‘Little Shop Of Horrors’ costume designer dies after COVID outbreak at Burlington’s Drury Lane theatre
Jeanne Montague, much beloved head of wardrobe for Burlington's Drury Lane Theatrical Productions and costume designer on its recent staging of Little Shop Of Horrors," died on Nov. 11, short days after the show's run was cut off (after only two performances) due to an outbreak of COVID-19.
Montague was 80 and had volunteered with Drury Lane for the last 17 years. She was also a member of the Drury Lane board and sat on the company's special COVID committee, which drew up plans for its response to the pandemic and the protocol around putting on a show in October, said Rick MacKenzie, director of marketing for Drury Lane.
In a Spectator story that ran on Nov. 7, this newspaper's theatre critic Gary Smith reported that Little Shop Of Horrors" was being discontinued after two members of the company tested positive.
The board of the theatre company has been in close contact with Halton Public Health, taking guidance from them, said MacKenzie, and for privacy reasons the names of those affected cannot be revealed. He could not say whether the virus has spread since nor could he confirm or deny that Montague's death was caused by or related to COVID-19.
On his View From the Drive-Thru" radio show, Tim Denis of News Talk 610 CKTB paid tribute to Montague. Denis, who has performed in several Drury Lane productions (Man of La Manche," Camelot," Victor/Victoria," to name a few) said that Montague, who designed his costumes in those shows, was an absolute darling lady who shared a home town with my father.
Many times, years later, when I was hired to direct (at Drury Lane) ... I would go in to the theatre, by myself, late at night and I would be doing some painting or building of sets ... and there's she'd be, in the costume room, sewing, putting together costumes for dozens of people, selflessly giving of her time, one of the sweetest ladies I knew. She would stand backstage at night and if anything went awry with a costume she'd be there with a needle and thread or duct tape to put you back together again."
MacKenzie said that the theatre took every precaution and worked closely with the experts, including Halton Public Health, to ensure that both audience members and cast/crew were as safe as possible.
We even sent our plan (for safety at the show) to Equity," he added. Our stage director (Michael MacLennan) is a member. Equity gave permission (for him to work on the show), and they approved (of the company's safety plan)."
Still, there were those in the larger Hamilton-Burlington theatre community (and lay people outside of it) who thought the project ill-advised. The controversy has divided people and lit up social media, with some charging that, if even Broadway is closed down, is it the place of any community theatre to buck the odds? Others say the production was meant, like some controlled live music performances, to bravely lift our spirits in sombre times and to do it in a way that showed great respect for the realities by featuring so many precautions.
MacKenzie said the theatre is planning some kind of memorial for Montague.
Denis, in his radio tribute, said the number of those testing positive from the Little Shop Of Horrors" shot up from the original two, and my friend Jeanne lost her life ... after contracting the virus. One of the sweetest lights" in the theatre business.
To those who dismiss COVID-19 as no worse than the flu, Denis said three of his friend have died of it. It's real," he admonished. Wear your damn mask."
Jeff Mahoney is a Hamilton-based reporter and columnist covering culture and lifestyle stories, commentary and humour for The Spectator. Reach him via email: jmahoney@thespec.com