As rock stars go, the name Richard Manuel may not ring as many bells these days as that of another famous singer from Stratford.
But the pianist and vocalist for The Band was part of a group that sold millions of records and was named by Rolling Stone magazine as number 50 on its list of the Top 100 artists of all time.
The life of Manuel, the Stratford native who found fame as a member of The Band but struggled with addiction and depression until taking his own life in 1986, is examined in a play that opens at the Davenport Theatre at Western University next week.
Glenn William Grainger wrote "Manuel" and the play is directed by John Pacheco. Grainger says Manuel's brother Al taught at a school he attended in Elmira. He contacted Al Manuel's daughter to ask if he could call him and ask what it was like to bear witness to Richard's life. The play is the result of those conversations.
"It focuses on 30 years of Richard's life, told through the eyes of Al," says Grainger. "Al is kind of like our narrator. It goes back into childhood memories and takes us through his career and talks about Richard's struggles with addiction. And it asks a lot of questions about why Richard had the lifestyle that he had and made the decisions that he did."
During his time in The Band, Manuel experienced both the highs of fame and the lows of alcohol and drug dependance. But Grainger says this is not a sensationalistic look at the life and death of a rock star.
"We present Richard as a generous spirit, but someone who lived his life at 90 miles an hour," he says. "Someone once said about him that he could drive 200 miles an hour in his driveway. More than that, he was a generous guy who was considerate of others and cared about people. Also, just the talent that he had. I think I want people to know about this great Canadian. He was an incredible songwriter, a wonderful pianist and musician. And I want people to reflect on those of us in our society that struggle with addiction and depression."
A preview performance of "Manuel" is scheduled for April 26. Opening night is April 27 and shows continue nightly until April 30. There are also matinee performances on April 30 and May 1.
Tickets can be purchased at www.grandtheatre.com.
