"Just Watch Me" The Musical
The musical had its Canadian Premiere showcasing at Centrepointe Theatre In Ottawa for five performances in October 2015 with a cast of 25. Written by the ACTRA award-winning playwright/composer Gord Carruth, it brings to the stage in two acts the life and times of Pierre Elliott Trudeau, Canada’s flamboyant and contradictory Prime Minister. From the fleeting magic of Trudeaumania, through the October crisis, his romance and marriage, the referendum that could have torn the country apart, to his long walk in the snow in 1984 when he left politics, we see the consummate politician, and behind the public image we meet the man: the son, the lover, the husband, the father.
CAST OF CHARACTERS
(only roles in italics may not be doubled)
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Bill, Tom, Wally, Charlie, Members of the Rideau Club: 40s+
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President of the Liberal Party: 40s
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Pierre Trudeau: late 40s
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Margaret Sinclair: 20s
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Margaret's girlfriend: 20s
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Suzette Rouleau, Pierre's sister: early 50s
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Lorne Campbell: Leader of the Young Liberals in B.C.: 20s
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The Victoriettes (four young women): 20s
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Four male reporters: 30s-40s
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Two female reporters: 30s-40s
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Nicole, a French teacher: 30s
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Kathleen Sinclair, Margaret's mother: early
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Mark, a waiter: 20s-30s
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Members of the FLQ: male/female
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Paul Rose: late 20s
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Robert Bourassa: 37
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James Cross: 49
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Pierre Laporte: 49
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Four male students: 40s
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Liona Boyd: 30
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Sarah Coyne: 8 years old
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A young couple: 30s
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Justin Trudeau: 27
CHORUS: approximately 20 male/female. Most can be doubled from actors playing other roles.
SOME OF THE SONGS
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A Brand New Day at the Leadership convention 1968
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Our Rock and Rolling Star: campaigning in Victoria BC
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Can This Be Real? The love duet: Margaret & Pierre
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The Heart Knows No Age, Margaret & Pierre
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We Are The Power: Paul Rose and members of the FLQ
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Just Watch Me! The War Measures Act 1970
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With Trudeau You Just Never Know The “Hill” reporters
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The Fuddle Duddle Fugue in G minor: Trudeau
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Who I Am ? Margaret (on the break-up)
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Les Yvette (during the 1980 referendum)
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A Walk In The Snow (Pierre on his resigning)
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Papa by Justin at the funeral
AUDIO SAMPLES
VIDEO SAMPLES
1. One copy of the script.
2. A DVD of excerpts from the musical.
MATERIALS
NON-EQUITY (Amateur) THEATRE GROUPS
The fee is negotiable depending on the theatre size and number of performances and shall be paid by the theatre to Maple Leaf Theatre Productions for the rights to perform, and for all materials listed above: cf Production Contract for other terms.
EQUITY THEATRE GROUPS
Royalties shall be paid by the Theatre to Maple Leaf Theatre Productions at a rate of 10% of the certified gross box office receipts, not including credit card charges, group sales commissions, and all sales tax, goods and services or similar government taxes. : cf Production Contract for other terms.
ONCE A STANDARD CONTRACT TO PERFORM HAS BEEN SIGNED
1. Permission to copy as many scripts as required
2. Orchestrations on CD (recorded by professional musicians at Grant Avenue Studio in Hamilton, Ontario). CDs may be copied for cast and production staff for rehearsal purposes There is no need to hire an orchestra.
3. A CD of the songs with orchestration to assist non-readers
4. Vocal charts
5. A DVD of the complete musical for reference (not to be duplicated)