The stories we encounter at an early age influence who we become, how we deal with the world and how we understand art. If theatre is to matter in the future, then we must program theatre that matters to our young audiences now with a deeper respect for their ability to grapple with more complex material and form. When young audiences encounter important, deeply meaningful stories in the theatre, they will be much more likely to become engaged audience members later in life.
The ingenuity, passion and daringness of Quebecois practice is no less in its works for youth. In Quebec, TYA means high quality professional performance for children and young people by adults drawing on the contemporary francophone professional theatre, literary and fine arts traditions and contemporary forms of the culture.
Martin Bellemare’s short plays for young audiences for 5 and up (20-30 min. each) represent this daringness in form and content.
EXTRAORDINAIRE ET MYSTERIEUX (EXTRAORDINARY AND MYSTERIOUSEUX)
Inspired by the true-life stories of James Leininger and the Pollock sisters, after a traumatic tragey John and Flo’s daughters have strange memories. Where do memories come from and how do they work? The play was commissioned and produced by Nouveau Theare du Huitième, Festival En Acte(s).
TUER LE MOUSTIQUE (KILL THE MOSQUITO)
Inside a child’s brain, Curiosity, Perception, Obsession and Imagination compete for dominance. A short play for young audiences that addresses the complexity of identity.
LA CHUTE DE L’ESCARGOT (FALL OF THE SNAIL)
A,B,C and D are ready to play, to do the show. To go, go, go! They announce the title and…e…n…t…e…r……EEEE. The snail meets the cheetah, the cheetah meets the snail. At their own time and own speeds.
LE CRI DE LA GIRAFFE (THE GIRAFFE’S CRY)
Emma swallows any sound she finds where they echo in her belly disturbing all around her: her parents, her neighbors, even her doctor. But not Manu. She can’t identify emotions. He takes her sounds and transforms them into something new.
L’OREILLE DE MER (EAR OF THE SEA)
A doctor looks after 4 children terrified of the noises they hear. What do they hear? Are the sounds only in their dreams? Or are they advertising? Human made? Natural? Do the others hear them? A how do they impact their growing identities?
“Martin Bellemare’s marvelous and relevant text…will amaze both children and adults with a story on the frontiers of reality… ”- David Rofé-Sarfati, Toute la culture
With his work described as “dazzling formal mastery” and “virtuoso inventiveness” by the Prix Michel-Tremblay jury, Martin Bellemare is a leading centemporary voice in Quebecois theatre.
A graduate of the National Theatre School of Canada French Language Playwrighting program. He received NTC’s Creation Award for _La Liberté_ (2012) and _Moule Robert_ (2017). In 2018, he received the Prix SACD de la dramaturgie francophone for _Maître Karim la perdrix_ and the Prix Michel-Tremblay for _Moule Robert_. He has been writer in residence at Théâtre de l’Aquarium (Cartoucherie/Paris), La Chartreuse, Centre National des Écritures du Spectacle (Villeneuve-lès Avignon), La Maison des Auteurs (Limoges), the Domaine de Mariemont (CED-WB/Wallonie), Théâtre du Bic (Québec). His work for young audiences are published by Lansman and have been presented in Montréal, Paris and Poznan. They include _Des pieds et des mains_ created at Centre National des Arts (Ottawa, 2016), and presented at Tarmac (Paris, 2017). His work has been produced in Quebec, France, Poland and Switzerland and translated into German, Italian and Lithuanian.
This translation is made possible by a commission by The Presentation House Theatre and a grant from Canada Council for the Arts.
