Playing in a musical, Delphine Morissette dreamed of it since childhood, when the little “showgirl” that she was gave shows in her living room “à. all. THE. days,” she recalls, laughing, emphasizing every word. Grown up, she could not have hoped for a more dazzling baptism than the one she is currently experiencing in the hippie costumes of Hate.
Member of the enlarged ensemble with more than twenty voices, Delphine Morissette performs in almost all the scenes of the rolling fire of choreography that is Hate and pushes the note everywhere, not interpreting a defined character. An ideal initiation for the one who, as a child, had warmed up for seven years in the decorations of the fresco Decemberfrom Québec Issime, and who, last year, was coaching behind the scenes girls featured in Annethe previous musical opus of Just for Laughs.
“This is my first role in a musical. I’m not asking for much! Just to have a few solo sentences, here and there, I was very satisfied, ”says a bright-eyed Delphine, met in the hall of the St-Denis Theater before a performance.
To meet this challenge, she forced herself to take singing lessons, the vocal aspect intimidating her more than the rest. For movement, it was fine. “My mom took me into a dance studio when I was 2,” she laughs. On the strength of what she has learned over the past few months, she says she is proud to show that she can, in the same breath, play, sing and dance. “It’s a great achievement for me to be in this project! »
The director Serge Denoncourt talks about his new protege, discovered thanks to Annelike a “great worker”, very humble.
PHOTO ALAIN ROBERGE, LA PRESSE ARCHIVES
The director of Hate, Serge Denoncourt, during a rehearsal
To the point where I had to tell her, at some point, that if I chose her, it’s because she has everything it takes to do so.
Serge Denoncourt, director of Hate
Wise, nicknaming herself “Aunt Delphine,” the 20-year-old soul lives vicariously in Hate the madness of 1960s adolescence, sex, drugs and bell bottoms. Even a short snippet of frontal nudity included halfway through the segue. “It was a think about it! Stripping naked at the Théâtre St-Denis is no small feat. But it was so well approached by Serge. He knew what it meant to us. And everyone does it with respect. We don’t judge each other…”
Future artist… and producer?
The presence of Delphine Morissette in Hate alongside Éléonore Lagacé, Philippe Touzel, Kevin Houle and Sarah-Maude Desgagnés, is she part of the clever marketing trick? No, assures Serge Denoncourt laughing.
“There’s half the troop who don’t even know it’s ‟the daughter of”. She doesn’t talk about it at all. The only one making jokes about it is me. »
“I don’t have a main role, puts Delphine into perspective. I’m not on the poster! »
PHOTO DOMINICK GRAVEL, THE PRESS
Delphine Morissette
I’m part of a show, the little girl in me is super happy, and I’m living my dream for me, not for the public. My goal is not to get noticed or used for advertisements.
Delphine Morissette
There you go, the herd of elephants in the room are unleashed. But the main interested party has seen others. Questions about her parents’ involvement in her young career – they encourage her, without pushing her –, about the privileges they could bring her – she wants to audition like her colleagues and does not hope for any privileges, multiplying courses and training – the eldest of Véronique Cloutier and Louis Morissette has already answered it a thousand times, and a little more.
The status of her parents apparently excite the young woman’s interlocutors more than herself, who leads her merry way with ease, relying first on her studies in management at university to forge a future. The proposals like his chronicles at Good evening ! last year and her other commitments in the artistic world are a candy that she savors as a side.
The student, who is the spitting image of her aunt Stephanie (she is often reminded of this), seems endowed with the perfect blend of mum’s artistic temperament and dad’s entrepreneurial and rational forces.
“Everything that my mother touches in the artistic world, being forward, varieties, interests me, and that’s one of my goals,” she explains. And I have the same character as my father, I know where I’m going. Get down! [rires] I think my dad and I would work really well together because of that. »
Her brother Justin (18 years old), her sister Raphaëlle (13 years old) and she are already involved to the extent of their abilities in the Véro & Louis Foundation, which works to build living environments for autistic adults, in particular by participating fundraising activities. Their father does not hide his intention of possibly inviting them to administrative meetings. Nevertheless, in the long term, it is on television that “Del” would like to make a nest, in front of or behind the camera, and why not both?
Hate is on view at the Théâtre St-Denis until July 30 as part of Just for Laughs, then will move to the Salle Albert-Rousseau, in Quebec City, in December.