At the Hotel

infobox television
show_name = At the Hotel


caption =
rating = Unknown
format = Drama, Comedy, Musical
picture_format = Unknown
runtime = 42–45 minutes
creator = Ken Finkleman
starring = "See Cast and characters below"
country = Canada
network = CBC Television
first_aired = March 7, 2006
last_aired = April 18, 2006
num_episodes = 6
website = http://www.cbc.ca/atthehotel/index_fact.html
imdb_id = 0481257
tv_com_id = N/A

"At the Hotel" is a Canadian drama-comedy-musical mini-series concerning the goings-on at an illustrious Montreal hotel, known for its favourable treatment of struggling artists. Created by Ken Finkleman and produced by One Hundred Percent Television, the series aired on CBC Television in 2006. The music is composed by Robert Carli.

ummary

"At The Hotel" was a six-episode miniseries that ran on the CBC over the course of two months in 2006. Starring Martha Henry as the Chateau Rousseau's alcoholic owner, it consisted of mainly character vignettes or inter-related plotlines featuring an all-star cast of Canadian talent. The series was notable for its use of outlandish, and often supernatural plot devices, as well as characters' tendencies to break out into song at odd times.

Cast and characters

Chateau Rousseau Staff
*Natalie Lisinska - Jenny
*Benz Antoine - Michael Quenton
*Carlo Rota – Albert
*Walter Alza – Slavic
*Brandon McGibbon – Jeremy
*Robin Brûlé – Adelaide
*Sarah Cornell – Irina
*Matthew Edison - Mr. Wolf
*Hrant Alianak - Zlawko
*Paulino Nunes – Milos
*Salvatore Antonio – Pablo
*Stephanie Morgenstern – Gerta
*Andrew Pifko – Pete
*Daniel Kash - Detective Goldberg
*Rosa LaBorde – Carmelita

The Residents
*Martha Henry - Lucy Knowlton
*Samantha Weinstein – Piper
*Linda Kash – Folly
*Raoul Bhaneja - Harry Jindal
*Shawn Campbell - William, Harry's lawyer
*Sandra O'Neill - Mme Boratto
*Nigel Bennett- Jacob Knowlton
*Matthew Bennett - J.J. Knowlton
*Frank Moore - Frank Richards
*Peter MacNeill - Peter Miflin
*Jonas Chernick - Danny Book
*Neil Crone - Tom Deacon
*David Ferry - a political business associate in J.J.'s camp

The Guests
*Maury Chaykin - Jerry Mitchell
*Kathleen Laskey - Anne Silver, Jerry's former partner
*Don McKellar - Woody
*Tom McCamus - Bill DeJour
*Alberta Watson - Lucy's best friend, Camille
*Rosemary Dunsmore - Marcia Bridge
*Shawn Lawrence - David Bridge
*Geri Hall - Piper's concerned teacher, Miss Hudak
*David Keeley - musician Mark Wilson
*Frank Fontaine - Cardinal Facinelli
*Alvaro D'Antonio - Father Segundo, the Cardinal's assistant
*Danny Wells - Marty Kay
*Aron Tager - Norm Walsh, Marty's his long-suffering manager
*Camilla Scott - Rachel Osterman
*Susan Coyne - Donna, Piper's fundamentalist Christian aunt
*Rick Roberts - a nervous man having an affair
*Janine Theriault - the nervous woman having an affair with the nervous man
*Vince Carlin - funeral director
*Sam Kalilieh - a Saudi Prince
*Conrad Dunn - Senor Arioso, the psychic hypnotist
*Tommy Chang - Stevie Chang, a professional poker player
*Zoie Palmer & Cherion Drake - Sarah and Linda
*Mark Caven & Leni Parker - Mr. & Mrs. Fishman
*Karen Racicot & Philip Craig - the Zieglers
*Deboran Odell & Rod Wilson - a publisher and an architect
*Steven McCarthy - Danny Book's lover, Brian McDougal
*John Blackwood - Lucy's doctor

eason synopses

Season one: 2006–2006
*Episode 1 - "Welcome to the Rousseau"
*Episode 2 - "The Perfect Couple"
*Episode 3 - "I Fucked Lou Reed"
*Episode 4 - "Modern Solutions to Modern Problems"
*Episode 5 - "That's How You Wave a Towel"
*Episode 6 - "Doesn't Anyone Want to Ask Me About My Dress?"There are a large assortment of interweaving plotlines, some of which often existing for only part of an episode. Some of the more notable stories include:
* The murder of a chambermaid at a party in 1961 at the hotel; the full story is revealed in flashbacks at the beginning of each episode.
* The attempt by Jacob Knowlton to have his sister, Lucy, murdered, and subsequently demolish the hotel.
* Jacob's son's election campaign.
* The death of Lucy and Jacob's old friend, Peter Miflin, which is witnessed by chambermaid Jenny.
* The relationship problems for both Slavic and Irina & Adelaide and Jeremy.
* The death of Piper's mother and its subsequent coverup.
* Myriad other, and often humorous, stories dealing with failed marriages, murders, con jobs, failed artists, etc.

Awards

Maury Chaykin, Gemini Award for best performance by an actor in a guest role ("The Perfect Couple")

"At the Hotel" in other media

* A mock-up " [http://www.cbc.ca/atthehotel/interactive/ Chateau Rousseau] " website was launched, with links to staff resumes, J.J.'s fictitious blog, and publicity photos.

oundtrack

* The show's main theme and incidental music were written by Robert Carli. The show also features some existing show-tune numbers, notably "Sue Me" from "Guys and Dolls", and "Always True To You" from "Kiss Me, Kate", and some opera arias. Toronto band The Mark Inside appears, uncredited, in an episode to shoot a video at the hotel.

Miscellanea

*This is the only Ken Finkleman production in which he did not cast himself as a character. He does however make a very brief on-screen appearance as a member of the crew shooting a music video in the hotel.

References

External links

*imdb title|id=0481257|title=At the Hotel
* [http://www.cbc.ca/atthehotel/ "At The Hotel"] : CBC official site
* [http://www.cbc.ca/atthehotel/interactive/ The Chateau Rousseau] : pseudo-website for the hotel at CBC