWYC matinée. In its own Canadian way it had a Hamilton vibe: by 8:00 AM there were line-ups around the block. And on some very cold winter mornings in Toronto. It was glorious! There was such anticipation in the air and Brent was a big part of why it generated the excitement it did. It eventually transferred to a bigger theatre and had a commercial run, very odd for Toronto theatre (outside the big musicals). I think he might have been doing Human Remains when Spider-Woman came along. Yes, Juan and Brent shared a few roles. In addition to Molina and Don Quixote, they were both electric Emcees in Cabaret (Juan at the Shaw Festival in 2014 and Brent in Brian Macdonald's 1987 Stratford production). They both possess lean and lanky bodies with a dancer's grace. And they both gravitate to the non-traditional choice in terms of playing a role and a scene. Juan has always seemed to me like a 19th-century actor who loves filling a large theatre with his razor voice and blazing eyes. (Another role that was written for Brent but played by Juan in the end was the title role in Richard Ouzounian/Marek Norman musical of Dracula at Stratford in the mid-1990s). If anything, Juan's joy performing and Brent's sadness were both deep and foundational and perhaps inspired similar reaction. Now I'm trying to remember if they ever played together.... |
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| That was a joy to read. Thank you. And now, I need to... | |
| Posted by: DanielVincent 11:57 pm EDT 08/08/20 | |
| In reply to: The Chioran/Carver Connection. - portenopete 04:17 pm EDT 08/08/20 | |
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| ...find a copy of the Fraser play! | |
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