The City of Gatineau, manager of the small municipal theater – the very first of its kind in Quebec – has renamed two public places in honor of two men who “significantly contributed to the cultural development of the Gatinoise community”.
The city honored the poet Serge Dion by baptizing the future animation room of the Lucy-Faris library, currently under construction of the author’s name.
Serge Dion (1953-2013), who was the founding president of the Association of authors and authors of the Outaouais, is also considered as a “striking cultural figure” in the history of Hull. He also worked as a columnist, cultural journalist and host on radio-Canada Ottawa-Gatineau radio.
The glass hall and adjacent to the street which will bear the name of Mr. Dion is located on the ground floor of the future library; It can accommodate up to a hundred people.
Fiftieth
The designation of the Gilles-Provost room coincides with the celebrations surrounding the fiftieth anniversary of the theater.
These toponymic designations were unveiled on Wednesday at the island theater, just before the first in the play‘Emmergeur. This comedy – a text by Francis Veber staged by Kira Ehlers – who will remain on the bill until August 24. opens the 50th season of the municipal theater.
The announcement was made by the president of the Arts, Culture, Lettres and Heritage Commission, Isabelle N. Miron, supported by Isabelle Cloutier, responsible for the distribution place administered by the city.
“Gatineau is proud to perpetuate the memory of Serge Dion and Gilles Provost, two pillars of our culture who enriched the life of the whole population of Gatineau and the Outaouais by their talent and their unwavering commitment,” said councilor Isabelle N. Miron.
“As soon as the death of Gilles was announced, as soon as the emotion fell, it was obvious that there must have been a toponymic designation, traces Isabelle Cloutier. But it had to be loaded with meaning: be it a place linked to Hull – and, ideally, at the theater of the island. ”
“For us, it is an opportunity to introduce Gilles to a new generation and to recall who this man was and the importance he had for the French-speaking theatrical environment of the great region of Ottawa-Gatineau.”
The manager of the premises wanted to “act very quickly”, which she was able to do thanks to the collaboration of the toponymy committee, she underlines. In Gatineau, the rules surrounding the attribution of names of personalities who died to places stipulate among others that one awaits a year before being able to baptize a place by the name of a deceased.
“I wanted us to do so before 2026, the official year of our 50th. And if possible, earlier, since we offer a 50th anniversary season that stretches over two years. ”
Claude Jutras “very happy”
“I am very happy with this choice: it is the most appropriate thing that the city could make to honor the memory of Gilles, without changing the name of the theater (car) I have always been of the opinion that the theater should keep its name. I find it wonderful, “said Claude Jutras on Wednesday, who was Gilles Provost’s right -hand man – and his spouse – for almost 40 years.
The name of the director now sits in large letters, above the front door of the room and a plate was hung on the wall next door, just above the “guest book” where visitors are invited to leave some comments.
The text of the plaque traces the great milestones of man’s career, his “total commitment” to his art. His roadmap “impresses with the diversity of his achievements”, which are counted by hundreds, can be read.
Bulimic theater, Gilles Provost founded and managed several theatrical companies and set up some 200 pieces over his director’s career. He was also actor, endorsing various roles both on the boards (in “90 pieces”, calculates the city) and on television, and teacher.
It is also recalled that Mr. Provost will have played a nerve aside in the Reconstruction of TDî, which was inaugurated in 1976, after being razed by the flames two years earlier, in 1976, the year when Gilles Provost had been appointed to the bar of the distribution place. He headed it from 1976 to 2008.
The man had previously received several honorary distinctions, including the order of Gatineau, obtained in 2014, the prize for municipal merit (citizen category), in 2016, and the tribute prize awarded by the city within the framework of Culturiades, in 2003.
Mr. Provost was also a recipient of the medal of the silver and gold jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II.
A biographical book project is currently in the boxes. Its writing was entrusted to author Laurent Saumure. “The writing is over, the book is currently in revision with the publisher; We are choosing the photos ”which will illustrate it, specifies Claude Jutras.
The actress Chantale Richer alongside the director Mathieu Charette, during the recent performances of the play Pain Blanc at the island theater.
(Etienne Ranger/Archives law)“He gave his life to the theater”
The city’s toponymy committee had “unanimously recommended” that these two public places were appointed in honor of the two men.
The actress Chantale Richer-a “veterane” of the place-without reserve the committee’s decision: “It is a good idea, a beautiful thought, a really interesting gesture, even essential because it is her soul that is there, in this room, and she will always stay there,” she rejoices.
“Gilles was“ our ”pioneer here; It was he who set up the tdî [et] He gave his life to the theater. It was the least of things to highlight her contribution, ”adds the actress.
In green (and against all odds)
When it does not occur on the boards of “smaller theaters”, it is she (among others) who takes care of the reception of the public.
There is just a slight detail that chops Mrs. Richer: the wall where Gilles Provost’s name is, she notes, has been repainted in green-“a color that brought out the lettering”, it was explained.
“Green is a color that [dit-on,] Make worse in the theater, so I’m not sure that Gilles would have liked it. Like many people in the theater, Gilles was quite superstitious, “she adds, more hilarious than creating.
“The green color is a proposal that I approved without thinking that it could be perceived [de façon superstitieuse]suits Isabelle Cloutier. “But if we think of the green curtain theater [à Montréal, on doit convenir] That the color was not a guarantee of failure for them, quite the contrary, ”she argues.
