Norma Renault (July 28, 1923 – March 3, 2012) was a singer and actress who starred in theatre and film productions in Canada and London, England, including the musical Salad Days at the Crest Theatre in Toronto.[1]

Norma Renault
Born
Norma Jacqueline Renault

(1923-07-28)July 28, 1923
Toronto, Ontario
DiedMarch 3, 2012(2012-03-03) (aged 88)
Toronto, Ontario
Known foractress
SpouseAvrom Isaacs (m. 1956–1987)

Biography

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Norma Renault was born in Toronto, Ontario on July 28, 1923. As a young woman, she sang with the Leslie Bell Singers,[1] a female choir formed in 1939 from former pupils of Leslie Bell at Parkdale Collegiate Institute in Toronto, which became the Leslie Bell Singers in 1945.[2] She began to act with an amateur group called the Deep River Players in Deep River, Ontario.[1]

Renault starred in productions in Canada and London, England, including the musical Salad Days at the Crest Theatre in Toronto as well as Epitaph for George Dillon at the Grand Theatre in London, Ontario.[1] She is mentioned for her role in The Man Who Came to Dinner along with Amelia Hall (both "beloved Canadians") who prompted bouts of audience laughter during every exchange of dialogue. "Even Nathan Cohen admitted (perhaps somewhat inscrutably) that he found the production amazing".[3]

From 1950–1970, she worked in productions for various television shows, often for the Canadian Broadcasting Company. She appeared in four episodes of the TV series Folio (1955–1959),[4] The Unforeseen (1958), and Festival (1960–1969) which aired on CBC Television.[5]

Renault was a cast member in the television documentary film A Further Glimpse of Joey (1961),[6] alongside Martha Henry in the CBC television drama Talking to a Stranger (1969)[1] and in the three part miniseries You've Come a Long Way, Katie (1981).[6]

Stage

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Theatre

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Year Title Role(s) Theatre Company Venue(s)
1958 Salad Days Lady Raeburn, The Charlady, The Tarty Lady, Asphyxia (and the other arms), a Spinster, Marguerite The Crest Theatre Foundation
1959 Ride A Pink Horse Lorna Harvey, Immigration, Wanda McTavish The Crest Theatre Foundation The Crest Theatre
1959 Under Milk Wood Polly Garter, Mrs. Ogmore-Pritchard,

Mrs. Cherry Owen, First Neighbour, Another Mother, Fourth Woman, 2nd Woman’s Voice

The Crest Theatre Foundation The Crest Theatre
1959 Mrs. Gibbons' Boys Myra Hood The Crest Theatre Foundation The Crest Theatre
1959 After Hours The Stratford Festival Mountain Playhouse and Festival Concert Hall
1960 Heartbreak House Mrs. Hushabye The Crest Theatre Foundation The Crest Theatre
1960 Honour Thy Father Blanche The Crest Theatre Foundation The Crest Theatre
1962 The American Dream Granny The Crest Theatre Foundation The Grenville Street Playhouse
1980 The Killing of Sister George June Buckridge (Sister George) Theatre London McManus Theatre
1981-1982 Blithe Spirit Madame Arcati Theatre London
1983 Later Molly Toronto Free Theatre

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e "Obituary". www.legacy.com. Globe and Mail, 2012. Retrieved 31 May 2023.
  2. ^ "Article". www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca. Canadian Encyclopedia. Retrieved 1 June 2023.
  3. ^ Paul Illidge, The Glass Cage: The Crest Theatre Story (2009), p. 41
  4. ^ "Cast and Credits". www.imdb.com. Imdb. Retrieved 31 May 2023.
  5. ^ "Actors". imdb. Retrieved 31 May 2023.
  6. ^ a b "tv people". www2.bfi.org.uk. British Film Institute. Archived from the original on 25 March 2022. Retrieved 1 June 2023.