Sutton Encore

Sutton Encore was born in a dimly lit office space on a dreary November afternoon nearly a year ago. Two members of the newly-formed governing board of Cœur du Village Productions and the recently appointed chief of staff gathered in hopes of coining a term, an expression or a name that would embody the transformation that was bubbling within the walls of the Salle Alec et Gérard Pelletier. Who are we? What are we doing? Where are we going? to highlight a few of the existential questions that were scribbled restlessly on notepads and scraps of paper. We are the encore, the highlight of the show, the glorious sought after return and, we are here, in Sutton.

As lightning struck 4-C rue Maple and the wind howled up the hill, Sutton Encore began to take shape. To keep up the momentum, an announcement that venues would close for an unknown period of time was proclaimed days later. ‘Don’t worry’, they said, ‘just time to reorganize and prioritize.’ And that we did. As relationships and contacts were developed at a distance, we fantasized about opening our doors. On hands and knees, we scrubbed the surfaces that the spotlights chose to ignore. We chipped away at checklists, we reconfigured and renovated. We waited, and waited.

Finally, after what felt like an endless pelting of snowflakes and mandatory curfews, Sutton Encore emerged from its cocoon, with force and vitality. The small stage was graced by a myriad of emergent artists and seasoned performers. Diane Tell, Land of Talk, Bon Enfant and Aswell filled the venue to capacity. Thierry Larose carried a piano onto the stage and poetically improvised several of his songs. Dandelion Marché Pop-Up highlighted the hard work of a dozen local merchants. Sutton Encore collaborated with La Réserve Naturelle, Le Gros Nez and Round Top Bagels to bring you the iconic 5 à 7 avant spectacle, where ticket holders, artists and visitors alike enjoyed  a drink and a snack together before the show.

We had several sold-out performances, saw standing-room-only shows for the first time in the history of La Sag, our new and hip pet name for the venue that opened its doors twenty years ago and, we had record sales at the bar. We danced, we wept, we rocked out with our peers. To say these moments were memorable undermines the permanent burn they left on our hearts.

With the onset of summer, Sutton Encore was invited by La Ville de Sutton to organize the musical performances on June 24th, also known as La Fête Nationale, at Goyette-Hill Park. Hundreds of people flocked to hear the charming renditions of classic Québécois folklore offered by the Agnès Boisvert Trio. Les Dindons d’Trécarré gave us a performance that was reminiscent of a gathering of steam punks in a cornfield, and Alex Burger had us swooning over the melodic descriptions of our beautiful surroundings.

Followed was a short season of theatrical performances by well-respected actors Robert Toupin and Raymond Cloutier. Tonio Benacquista’s Un Contrat took the stage for the second summer in a row.

The fall came in hot, with Acadian rockers Les Hôtesses D’Hilaire and Montreal’s psychedelic sweethearts The Damn Truth. Local sound masters presented us with Brica Brac Soundsystem, and two DJs from Montréal had Sutton in a disco inferno for the Voulez-Vous Disco & New Wave Dance Party. Once again, we danced, we rocked. We even received our first noise complaints, which we took very seriously, I must insist.

As we look back on our first year, the Sutton Encore team is continuing to study the market. It is still reflecting on the formula. With over 30 shows now under our proverbial belt, we are entering this next season with the determination of the Karate Kid. And toning down the Hulk Hogan energy. We are figuring it out, all the while maintaining the calling which rests at our core: To bring entertainment, art and culture to those who wake up in Sutton. 

We are tremendously grateful to those who came to our events, whether by choice or by chance. Also, we appreciate the feedback both complementary and constructive. 

If you have questions, comments or artistic suggestions: direction@suttonencore.com. If you would like to join the team of volunteers who sustain us: benevole@salleagpelletier.com. 

To consult our programming, purchase tickets or make a donation, please visit our website www.suttonencore.com.

Looking forward to seeing you under the spotlights,

The team at Sutton Encore