When live entertainment came to a sudden stop because of the pandemic, it hit the audience hard.
Still harder hit were those people in the industry making their living providing that entertainment.
And don't forget the actors who thrive on entertaining because for some the old adage 'all the world's a stage' is true and they miss it.
For Denis Senecal, who takes on the starring role of Kris Kringle as Judy Russell Presents the stage reading of Miracle on 34th Street next month, this is more than just a performance. This is what he loves, how he thrives and what makes him feel like he belongs.
"You know that feeling when you walk into your childhood home and your mom's there and you sit down at the table and you just feel like you're home?" Senecal asked. "When you feel like a kid again and you're warm and you're taken care of? For me that's what it feels like being on stage."
And he is forever grateful to audience members, to Selen Alpay, owner of the local Canadian Tire store, who has sponsored the show that's make it all possible and to Judy Russell to be willing to do the project in the first place.
"It's pretty cool that people are coming out to a reading," Senecal said. "They're used to coming out to a play but they just want to support the arts so they're coming to a reading and it's going to be different and we know it's not going to be the same but they're still coming out."
Senecal has only been in Prince George for less than a year so this is the first time he's heard about Selen Alpay and his never ending support for the community of Prince George.
"It's so crazy that someone would come along and sponsor this - we're so lucky and blessed to have someone like that around," Senecal said emotionally. "Mr. Alpay, thank you from the bottom of my heart."
How Russell is adapting to this new reality is impressive, Senecal
added.
"I mean come on, Judy does dance and she can't have movement," he said. "It's crazy! And yet she's doing it. And I am so grateful to Judy and I don't think she'll ever know what it means to me."
Senecal talked about how different people approach the shutdown forced by the pandemic.
"There's a joke about introverts saying they've been training for this their whole lives but for an extravert who can't even walk into a room and make people laugh it is really, really tough," he said. "I miss that sense of belonging, and being in a play is like when I was a kid going to camp. It's the one time that you become best of friends with somebody just for a short period of time but you're best friends for those two months because you're all pulling together. It's not a competitive thing. You become a solid team. And being part of a play is just like camp. You just make the best friends ever in such a short period of time and then poof it's gone and then you do another play and so it's been really tough not to have that."
Senecal came to Prince George for a work promotion. He's a provincial government employee.
He's lived in many places in western Canada, is an avid hunter, fisher, camper, hiker and entertainer who has extensive experience as a sports announcer, loves singing, as well as a talent for acting and musical theatre he discovered when he was in his mid-30s.
"So when I came to Prince George and I was auditioning for Judy Russell earlier in the year I was so excited because that's how you get to meet the people in a community like Prince George - you join the clubs and you get invested in what's going on and it's such a rich culture here - I was so amazed. And then COVID hit and so I was surprised when Judy asked me to do this."
Senecal had never seen the movie Miracle on 34th Street.
"So I thought Judy was talking about It's A Wonderful Life," Senecal laughed. "So when she asked me to do Kris Kringle I thought it was the little piece - the angel - and I said 'sure, I can do that, that's great - fantastic!' And then when I got the script I was like 'what!?!? This is a big part. What's going on?' I just wanted to be involved and that's when I was shocked. I didn't know what it was but I am super stoked now."
Senecal said he has so much respect for Russell as a director.
"Judy is so supportive and such a good director," he said. "Judy knows motivation and understands how to get somebody into the right head space and how to feel the real heart of the story and the heart of the character and so she's really helped a lot."
Stage readings are different than regular acting where not only are you focused on the spoken word but how you move on stage and interact physically with fellow actors, Senecal explained.
"It's almost like voice acting," Senecal said about stage reading. "The focus is on how you get everything out of the character just by reading. So that's been a truly interesting challenge."
The stage reading of Miracle on 34th Street, the play, was adapted by Mountain Community Theatre from the novel by Valentine Davies. It's based upon the Twentieth Century Fox motion picture Miracle on 34th Street.
The show is held at Theatre NorthWest as part of their stage reading series.
Doors will open 45 minutes before the performance. Patrons will be seated by an usher upon arrival to ensure proper social distancing.
Dates are Dec. 11,12, 13 and 18, 19 and 20 at 7 p.m. with Saturday and Sunday matinees at 2 p.m.
For more information about safety protocols call 250-563-6969, ext. 304 or email boxoffice@theatrenorthwest.com and for tickets visit www.theatrenorthwest.com.
