Town Hall Theater presents the short film "The Song and the Sorrow," a story told of Canadian folk legend Gene MacLellan, by his daughter (also a musician) Catherine MacLellan.
Sunday, June 30, 2pm, tickets $10/ $8 seniors + fees
Catherine MacLellan will be appearing live at Town Hall Theater on tour September 12. Tickets on sale now.
"Elvis covered his songs. I mean, everybody did his songs… But any time I tried to tell him how great he was he felt like he didn't deserve it." – Anne Murray
Catherine MacLellan grew up surrounded by her father Gene MacLellan's music. He committed suicide when she was 14. Two decades after his loss, Catherine is finally ready to confront the hurtful mystery of her absent parent and embrace his musical legacy. "The Song and the Sorrow" follows Catherine as she tries to come to terms with her father and his legacy while facing her own struggles with mental health. She reaches out to family, friends, and musicians like Anne Murray, Lennie Gallant and the late Ron Hynes, who knew and played with Gene. They recall a generous and talented man who was never at ease with fame or money. And for the first time, Catherine's family faces the unspoken specter of Gene's struggle with bipolar disorder.
An immensely talented songwriter, Gene penned some of the biggest hits of the 1970s, including "Snowbird" and "Put Your Hand in the Hand." Archival interviews and musical clips show him looking rakish in an eye-patch and bell bottoms. He was a rising star in the Canadian music industry but turned his back on the spotlight as it pursued him.
For Catherine MacLellan, the silence and avoidance has gone on long enough. Now, she seeks to celebrate her father and his music while encouraging people to talk openly about mental illness, hoping others can take strength and solace from her story.
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