Since graduating from the National Theater School in 2013, Jade Bruneau has performed in a dozen musical theater shows. “I was lucky enough to be part of the cast of successful productions like sisters-in-law, grease, Tomorrow morning, Montreal is waiting for mein addition to advocating for more intimate musical theater performances,” she explains in an interview.
The one who co-directs the Théâtre de l’Œil Ouvert company (with Simon Fréchette-Daoust) has given herself the mission of contributing to the influence of musical theater by developing a Quebec dramaturgy specific to the genre. With shows like Clemencyhis tribute to Clémence DesRochers, presented in twenty cities in Quebec in 2022. Or even La Corriveau, the thirst of crows, which recounts the terrible fate of Marie-Josephte Corriveau, who is part of Quebec folklore. This show will be repeated in June across the province.
Extract of La Corriveau, the thirst of crows
Jade Bruneau makes a distinction between Anglo-Saxon musical comedies, translated and adapted for Quebec, and musical theatre, such as The Man of La Mancha Or The chorists. Both in substance and in form. “In musicals, original creation is a very, very long process. You have to rely on huge teams. You don’t put on a musical on Broadway or in London in a few months. For example, hamilton was produced over a period of 10 years! And these shows can count on a dozen producers to finance a project over several years. »
A leverage effect
The actress nevertheless believes that the successes of The melody of happiness, Famous Or Anne (72,000 tickets sold last summer) helps musical theater creation.
In my opinion, these are two different and complementary things. And there is room for both in Quebec, because musicals on Broadway can serve as a lever for original musical theatre. If the public appreciates American musicals, it is likely to be interested in other forms.
Jade Bruneau
It remains quite a challenge to attract people to lesser-known works. “We have to develop our expertise and our way of doing musical theatre, the history of which is fairly recent here,” she says. However, it is a complete and very accessible art. With my plays, I want to seduce everyone… even those who don’t like musical theater or who find it tacky. »
PHOTO FRANÇOIS ROY, LA PRESSE ARCHIVES
Jade Bruneau (behind Annie Villeneuve) during rehearsals for the musical grease, in 2016
The madness of Diane Dufresne
With his new show, Belmont, Jade Bruneau promises “a journey to the heart of feminine intensity”. She invites viewers to dive into the colorful universe and the madness of Diane Dufresne, a leading artist of French song and an important woman in Quebec: “Diane Dufresne was a turning point for a whole generation of crazy, marginal women artists, eccentric,” says Jade Bruneau.
On the stage, five actresses will play five facets of the Dufresne: the diva (Catherine Sénart), the lover (Laetitia Isambert), the artist (Sharon James), the madwoman (Geneviève Alarie) and the little girl (Laur Fugère ). They will be accompanied by a ringmaster/clown (Pierre-Olivier Grondin). “We are in the imagination, the dream and the madness of Belmont Park. A universe unlike anything else,” concludes Jade Bruneau.
La Corriveau, the thirst of crows. At the Salle Albert-Rousseau, in Quebec, from June 6, then at the Monument-National, in Montreal, from June 14 to 17. On tour in winter 2024.
Belmont. At the Théâtre Alphonse-Desjardins, in Repentigny, starting August 4.