On August 10, over 550 people gathered inside the Upper Pontiac Sports Complex in Chapeau to take in a special theatrical production in honour of an iconic figure in the community.

The event served as an opportunity . . .

to celebrate the legacy of the late Fred Meilleur by putting on a play about him and the shenanigans that went on at his hotel, according to organizing committee member Belle Harrington.

Produced by Ottawa Valley-based Ish Theilheimer and directed by Chantal Elie-Sernoskie, it told the story of Fred Meilleur, the Chapeau Hotel and the cast of characters who came in over the years.

The production began earlier this year after Theilheimer contacted Meilleur’s eldest daughter Anne about writing a play about her father.

Put together by members of the Stone Fence Theatre and titled Up At Fred’s – Allons-y, the play is a comedic musical set on St. Patrick’s Day where two young friends named Brandon and Allison, looking for a place to party, end up stranded in Chapeau after their car breaks down on the town’s Main Street.

Dependent on smartphones for navigation and almost all their basic needs, the two are sent back to the 1970s through a magical portal by a 400-year-old French-Canadian leprechaun.

Back in time, they end up meeting Fred Meilleur who welcomed them to his hotel, tells them all sorts of old stories and helped them solve their situation and eventually get back to the modern era. Meilleur was portrayed by Conrad Boyce, his wife Helen was played by Fran Pinkerton and Beverly Lewis played the role of Anne.

With Chapeau being home to Meilleur’s family and his historic hotel, it felt fitting to organize the event as a community party rather than just a theatrical production, Harrington said.

The committee comprises six people from three community organizations, including Residence Meilleur, St. Alphonsus Parish and the Chapeau R.A.. Around 30 volunteers teamed up to organize the party, Harrington said.

Scheduled for a 7 p.m. start, people started packing the premises at around 6 p.m. for a period of cocktails and socializing.

Before the start of the play, local country music star and Meilleur’s niece Gail Gavan graced the main stage and sang some tunes about the Pontiac as the crowd swayed to the rhythm from left to right and joined in harmony.

At the other end of the arena, old photos and decorations from the old bar were displayed for people to see.

Volunteers sold drinks from the bar along with 50/50 tickets.

One table sold off all sorts of Fred Meilleur merchandise, including a t-shirt reading “Fred Meilleur, the man, the myth, the legend” which seemed to be a popular choice among those who attended.

After the production attendees enjoyed a light lunch as a number of local musicians, including members of the original house band from the old hotel, stepped on stage and rocked the crowd to finish off the party in good style.

According to Anne, the story is a great representation of her father’s open-armed hospitality at the hotel and how well he treated people who came in, from regulars to outsiders. Plus, since it kept people either laughing or singing along all the way through, it was definitely a wonderful night of entertainment.

With so many people attending the play in a small town like Chapeau, it was a reminder of just how much her father meant to the community, Anne said.

“It’s a big event,” she said. “And all of these people here, it’s what they thought of him.”

For Allumettes Island Mayor Winston Sunstrum, the times of going out for a few pints at the Chapeau Hotel’s bar in the late 1950s and early 60s brought back memories.

“We’d have a few beers there,” he said. “He also had a nice dining room with nice big steaks. We’d go in there for that.”

Meilleur was large in stature with an even bigger heart, but he was never one to serve someone a drink without paying, Sunstrum said.

Sunstrum recalls a night where he ran out of cash at Meilleur’s bar and asked the man if he could write a cheque. So, he filled out a cheque for about $100 and went on his merry way.

But he forgot to sign it. Around a month later, Sunstrum walked into the hotel and right away Meilleur was right on him ordering him to pay his bill.

“Fred never gave me a free beer,” he said. “But Helen gave me a free beer.”

Plus, once Meilleur met someone, learned their name and their drink order, the information was forever ingrained in his memory – a big part of what made him such a lovable character.

“Once he saw you, once he knew what you were drinking and so on, he never forgot,” Sunstrum said. “He had a phenomenal memory. So, if you walked in, he knew you and that’s important.”

Considering the sheer size of the crowd on site, Sunstrum was very pleased to see so many come out celebrate Meilleur’s life while also supporting the community.

“This is a very big event for Chapeau and the area,” he said. “You can see how well people remember the hotel and remember Fred and the family. They’ve come out in droves. It’s been shown a lot in other areas but we still have 550 people in here tonight, plus all the volunteers.”

The play will be performed on several more occasions until the end of October at Rankin Culture and Recreation Centre in Pembroke.

With a goal of raising $30,000 with the event, the event raised just over $25,000 and all the funds will be divided and donated to Residence Meilleur, St. Alphonsus Parish and the Chapeau R.A., Harrington said.

Brandon and Allison played by Phillip G. Hoffman and Danielle Bissonette freak out over the notion that they’ve gone back in time and that they don’t have cell service.

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