This time on The Bellows we feature a conversation about the genesis and production of Pearle Harbour: Chautauqua, from the spark of an idea to the gathering of the creative team and the final realization in the marvelous 40-seat revival tent installed at Theatre Passe Muraille in October in 2018. A subset of the creative team, creator of the Pearle Harbour persona, Justin Miller, musical director and composer Steven Conway and stage manager Guiseppe Condello discuss the development of a fabulous piece of bouffant theatre and drag performance.
The Bellows Toronto is a collective committed to fostering discussion about all issues concerning theatre production and has existed since 2015. The Bellows is Pip Bradford, Rebecca Hooton, Kevin Hutson, Christopher Ross, and Michael Kruse.
Bios
Giuseppe Condello
Stage Mananger for Pearle Harbour. Guiseppe is a Toronto based stage manager, theatre technician and budding lighting designer. He has managed stages for Canadian Rep Theatre's remount of TOUGH! (2016) and Dreams (2016) by Wajdi Mouawad. As lighting designer, Giuseppe lit the stage for the world premiere of George F. Walker's Damage Done (2016), and more recently, The Beckett Shorts (2017) for director Adam Paolozza. Giuseppe has been Pearle's stage manager since the very beginning, and has become her good luck charm.
Steven Conway
Steven's teaching philosophy is that effectively communicating enthusiasm is the best way to inspire it in others. He is thrilled to have the chance to share his love of music with Rainbow Songs students.
Trained for 10 years in piano and theory at the Royal Conservatory of Music, with a background in choir, musical theatre, and improv, Steven is also self-taught in a variety of instruments, and is constantly seeking new ways to expand his musical vocabulary.
After completing his Master’s degree in Theatre and Performance Studies from the University of Toronto in 2015, Steven has performed in musical ensembles across the city, and continues to work as a musical director, accompanist, and composer within Toronto’s independent theatre scene.
As a member of the Rainbow Songs team, Steven is eager to facilitate learning, community, and joy through the love of music.
Justin Miller
Artistic Director for Pearle Harbour. Justin is a queer, Toronto-based theatre artist. As a creator, his work explores bouffon, clown, drag, and the writing that can be magnified by those styles. As a writer, he's the author of seven full-length shows in the Pearle Harbour series. As an actor, his work has been called "riveting" (NOW) and "a tour de force" (Stage Door). He has won the Audience Choice Award at SummerWorks; nominations include the Dora Award for Outstanding Male Performance, and Outstanding Solo Performance by My Entertainment World.
Pearle Harbour
An all-American gal who's sweet-as-pie and sharp-as-nails, Pearle Harbour was born on [information withheld], when America was still Great. During the War, she served as a stewardess aboard top-secret bomber missions, including [information withheld], and even [information withheld]!
An accomplished soloist - on the boards and in the sheets - Pearle has played to audiences at The SummerWorks Performance Festival, The Second City, Buddies In Bad Times Theatre, Theatre Passe Muraille, The Theatre Centre, Toronto Sketch Comedy Festival, Opera5, Videofag, The Comedy Bar, The Wrecking Ball, Pressgang Storytelling, The Gladstone Hotel, and countless cabarets, concerts, and clubs across Canada.