{"id":26,"date":"2025-06-30T11:04:21","date_gmt":"2025-06-30T14:04:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/mcclellandmedia.com\/stageeast\/?page_id=26"},"modified":"2026-04-21T08:56:56","modified_gmt":"2026-04-21T11:56:56","slug":"im-not-what-i-seem-stories-and-songs-of-rita-macneil","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/mcclellandmedia.com\/stageeast\/tribute-shows\/im-not-what-i-seem-stories-and-songs-of-rita-macneil\/","title":{"rendered":"I’m Not What I Seem: Songs and Stories of Rita MacNeil"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/em><\/strong>“You outdid yourself.\u00a0 <\/span>One of the best shows I have ever seen.\u00a0 <\/span>You have incredible talent and your cast is amazing.\u00a0 <\/span>Bravo.” \u2013 V.B.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

Charlie Rhindress\u00a0 first saw Rita MacNeil in concert in Amherst, NS, in 1987 and he immediately became a fan. In his search for her music he discovered Rita’s first three albums which showed a side to her he had known nothing about. As opposed to this kind loving Earth mother from Cape Breton he found a strong, opinionated, willful woman who had been instrumental in the women’s movement in Canada in the 1970s, even releasing what many consider Canada’s first feminist album, Born A Woman<\/em>.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Rhindress was fascinated by Rita and eventually convinced her to let him write a play about her life, Flying On Her Own<\/em>, which premiered at Live Bait Theatre in 2000. Rita worked with Charlie on the play, offering suggestions and edits. The show was a huge hit and was subsequently produced at Neptune Theatre two years later.<\/p>\n

After Rita’s death in 2013 Rhindress was approached by Formac Publishing to write a biography of Rita. The subsequent book, I’m Not What I Seem: The Many Stories of Rita MacNeil’s Life <\/em><\/a>became a bestseller and was nominated for Best First Book at the Atlantic Book Awards.<\/p>\n

Finally, in the fall of 2019 Charlie Rhindress created a musical tribute to Cape Breton\u2019s First Lady of Song called I\u2019m Not What I Seem: Songs and Stories of Rita MacNeil<\/em>. The show was produced by Live Bait Theatre and was so well received that it was remounted in 2022 and again in 2025. The show will tour again in 2026. Dates will be posted here shortly.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"This celebration of MacNeil\u2019s music features Jennie Del Motte, Heather MacIntyre, Carley Varner-Joudrey and New Brunswick\u2019s Queen of the Blues, Theresa Malenfant, performing over twenty of Rita\u2019s songs. The show includes well known hits like \u201cWorking Man,\u201d \u201cFlying On Your Own,\u201d\u00a0 <\/span>and \u201cShe\u2019s Called Nova Scotia,\u201d as well as a number of lesser known songs.<\/span><\/p>\n

Rhindress hosts the evening, introducing the songs, reading excerpts from his biography of Rita and telling stories about working with her on the stage version of her life story.<\/span><\/p>\n

Del Motte, MacIntyre and Varner-Joudrey are all incredibly talented singers, actors and musicians with many years of stage experience. Malenfant has been a professional singer for over fifty years and is widely regarded as one of Canada\u2019s best blues singers.<\/span><\/p>\n

The performers do not attempt to impersonate Rita, but rather showcase her extraordinary songwriting talents. They not only celebrate her music but also her resilient spirit.<\/span><\/p>\n

Clips from the Show<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Below is a short promo for the show. This video is comprised of clips taken during rehearsal and live performances. We hope to have a more professionally done video available soon.<\/p>\n