Director Marie Brassard was awarded the Siminovitch Prize on Thursday, the most prestigious award in the theater community in Canada, to highlight her entire career. Marie Brassard thus becomes one of the rare Quebecers to have received this honor which rewards each year “innovative theater artists whose work has strengthened the Canadian theatrical landscape and made this form of artistic expression evolve”.
“Marie’s work is simultaneously dreamlike, ephemeral and current, visceral and powerful. She is recognized for the patient and meticulous development of her creations, for her deep listening and for her ability to get the best out of her collaborators,” said Guillermo Verdecchia, president of the 2022 Siminovitch Prize jury, in a press release. The jury even went so far as to describe Marie Brassard as “one of Canada’s most exciting and intrepid directors”.
Marie Brassard, who is also an actress and author, was associated with Robert Lepage for a long time before launching her own theater company, Infrarouge, in 2001. We owe him several pieces, such as Jimmy dream creature,peep show, Introduction to Violence, Me talking to myself in the future or Eclipse. Most of them are monologues, which she writes, directs and performs. Several of his shows have been presented abroad.
She also directed The fury of what I think, inspired by the work of Nelly Arcan. The piece was remounted elsewhere this year. It is on view at Espace Go until Saturday and will be presented next week at Le Diamant in Quebec City. We have been able to see Marie Brassard at the cinema in the films of Robert Lepage, but also in those of Denis Côté, and more recently in viking by Stephane Lafleur.
shared honor
In interview at To have to, the native of Trois-Rivières said she was honored to be the winner of the prize. ” I did not expect that. It deeply touches me. It is a gesture of trust. In addition, it is a price that is very generous. It’s a boost in every way, ”said Marie Brassard, who was also decorated in 2016 with the Ordre des arts et des lettres du Québec for her contribution to the theater community.
This time, she was nominated alongside three artists from English Canada: Ravi Jain, Ann-Marie Kerr and Sherry J. Yoon, who each receive $5,000. A $75,000 scholarship is awarded to Marie Brassard, who had to choose an emerging artist by receiving the Siminovitch Prize. The director opted for the actor, director and author Philippe Boutin, who thus gets his hands on the $25,000 scholarship offered as every year to the “protégé” of the grand prize winner.
Praised for his creativity and his freedom, Philippe Boutin participated in the conception of the show The Rise of the BlingBlinga modern reinterpretation of the myth of Jesus Christ, which was shown at Usine C in the spring.
“It surprises me that he hasn’t had any influence abroad yet. I saw The Rise of the BlingBling and I was amazed by his way of revisiting the codes of classical theatre. There was commedia dell’arte, Greek tragedy, but with a playful side, humor. I wanted to encourage him, because I know that his projects are ambitious and that they require resources,” explained Marie Brassard, who does not hide her admiration for the young designer.
At 63, she still has the sacred fire for the theater and a head full of projects. For next year, she wants to see The fury of what I think going on tour across Quebec, and even hopes to perform in Japan with Introduction to Violence.