Evangeline soon hits the road for Edmonton run
Brent Carver, who plays priest Father Felicien, believes musical will strike a chord with Albertans
The Evangeline musical tells the celebrated story of a couple torn apart by the deportation of Acadians — and it's about to go on the road to Edmonton.
The story is one most Maritimers know through their own families, history lessons and reenactments. But Tony Award-winning actor Brent Carver, who plays the priest Father Felicien in the musical, is confident the story stands on its own — even to those who may not be familiar with Acadian history.
"Evangeline is such a great story. It's beautifully written by Ted Dykstra — musically and lyrically and story-wise — and I just felt that it was a great opportunity to be able to experience all three of these," he told Mainstreet host Karen Mair.
"I think that anyone can relate to the idea that you think you have a home, you have a community, you have a particular life and then it's interrupted through whatever circumstances, through the powers that be … Certainly Albertans understand about that completely … It's searching for a home, it's searching for a place that one can call home."
The Canadian actor, who is best known for his Broadway performance in Kiss of the Spider Woman, said he had general knowledge about the expulsion of the Acadians before taking on the role, but didn't know the specifics.
"This particular journey of Evangeline is a journey of faith which, quite possibly, that's what life's journey is — whatever faith, whatever denomination, whatever belief, whatever goals or striving people have," he said.
"So I think that for me it was really something to do with someone whose faith is questioned and how to go through that. And it has a great deal to do with community."
Evangeline is on stage at the Confederation Centre of the Arts until Oct. 10.
It plays at The Citadel in Edmonton starting Oct. 31.
Mainstreet airs weekdays from 4 to 6 p.m. on CBC Radio One, 96.1 FM.