As this amazing season begins, at a time when cultural organizations are joining together to respond to the major program cuts announced by the Harper government, it does not seem appropriate to emphasize the improvement of our financial situation.

Yet, Théâtre Motus has just taken another important step towards improved financial stability. After eight years and four creations that have extensively toured on national and international stages, the company’s application for an operating grant was finally accepted by the Conseil des arts et des lettres du Québec (CALQ). For its part, the Canada Council for the Arts is renewing its support through an operating grant for a second year. In addition, a partnership agreement between the CRÉ in Longueuil and the CALQ allows the company to benefit from additional support for the next three years. Lastly, the Société de Développement des Arts et de la Culture du Vieux-Longueuil (SODAC) is doubling its support to Motus.

This improved financial situation helps us to put forward better mid-term planning of our creative activities, offer higher fees to our artists and bring together a small and experienced team that is able to support the company’s many projects.

Hélène Ducharme, coartistic director and general manager

A TEAM WITH
FORESIGHT!

The team of creators and craftspeople at Motus can now count on the cooperation and the experience of:Danyèle Fortin, head of marketing and communications for a second year;Marie-France Bruyère, who has been working with the company since 2002 and joins the team as head of
development and international touring; Guillaume Bloch, who continues to work with Motus for a second season, but this time as the company’s technical director.
And of course, Hélène Ducharme as the general manager and the coartistic director with Sylvain Massé!

Baobab at the ROSEQ fall meeting

Get a sneak peek at our new creation on Friday, October 17 at the ROSEQ “clin d’oeil” meetings in Rimouski.
For those who will be there, we’ll be delighted to meet you.

THÉÂTRE MOTUS

TEAM

Artistic Director and
General Manager
Hélène Ducharme

Artistic Director
Sylvain Massé

International Touring
Marie-France-Bruyère

Booking and Communications
Danyele Fortin

Technical Director
Guillaume Bloch

Théâtre MOTUS
150 Grant
Longueuil (Québec)
J4H 3H6

Telephone
450 616-1427

Fax

450 616-1927

www.theatremotus.com
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BAOBAB
A coproduction
with Mali and Sénégal

Since 2006, as part of a residency at Théâtre de la Ville, Motus has been working on a new creation inspired by West Africa. Last February, the project’s playwright and director, Hélène Ducharme, travelled to Senegal and Mali. She had the chance of meeting well known Senegalese painter Ismaïla Manga.

“His artistic approach through the use of rust, sand and baobabs totally captivated me. I immediately saw our sets in his paintings!” (Hélène Ducharme)

In addition, she was fortunate enough to meet Hamadoun Kassogué, a Dogon actor and the artistic director of Troupe Sô from Mali.

“He took me to the limits of his native land, the Dogon country. There I discovered initiation rituals, the culture of the Bandiagara escarpment and their various arts, Bogolan and Indigo. Kass has become my mentor, I could not imagine writing a play without him.” (Hélène Ducharme)

Thanks to a grant from the Commission internationale du théâtre francophone (CITF), I was able to invite these artists to Québec and have them take part in the creation of this production..

Projet de fresque avec Michel Beaucage et Ismaila Manga

In order to connect with its young audience, Motus develops projects that relate to its creations. For Baobab, groups of children 3 to 8 years old will be invited to a series of meetings with the production’s craftspeople. In addition, with the painters Michel Beaucage and Ismaïla Manga, the children will be involved in creating a giant mural illustrating the potential links between the North American and African cultures. Bear in mind that this mural will accompany the production and will be exhibited in January 2009 in the hall of the Jean-Louis-Millette theatre during all the performances.

BAOBAB CREATIVE TEAM
Playwrigth and director
Hélène Ducharme

Dramaturg
Hamadoun Kassogué

Assistant
Annie Bélanger

Puppets
Jean Cummings, Sylvain Racine and Claude Rodrigue

Set Design
Hélène Ducharme and Ismaila Manga

Music
Aboulaye Koné assisted by Nathalie Dussault

Lighting
Michel St-Amant

Shadow puppets
Marcelle Hudon

Technical director and production manager
Guillaume Bloch

Performers
Nathalie Dussault, Aboulaye Koné, Wildemir Normil et Philippe Racine

A WORLD PREMIERE ALREADY BOOKED SOLID!
The premiere of Baobab will take place at Théâtre de la Ville on Sunday January 18, 2009 at 3:00 p.m. We are delighted to announce that the performance is booked, but have no fear, another performance was added at 11:00 a.m. the same day!

BULLES, winter legends
for micro-puppets

If you weren’t able to see the Motus outdoor event last winter…you’ll be happy to learn that we will be back this fall in Montreal! BUBBLES, winter legends for micro-puppets: BULLES was translated by Maurice Roy and BUBBLES, the English version, will also be presented in Montreal this fall!

Stay tuned for more news in the near future!