Once More, With Feeling – Krystin Pellerin

In addition to being a regular fixture on the Soulpepper stage, Krystin Pellerin is already a rising star in Canadian television. She can be seen on CBC’s popular program Republic of Doyle, and has appeared in past Soulpepper productions such as Salt-Water Moon and Waiting for the Parade. A graduate of the National Theatre School of Canada, Krystin plays the role of Luisa in The Fantasticks, and will also appear later on in Our Town.

I feel particularly thankful and fortunate to be a part of The Fantasticks because it will be my return to music after having put it to the side for 5 years. I chose theatre school over classical music studies and thought that I could never really have both in my life. This rehearsal process has been a re-awakening of the spirit for me and I am discovering my voice again in a beautifully nurturing and inspired environment. I couldn’t have asked for a better way to be re-introduced to music than with The Fantasticks.

We are having such a blast singing together everyday. The orchestra is made up of a piano and a harp. That’s it. Yesterday we had our first sing through with the harp and it was just magical. The harp took us all to a whole other level. The play came to life in a new way. It felt like the harp was a character in and of itself and we were all in dialogue with it throughout the course of the story. I had never experienced anything quite like it.

I love this play so much. I love rehearsing everyday. This play is sweet and simple and yet it has so much depth. I am moved constantly and I have never laughed so hard in rehearsal. Bill Webster is my dad in the show and I get to watch him sing about Kumquats. Does life get much better than that? We open on Valentine’s Day, and The Fantasticks really and truly is the best valentine I can think of. Albert Schutlz’s character, El Gallo, delivers one of my favorite passages below… perfect!

‘Celebrate sensation
Recall that secret place.
You’ve been there, you remember:
That special place where once-just once-
In your crowded sunlit lifetime
You hid away from shadows from the tyranny of time.
That spot beside the clover
Where someone’s hand held your hand
And love was sweeter than the berries,
or the honey,
or the stinging taste of mint
It is September-
Before a rainfall-
A perfect time to be in love.’

Photo: Sandy Nicholson.