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 THE PRIX DU QUÉBEC SUZANNE LEBEAU WINS THE 2010 PRIX ATHANASE-DAVID
Montreal, November 1, 2010 – The first recipient of the Prix Athanase-David whose entire literary corpus is devoted to dramaturgy, Suzanne Lebeau is added to the short list of recipients, including Jacques Ferron (1977), Marie-Claire Blais (1982), Michel Tremblay (1988), Réjean Ducharme (1994), and Victor-Lévy Beaulieu (2001), who also devoted a large portion of their artistic output to the theatre. It is with immense gratitude to the children, her writing students, and the director Gervais Gaudreault, who has been her creative partner, that the playwright accepts this prestigious award, the highest distinction in Quebec granted to a writer for his or her body of work.
The Prix du Québec are awarded to leading figures in Quebec culture and science. These prizes go beyond simple recognition of the recipients’ contribution to the evolution of society; they are a public tribute to the role of creators in the flourishing of a national community. Each year, the Government of Québec honours 11 individuals and offers them as models to coming generations. Artists and visionaries, men and women capable of expanding the boundaries of knowledge and of their art to build a better future – the winners of the Prix du Québec belong to the group of pioneers that form the foundation of a people.
In homage to Athanase David, patron of literature, the arts, and the sciences – and considered the true founder of the Prix du Québec – this award underlines the contribution of experienced writers who have left vibrant traces in the following literary genres: short story, novella, poetry, narrative history, novel, theatre, animation, essay, literary criticism, journalism, and all forms of literature for young people. As a recipient of the Prix Athanase-David (2010), Suzanne Lebeau joins the ranks of the most illustrious Quebec writers, alongside Anne Hébert (1978), Gaston Miron (1983), Fernand Ouellet (1987), Roland Giguère (1999), and Suzanne Jacob (2008), as well as the precursors to the Prix David, Gabrielle Roy (1970), Hubert Aquin (1972), and Pierre Vadeboncoeur (1976).
With this distinction awarded by a jury of peers to Suzanne Lebeau, two marginalized aspects find recognition within literature: theatre and young audiences. This award underlines the considerable contribution of this mentor to the training of a new generation of intrepid writers for young audiences and testifies to the vitality of this field. It is an honour that reflects more broadly on those working in Quebec theatre for young audiences, who have created, in a few short decades, a repertoire of strong, original works that have raised real interest on the international scene. It is a community of artists and artisans who, with conviction and boldness, bear the hope that there will be greater recognition of the importance of bringing the arts to young people.
THE PLAYWRIGHT SUZANNE LEBEAU Suzanne Lebeau started off headed for a career as an actor. After founding Le Carrousel with Gervais Gaudreault in 1975, however, she gradually left performance behind to devote herself exclusively to writing. Today, she is an author with 25 original plays, three adaptations, and many translations to her credit and recognized internationally as a leader in dramaturgy for young audiences. She is among the Quebec playwrights most often performed around the world, with a list of 115 productions on four continents. Her works have been published in 6 countries and translated into 16 languages. Suzanne Lebeau’s exceptional contribution to the development of theatre for young audiences has earned her numerous awards and distinctions, including the 2009 Governor General’s Award for Literature, the 2009 Prix Sony Labou Tansi des lycéens, and the 2008 Distinction de la Comédie-Française for Le bruit des os qui craquent, produced by Le Carrousel and Le Théâtre d’Aujourd’hui in 2009 and staged again by La Comédie-Française in 2010. In 1998, the Assemblée internationale des parlementaires de langue française made her a Knight of the Order of the Pleiades for her body of work. For 13 years, she taught writing for young audiences at the National Theatre School of Canada, and for more than 20 years she has acted as advisor for young authors in Quebec and elsewhere, thus contributing to the emergence of new writings.
Convinced of the need for a true artistic encounter, Le Carrousel places at the core of its creative approach the question “What should we say to children?” and reflects deeply on artists’ self-censorship when dealing with young audiences. Supported by creative research that breaks through limits and boundaries, artistic directors Suzanne Lebeau and Gervais Gaudreault have used their passion to form a repertoire of original works that are considered, in Quebec and abroad, to be milestones in the history of theatre for young audiences. This unique vision of childhood and art, manifested in the emotional charge and intensity of Suzanne Lebeau’s texts and the inventive sensitivity of Gervais Gaudreault’s directing, has made the company’s reputation on national and international stages. For more than 35 years, Le Carrousel has sought to tear down the walls between audiences and between practices, out of the conviction that theatre for children must also reach out to and even disturb adults.
Le Carrousel acknowledges the financial support of Alogient for its outreach. – 30 – Source: Yvon Perrier - Le Carrousel Photograph : François-Xavier Gaudreault
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