Tuesdays with Morrie...

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Theatre Review by Christina Manolescu</MARQUEE>

Take an ‘untouchable’ subject: disease and impending death in old age. Make this death as gruesome, cruel and distasteful as it can possibly be — and you have the founding premise of a remarkable theatre performance, which nevertheless manages to transcend its original material, creating diamonds from coal dust, gold spun thread from a parcel of rank hay.

Two forceful personalities animate and dominate the stage: an aging mentor Morrie Schwartz (played by Bernie Passeltiner) and his ‘adoptive’ prodigal son Mitch (played by Marcel Jeannin). The impassioned exchanges between the two men portray the fluctuations in each other's strength and frailty, humour and grief, denial and gradual acceptance of elapsing life, inevitable death.

At its core, however, is the head-on collision between the authentic human life, consciously lived, versus the waste of a life through the premature erosion of youthful dreams. It is a lesson firmly and deliberately hammered home, the essential human epiphany — for as Morrie discovers during his own protracted dance with death: "Once you learn how to die, you learn how to live."

In this performance underpinned by a flawless choreography of fluid action, stage wizardry, dialogue, sound and song, the actors — whether arguing or reminiscing, philosophizing or questioning, resisting or evading, laughing or grieving — succeed in grasping the attention of the audience, and totally entrancing them as well.

Judging from the warm, standing ovation in a full house, despite its unpromising focus and theme, ‘Tuesdays with Morrie’ manages to accomplish the nearly impossible: move the audience both to tears and laughter, fascinate, intrigue, enlighten and entertain — while gradually imparting a subtle, transformative message to each person present.

For the truth is that, even when exiting the theatre, one can scarcely evade or decline Morrie’s tender invitation to scrutinize the authenticity of our own lives — whether our days seem numberless or whether, in fact, they are our very last on earth.

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MONTREAL April 2005 - This season the Leanor and Alvin Segal Theatre has dealt with the need for dreams in the face of life’s harsh realities.

Mitch Albom’s Tuesdays with Morrie is the stage adaptation of the New York Times best-selling book by American sports journalist, Mitch Albom. The story of how Morrie Schwartz battled with ALS has inspired millions and was avidly followed on Ted Koppel’s Nightline. Now share in the uplifting true-life story of Mitch and his college mentor, Morrie, with whom Albom reconnects after 16 years. Here begins a series of weekly visits, rekindling their loving teacher-student relationship while tackling a larger subject in their final “class”: The Meaning of Life.

Director Marcia Kash is inspired by this gentle, timely yet timeless play: “It reaffirms the importance of living in the moment, of being fully present.” Kash goes on to describe the currency of the piece, “At a time when governments are weighing in on the decisions of individuals about how and when they should die, Mitch Albom’s Tuesdays with Morrie reminds us that death is not “a dirty word”, that there is no shame in dying and that “dignity comes from the inner self.”

Ms Kash is a well-respected director with credits across the country. She is also an actor and playwright (Who’s Under Where written with Doug Hughes). The Segal Theatre is pleased to welcome Bernie Passeltiner (Morrie) back to Montreal after having last performed on the same stage in the title role in Visiting Mr. Green. With numerous on and off-Broadway credits, Mr. Passeltiner has also toured in the U.S., Canada, Japan and Paris. Marcel Jeannin (Mitch) is a well-loved, Montreal-based actor (Strawberries in January, Clowns Gone Bad) whose talents have been enjoyed across the country both live and vocally in cartoons.

Recreating Morrie’s world is Set and Costume Designer John Dinning who wowed us earlier this season with Man of La Mancha; Lighting Designer Spike Lyne, just off the glow of Rose and Sound Designer Troy Slocum still reeling from Death and Taxes. Rounding out the team is Stage Manager Merissa Tordjman and Apprentice Stage Manager Naima Phillips.

“I’m about to take that last journey into the great unknown. People want to know what to pack.” Morrie Schwartz

88.5 CBC Radio One presents Sunday-@-the-Saidye

Documentary filmmaker Garry Beitel – The Man who Learned to Fall

The popular Sunday-@-the-Saidye discussion series began three seasons ago in order to enhance the audience’s theatre-going experience. The public attends these programmes in ever-growing numbers as playwrights, directors, designers, radio-personalities, historians and even scientists provide a background to the plays throughout the season. The season got off to a great start with Robert Adams enjoying a capacity crowd for his discussion of Man of La Mancha, hosted by Jeanette Kelly. Douglas Campbell was unforgettable in his lead-up to The Tempest with My Life in the Theatre. Partnered with 88.5 CBC Radio One, we provide an opportunity for audiences to be part of a nationally broadcast program.

For Mitch Albom’s Tuesdays with Morrie, we welcome Garry Beitel discussing his acclaimed film. The Man who Learned to Fall is a feature documentary on Phil Simmons, a gifted writer and teacher who lived for ten years with ALS and articulated a passionate love of life as he became progressively more ill. The film is an intimate odyssey that follows him and his family in the last year of his life. Captured is the witty eloquence and poetic grace of a dying man and his heroic journey.

The film will be screened on May 5.

Monday Night Talkbacks presented by Pratt and Whitney Canada
As usual following the play, some of the actors and/or designers will remain on stage to take questions from the audience. Combined with the new lower rates for this evening, Monday night performances have become an outstanding package that true theatre buffs cannot resist.

The Leanor and Alvin Segal Theater is proud to be associated with the ALS Society of Quebec. We look forward to promoting community awareness of the devastating effects of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (also known as Lou Gehrig's disease) as well as the patient services that the Society offers. Please take the time to visit their website, www.sal-quebec.ca and their informative display table available at every performance.

Don’t miss this comforting story filled with forgiveness, humour and love.

A Teacher to the Last
Morrie Schwartz’s tombstone epitaph

Tickets
Sunday-@-the-Saidye May 8, 11 am (film screening May 5)

Opening Night: Wednesday, May 4, 8pm
Run: May 5 - 22

Performances:
Monday-Thursday, 8pm
Saturday, 9pm
Sunday, 7 pm
Matinées: Wednesdays, 1pm / Sundays, 2 pm
Box Office: (514) 739-7944
5170 cote St. Catherine Rd.
www.saidyebronfman.org
Admission 790-1245 www.admission.com

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Relayed by the Invisible Cities Network
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