La Chapelle Celebrates Its 30th Birthday On May 25

In these times of uncertainty and upheaval, one thing is certain: La Chapelle Scènes Contemporaines will celebrate its 30th birthday on May 25. It is comforting to know that this 100-seat theater on rue Saint Dominique, a former place of worship, has managed over the years to find its place and today an essential role in the microcosm of the performing arts in Montreal. Its reputation goes far beyond the country's borders, but it was at first modestly that Richard Simas gave life to La Chapelle on Friday, May 25, 1990. Very quickly the scene was taken over by artists from all disciplines, which was rare at the time, with a certain propensity for current music. Names that we no longer present today took their first steps there, starting with Louise Bédard, Danielle Desnoyer, Sylvain Emard...

17 years later, the management changed. It was in July 2007 that Jack Udashkin took over from Richard Simas and breathed new life into the theater. The codes of representation were shaken, dance became essential, contemporary circus made its entrance and interdisciplinarity remained a command. Mani Souleymanlou created his first show "Un" there, Catherine Gaudet started a promising career, Mylène McKay, Gabriel Plante, Christian Lapointe, Daina Ashbee, Dave Saint Pierre marked the theater of their passages...

In June 2015 Olivier Bertrand was appointed to take over the management of the beautiful La Chapelle project. Relying on a rich history of 25 years to better immerse himself in the creative effervescence of the Montreal scene, the 3rd director was able to assert this unique place acquired by the theater since 1990. Always lively and active, not hesitating to question and shift the habits of modes of representation, La Chapelle Scènes Contemporaines continues to promote the discovery of young artists, to experiment and explore new scenic forms by offering a great freedom of creation for artists and their teams. They find freedom to feel at home at La Chapelle.

Today, La Chapelle is 25 shows per season, most of which are creations, designed by 150 to 200 artists, craftsmen and women and artisans from all disciplines. Interdisciplinarity is confirmed as a strong characteristic of its programming.

La Chapelle is also 10 to 12 weeks of technical residencies. It is many collaborations, in particular with the FTA, Phenomena, the Centaur Theater, the Studio 303, the M.A.I., La TOHU ...

It is the only place in Montreal to present several productions each year in French and in English, some of which have surtitles in both languages.

It is an educational program, Récréations, which is aimed for primary school children, allowing them to familiarize themselves with the functioning of a contemporary scene by discovering the many professions associated with it.

But La Chapelle remains above all a place of all possibilities, open to hybrid and alternative forms, a place of creation in all its diversity. For 30 years now, it has provided an intimate and useful setting.

Get ready to party: on May 25, 2020, La Chapelle will present greetings sent to its digital platforms by its communities. Everyone is invited to participate, with a photo, a video, a quick note ...? Even from a distance, the festivities will take place.

To post a comment, you must register and login.