Friday, July 4, 2008

About the author


SUZANNE LEBEAU

Since 1966 Suzanne Lebeau felt attracted by theater. First of all she dedicated entirely to be an actress: At the end of the 60’s she performed, among others, Moliere, Ionesco and Stoppard. Since 1970 until 1973, Suzanne continued her scenic formation next to Jacques Crête and Gilles Maheu in Montréal, and then with Étienne Decroux in Paris. She did as well a training in Polonia, at the Pantomima Theater and at the Wroclaw Puppet Theater.

After founding the theater Le Carrousel next to Gervais Gaudreault in 1975, Suzanne Lebeau started to abandon little by little the interpretation to dedicate exclusively to writing. The playwright has more than twenty original plays, three adaptations and several translations. She is recognized internationally as a central figure of playwright for young audience, being at the same time one of the authors from Quebec most interpreted in foreign countries. Her plays have been published and, in most cases translated in several languages. Une lune entre deux maisons/ A moon between two houses, the first one written for children from 3 to 5 years old, has been translated to five languages.

The quality of her work of and her exceptional contribution to playwright development for young audience has been many times rewarded: Chalmers Award/ Children Theater (for Les Petits Pouvoirs/ Little Powers, in 1986); Young audience for French Language Countries Award (for Salvador, in 1995); Mask Trophy to the original text (for L’ Ogrelet/ The little oger, in 2000); Literary Award for Maine and Loire Citizens (for Salvador, in 2002); Nomination for the Prize of General Governer to four of her pieces. In 1998, The International Assembly of parliamentarians of French Language gave her the title of “Gentle man of the order of la Pléyade” for all of her work. This recognition gave her invitations from all around the world.

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