Richard Monette
Encyclopedia
Richard Jean Monette OC
, DHum, LLD (June 19, 1944 – September 9, 2008) was a Canadian
actor and director, best-known for his 14-season tenure as artistic director of the Stratford Festival of Canada
from 1994 to 2007.
, the son of Florence M. (née
Tondino) and Maurice Monette. He was educated at Loyola High School (Montreal)
and Loyola College (now Concordia University).
Monette was the nephew of Canadian painter Gentile Tondino
.
Upon graduation, he chose to pursue an acting career, and his first professional role was as a 19-year-old Hamlet
at the Crest Theatre in Toronto. He joined the Stratford Festival Company in 1965, and played a variety of small roles. He also won a role in Soldiers at the Royal Alexandra Theatre
, a production that took him to Broadway
. He also appeared in a number of television plays on CBC
.
In 1969, he moved to London
England
, and appeared in a variety of productions, including open-air Shakespeare in Regent Park, and the original production of the notorious Oh! Calcutta!
.
Upon his return to Canada in 1974, he took on the title role in the premiere of the English translation of Michel Tremblay's Hosanna at the Tarragon Theatre
. His definitive interpretation of the conflicted transvestite obsessed with Elizabeth Taylor
's Cleopatra
marked his arrival as one of Canada's leading actors. In his memoir, he recalled it as "a great role, perhaps the best I have ever played, outside of Shakespeare".
He also returned to the Stratford Company, taking on the role of Hamlet
, and for the next ten years, he would be one of Stratford's main leading men. He also appeared in a number of Canadian films, including I Heard the Mermaids Singing.
Monette fought a lifelong battle with stage fright, and gradually refocused his energies from acting to directing. Although he had directed a short play at Stratford in 1978, his first full length Stratford production was Taming of the Shrew at Stratford in 1988, which was an unexpected hit with audiences. Critic Richard Ouzounian believes this production served as a foundation for Monette's career as a director, calling it "a joyous romp in which the Fellinesque setting of Rome in the 1950s meshed marvelously with Shakespeare's text and the performances of Goldie Semple
and Colm Feore
".
Monette was selected as Artistic Director Designate of Stratford in 1992, and subsequently named artistic director in 1994. During his tenure, he not only staged every one of Shakespeare's plays, he also showcased big-production musicals such as My Fair Lady
and Anything Goes
. Although critics argued that the musicals were too populist, Monette erased the Festival's considerable financial deficit and brought in new audiences. His other legacies at Stratford include the Birmingham Conservatory acting school and the opening of a fourth theatre, the 260-seat Studio Theatre
.
A little over a year after his retirement, he died of a pulmonary embolism
.
Order of Canada
The Order of Canada is a Canadian national order, admission into which is, within the system of orders, decorations, and medals of Canada, the second highest honour for merit...
, DHum, LLD (June 19, 1944 – September 9, 2008) was a Canadian
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
actor and director, best-known for his 14-season tenure as artistic director of the Stratford Festival of Canada
Stratford Festival of Canada
The Stratford Shakespeare Festival is an internationally recognized annual celebration of theatre running from April to November in the Canadian city of Stratford, Ontario...
from 1994 to 2007.
Early life
Monette was born in Montreal, Quebec, CanadaCanada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, the son of Florence M. (née
Married and maiden names
A married name is the family name adopted by a person upon marriage. When a person assumes the family name of her spouse, the new name replaces the maiden name....
Tondino) and Maurice Monette. He was educated at Loyola High School (Montreal)
Loyola High School (Montreal)
Loyola High School is a private Catholic school for boys in grades 7–11 located in Montreal . The School was established in 1896 by the Society of Jesus as part of Loyola College, at the request of the English Catholic community in Montreal. It is named after St...
and Loyola College (now Concordia University).
Monette was the nephew of Canadian painter Gentile Tondino
Gentile Tondino
Gentile Tondino was a Canadian educator, artist, who lived in Montreal, Quebec. He was a member of the Royal Canadian Academy...
.
Theatre career
It was at college that his acting skills were first noticed when he took top acting honours at the 1959 Hart House Inter-Varsity Drama competition in Toronto.Upon graduation, he chose to pursue an acting career, and his first professional role was as a 19-year-old Hamlet
Hamlet
The Tragical History of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark, or more simply Hamlet, is a tragedy by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written between 1599 and 1601...
at the Crest Theatre in Toronto. He joined the Stratford Festival Company in 1965, and played a variety of small roles. He also won a role in Soldiers at the Royal Alexandra Theatre
Royal Alexandra Theatre
The Royal Alexandra Theatre is a theatre in Toronto, Ontario, Canada located near King and Simcoe Streets. Built in 1907, the Royal Alex is the oldest continuously operating legitimate theatre in North America.-History:...
, a production that took him to Broadway
Broadway theatre
Broadway theatre, commonly called simply Broadway, refers to theatrical performances presented in one of the 40 professional theatres with 500 or more seats located in the Theatre District centered along Broadway, and in Lincoln Center, in Manhattan in New York City...
. He also appeared in a number of television plays on CBC
CBC Television
CBC Television is a Canadian television network owned by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, the national public broadcaster.Although the CBC is supported by public funding, the television network supplements this funding with commercial advertising revenue, in contrast to CBC Radio which are...
.
In 1969, he moved to London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, and appeared in a variety of productions, including open-air Shakespeare in Regent Park, and the original production of the notorious Oh! Calcutta!
Oh! Calcutta!
Oh! Calcutta! is an avant-garde theatrical revue, created by British drama critic Kenneth Tynan. The show, consisting of sketches on sex-related topics, debuted Off-Broadway in 1969 and then in London in 1970. It ran in London for over 3,900 performances, and in New York initially for 1,314...
.
Upon his return to Canada in 1974, he took on the title role in the premiere of the English translation of Michel Tremblay's Hosanna at the Tarragon Theatre
Tarragon Theatre
The Tarragon Theatre is a theatre in Toronto, Canada, and one of the main centers for contemporary playwriting in the country. Located near Casa Loma, the theatre was founded by Bill and Jane Glassco in 1970. Bill was the Artistic Director from 1971 to 1982. In 1982, Urjo Kareda took over as...
. His definitive interpretation of the conflicted transvestite obsessed with Elizabeth Taylor
Elizabeth Taylor
Dame Elizabeth Rosemond "Liz" Taylor, DBE was a British-American actress. From her early years as a child star with MGM, she became one of the great screen actresses of Hollywood's Golden Age...
's Cleopatra
Cleopatra (1963 film)
Cleopatra is a 1963 British-American-Swiss epic drama film directed by Joseph L. Mankiewicz. The screenplay was adapted by Sidney Buchman, Ben Hecht, Ranald MacDougall, and Mankiewicz from a book by Carlo Maria Franzero. The film starred Elizabeth Taylor, Richard Burton, Rex Harrison, Roddy...
marked his arrival as one of Canada's leading actors. In his memoir, he recalled it as "a great role, perhaps the best I have ever played, outside of Shakespeare".
He also returned to the Stratford Company, taking on the role of Hamlet
Hamlet
The Tragical History of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark, or more simply Hamlet, is a tragedy by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written between 1599 and 1601...
, and for the next ten years, he would be one of Stratford's main leading men. He also appeared in a number of Canadian films, including I Heard the Mermaids Singing.
Monette fought a lifelong battle with stage fright, and gradually refocused his energies from acting to directing. Although he had directed a short play at Stratford in 1978, his first full length Stratford production was Taming of the Shrew at Stratford in 1988, which was an unexpected hit with audiences. Critic Richard Ouzounian believes this production served as a foundation for Monette's career as a director, calling it "a joyous romp in which the Fellinesque setting of Rome in the 1950s meshed marvelously with Shakespeare's text and the performances of Goldie Semple
Goldie Semple
Goldie Semple was a Canadian actress.Semple was born Marigold Ann Semple in Richmond, British Columbia. She studied at the University of British Columbia where she graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree...
and Colm Feore
Colm Feore
Colm Feore is an American-born Canadian stage, film and television actor.-Early life:Feore was born in Boston, Massachusetts to Irish parents who lived in Ireland for several years during Feore's early life. The family subsequently moved to Windsor, Ontario, where Feore grew up.After graduating...
".
Monette was selected as Artistic Director Designate of Stratford in 1992, and subsequently named artistic director in 1994. During his tenure, he not only staged every one of Shakespeare's plays, he also showcased big-production musicals such as My Fair Lady
My Fair Lady
My Fair Lady is a musical based upon George Bernard Shaw's Pygmalion and with book and lyrics by Alan Jay Lerner and music by Frederick Loewe...
and Anything Goes
Anything Goes
Anything Goes is a musical with music and lyrics by Cole Porter. The original book was a collaborative effort by Guy Bolton and P.G. Wodehouse, heavily revised by the team of Howard Lindsay and Russel Crouse. The story concerns madcap antics aboard an ocean liner bound from New York to London...
. Although critics argued that the musicals were too populist, Monette erased the Festival's considerable financial deficit and brought in new audiences. His other legacies at Stratford include the Birmingham Conservatory acting school and the opening of a fourth theatre, the 260-seat Studio Theatre
Studio Theatre
A studio theatre is a 20th-century term that describes a small theatre space. Studio theatres often have a flexible auditorium whose stage and seating may be re-arranged to suit the specific requirements of a production...
.
A little over a year after his retirement, he died of a pulmonary embolism
Pulmonary embolism
Pulmonary embolism is a blockage of the main artery of the lung or one of its branches by a substance that has travelled from elsewhere in the body through the bloodstream . Usually this is due to embolism of a thrombus from the deep veins in the legs, a process termed venous thromboembolism...
.