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Michael Parent's one-man show

A Beautiful Game

The mostly true story of my long-time connection to the game of hockey

Link here to press kit and printable photo

Click here for full review by Laurie Meunier Graves of performance at the Lewiston Public Library

To purchase live DVD, click here

Known for his poignantly humorous glimpses into Franco-American life, Michael Parent describes “A Beautiful Game" as the “mostly true” recollections of his longtime connection to the game of ice hockey. Set in Lewiston, where Parent grew up, the story follows him from his days as a young boy struggling to stay upright on his first pair of skates, to his big moment as goalie for the St. Dom's hockey team which competed, against heavy odds, at the Boston Garden for the New England Championship in 1964.

Though the focus of the program is hockey, no specific knowledge or even appreciation of the sport is required, as Michael forays widely into mill-town culture, father and son issues, and connections between religion and sports. In the course of these reminiscences, he resurrects a parade of memorable characters, such as his father, a traditional, hard-working Franco-American man-of-few-words; and Gaston, a local factory worker who bets his paychecks on the hockey games.

"This funny, humane show will appeal to those who are not Franco Americans and who are not sports fans. Parent has taken a time, a place, characters, and an event and has brought them vividly to life … A rich, entertaining show that manages to be humorous, sympathetic, entertaining, and just plain exciting." -- Laurie Meunier Graves, Wolf Moon Journal

"The excitement and delight from Michael Parent's audiences of A Beautiful Game was partly geographical -- some of them grew up in Maine... but Parent's performance transcends geography. A Beautiful Game is peppered with memorable characters such as Parent's father, a Franco-American patriarch who works hard and maintains a tough exterior, and Gaston, the local ex-mill worker who bets his paychecks on the hockey games. The play balances nostalgia with an immediacy of storytelling style that keeps audiences in suspense, while simultaneously tickling their funny bones." -- Liz McMahon, St. Lawrence Arts Center

". . . this funny and dramatic show is fascinating even for those who know nothing about the game. The arc of the story takes Michael from an awkward childhood, struggling to learn to skate, to his community's big moment, when the St. Dom's team on which he was goalie competed, against heavy odds, at the Boston Garden, for the New England Championship. Some listeners will love this story for its portrayal of hockey, some for its poignant insights into father-son relationships, some for its loving image of the Franco-American community. Its life lessons far transcend sports." -- Jo Radner, The Brick Church for the Performing Arts, Lovell, Maine.

"The spell of Michael Parent's performance and the images he generates linger long after show is over. His themes--of growing up as an underdog, of the closeness of the Franco-American community, of the unquestioning loyalty of a mother's love, and above all, of the need of a boy to prove himself to his father--resonate universally. And, Parent's comic timing is unerring: audiences laugh out loud at the trials and tribulations of the St. Dom's High School hockey team." -- Vicky Smith, McArthur Public Library, Biddeford, Maine

Michael Parent, storyteller, actor, and writer, grew up near the textile mills in Lewiston. Since 1977, he has performed in the U.S., Europe, and beyond. He has received the National Storytelling Network's Circle of Excellence Award. He still plays in the GPOHL (Greater Portland Oldtimers Hockey League) and the OFC (Old Farts Classic) Tournament.

To book a performance of "One More Thing," E-mail Michael Parent or call (207) 879-0401

recent performances of "A Beautiful Game" include:

The Brick Church for the Performing Arts in Lovell, Maine, August 2007

MacArthur Public Library in Biddeford, Maine, November 2007

Surrey Community Theater in Blue Hill, Maine, December 2007

St. Lawrence Arts & Community Center in Portland, Maine, January 2008

Lewiston Public Library, January 2008

Geno's in Portland, Maine, April 2008

Northlands Conference Fringe in Green Lake, Wisconsin, April 2008

University of Southern Maine, Portland, Maine, May 2008

Stage Left, Woodstock, IL, July 2008

Pontine Theater in Portsmouth, NH, March 2009