Sixth annual Zones Théâtrales biennial: A theatrical road trip across

Sixth annual Zones Théâtrales biennial: A theatrical road trip across America, September 14–19, 2015 Ottawa, June 9, 2015 –The sixth annual Zones Théâtrales biennial theatre event, which will take place September 14–19, 2015, invites participants on a theatrical road trip that celebrates Francophone theatre as the expression of our hopes and dreams, America as a land of poetry, and the circus as a metaphor for life. Originating from Western Canada, Ontario, Quebec and New Brunswick, the theatre presented at this sixth edition “is authentic, thought-­‐provoking, playful and engaged, and seeks to uphold the fragile dialogue between our dreams and reality. Today, as that poetic America seems to have lost its way, past and present collide in an attempt to shine a light on the future,” notes artistic director René Cormier. That’s the illuminating aim of the work featured at Zones Théâtrales 2015. Zones Théâtrales, a biennial showcase of professional theatre from Francophone communities across Canada and the Quebec Regions, provides a unique forum where artists from across the country can come together to share experiences and ideas. This year’s program, an eclectic theatrical journey on a circus theme, features nine productions (including six new works) and seven works in development, as well as meetings, professional networking opportunities, award presentations, celebrations, and late-­‐night entertainment. ZT15 opens with a family saga, Americandream.ca, Partie 1 et 2: Malaises and the premiere of Pax Americana, Monday, September 14 and Tuesday, September 15 at 7 p.m. in the National Arts Centre (NAC) Studio. Playwright Claude Guilmain investigates our fascination with the American dream and the implications for our relationship to the world. Produced by Théâtre la Tangente (Toronto, ON). Un neurinome sur une balançoire by Alain Doom, produced by Théâtre du Nouvel-­‐Ontario (Sudbury, ON) with support from L’Atelier (Ottawa, ON) and the University of Ottawa Research Chair in Canadian Francophonie (Cultural Practices), will be presented Tuesday, September 15 and Wednesday, September 16 at 7 p.m. in Academic Hall, University of Ottawa. A staged reading of this debut play, a journey of introspection and survival, was enthusiastically received at ZT13. Les Trois Mousquetaires Plomberie, produced by Satellite Théâtre (Montreal, QC) and Théâtre Populaire d’Acadie (Caraquet, NB), is loosely based on the famous work by Alexandre Dumas. The creative team behind Moving (2011) and Bouffe (2013) return to ZT with a show that combines the epic and the everyday, scathing humour and tenderness. Tuesday, September 15 and Wednesday, September 16 at 9 p.m. at École secondaire publique De La Salle. Recommended for ages 14+. Legendary tamers of wild marionettes, hawkers of curiosities, Les Sages Fous (Trois-­‐Rivières, QC) present the premiere of Tricycle, a solo show without words about an escapee from the world of the fun fair and his desperate search for freedom. Wednesday, September 16 and Thursday, September 17 at 7 p.m. in the Salle des Fêtes, Maison du citoyen. Recommended for ages 12+. Théâtre du Tandem (Rouyn-­‐Noranda, QC) presents Sans pays, a debut play by Anna Beaupré Moulounda, directed by Marie-­‐Eve Gagnon. The destinies of two very different women are brought together by the Haitian earthquake. An encounter between earth and sky, Thursday, September 17 and Friday, September 18 at 8:30 p.m. in the Salle Jean-­‐Despréz, Maison du citoyen. Petites Bûches by Jean-­‐Philippe Lehoux, directed by Joël Beddows, is a fable about mistrust of others and the power of coincidence in every journey. Théâtre de la Vieille 17 (Ottawa, ON)’s latest play for young audiences since Le grand voyage de Petit Rocher in 2009, a peculiar carousel will be presented Friday, September 18 at 10:30 a.m. and Saturday, September 19 at 7 p.m. at École secondaire publique De La Salle. Recommended for ages 8+. #PigeonsAffamés is a genre-­‐bending show that delivers a powerful message. Anne-­‐Marie White, artistic director of Théâtre du Trillium (Ottawa, ON), brings her signature touch to this luminous play, following in the footsteps of Love is in the birds, une soirée francophone sans boule disco, premiered at ZT13. This mordant French kiss will be staged Friday, September 18 and Saturday, September 19 at 9 p.m. in Academic Hall, University of Ottawa.
To celebrate the diversity of artistic practice showcased at ZT, and thanks to the support of the Inter-­‐Arts Office of the Canada Council for the Arts, the event calendar includes Incursion cirque, a project featuring two circus performances and a training and interpretation activity to be held under the big top set up outside the Canadian Museum of History. • The Vague de Cirque theatre company (Magdalen Islands, QC) joins ZT with its latest creation, Barbecue, a play about neighbourly relations and territorial issues, presented under the big top on Wednesday, September 16 and Thursday, September 17 at 8:30 p.m.; Friday, September 18 at 7 p.m.; and Saturday, September 19 at 4 p.m. • État vertical is a show without words that combines elements of theatre, contemporary circus, documentary, and contemporary and vertical dance. Multidisciplinary performance company Créations In Vivo (Ottawa, ON) makes its ZT debut with this fascinating piece. Dance with the sky on Friday, September 18 and Saturday, September 19 at 7 p.m. in the NAC Studio. • Acadian company Circus Stella (Dieppe, NB) will offer a series of workshops for theatre professionals and the general public. Have you ever dreamed of running away to join the circus? Here’s your chance! Meet under the big top at the Canadian Museum of History in Gatineau, Saturday, September 19 from 1 to 4 p.m. Reserved for new works and scripts in development, the Zone de découvertes invites the public to discover a new play for teenage audiences by Gabriel Robichaud (NB), excerpts from new works by Mishka Lavigne (ON), Marie-­‐Claire Marcotte (SK) and Joannie Thomas (NB), a script by Gilles Poulin-­‐Denis (BC), a workshop version of a play by Esther Duquette and Gilles Poulin-­‐Denis, and a translation by Danielle Le Saux-­‐Farmer and André Robillard of a play by Emily Pearlman. Full event details are available at www.zonestheatrales.ca. To keep the event accessible, ticket prices have been set at a very reasonable $24 for adults and $12 for students. Attractive packages are also available, on sale at the NAC Box Office only. The Zones Théâtrales biennial is produced by the National Arts Centre with assistance from the Canada Council for the Arts and the Department of Canadian Heritage. Zones Théâtrales gratefully acknowledges the support of its partners and venues: the Association des théâtres francophones du Canada, the Regroupement des éditeurs canadiens-­‐français, Théâtre Action, Librairie du Centre, La Nouvelle Scène, the University of Ottawa, the City of Gatineau, École secondaire publique De La Salle, the Canadian Museum of History, L’Assemblée de la francophonie de l’Ontario and the 400th anniversary of the French presence in Ontario, Réseau Ontario, Réseau des grands espaces, RADARTS, Les Voyagements, L’Association des auteures et des auteurs de l’Ontario français, L’Association des auteurs et auteures de l’Outaouais, Ictinus, Llama Communications, daily newspaper Le Droit and Radio-­‐Canada. Post your hashtags, share your photos, follow us, let us know what you think: Facebook: Zones Théâtrales Twitter: #ZT15 and @zonestheatrales – 30 – Information: Josée Prévost Associate Marketing and Communications Officer, Zones Théâtrales 2015 josee.prevost@nac-­‐cna.ca / 819-­‐775-­‐0343