North Bay Nugget e-edition

Staging the Dionne Quintuplets story on the Capitol Centre stage

GREG ESTABROOKS

The Dionne Quints’ birthday was on Sunday but the celebration of them and their incredible impact on the region continues through this weekend.

Five-the-Dionne’s-the Musical is done the rehearsal work and will be performed by an elite group of local actors and singers on Friday at Saturday night.

The musical – an idea developed by North Bay alumnus actor Gerry Mendicino – is an enhanced version of the successful play’s debut in June of 2022. It will include a greater awareness and input of the Dionne family and how it affected them.

For Mendicino, a professional actor for 40 years, telling the Dionne Quints story is very personal.

“I wanted to entertain and educate the community about one of the most important events that happened in this area,” says Mendicino. “It is our story to tell, who is going to tell that story?”

Five-the-dionnes – the Musical is presented as an old-school radio play with singing interludes. Mendicino says the Dionne’s story, both happy and tragic elements, should be told.

“We do tell both sides, the good, the bad and the ugly,” says the actor.

The story is more fleshed out than it was last year says the play’s star.

“We include the sibling’s point of view; we are introducing some of the family members who were born before the Quints, to give their point of view,” remarked Mendicino. “There will be a lot more songs, if people saw it last year, they will see a lot of new material and new songs this year.”

Mendincino thinks seeing the musical will be not just entertainment driven but also offers an important history lesson.

“You talk to the younger generation, they know less than the older generation,” remarked Mendicino. “They have not been taught, there hasn’t been anything (regarding) information about the Quints. I wanted to educate and entertain the community and let them know how important the event was and what they did to further the prosperity of the community,” says the costar of three ‘My Big Fat Greek Wedding’ movies.

Mendicino elaborates on the Quints’ birth and how it made the region internationally known.

“When this happened (May 28th, 1934) it helped this community be one of the first to come out of the Depression,” states Mendicino. “Plenty of people got jobs (due to the tourist boom) as 3,000 visited the site every day.”

Mendicino was on the Capitol Centre stage when it was known as the Capitol Theatre. He loves the place.

“One of the reasons I wanted to do it (this musical) was to play at the Capitol Centre. I have been in many theatres across Canada, and this is the second to none,” says Mendicino as he explains why he feels that way.

“It’s a beautiful theatre with great acoustics.”

“Five-the-dionnes – the Musical” wraps up Saturday June 3rd at the Capitol Centre. Tickets can be purchased at the Capitol Centre for $30.

As a bonus, co-operating restaurants – Lou Dawg ’s, Moose’s Cookhouse, Cecil’s and the Block Public House – are offering a $30 meal special with presentation of a ticket to the musical.

The third ‘My Big Fat Greek Wedding’ movie opens in the fall and was shot in Greece last summer.

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2023-06-03T07:00:00.0000000Z

2023-06-03T07:00:00.0000000Z

https://eeditionnugget.pressreader.com/article/281543705312627

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