Marcel Dubé (1930-2016)

2005 Lifetime Artistic Achievement (Stages (formerly Theatre))

Prolific playwright Marcel Dubé has written volumes of text for the stage, radio, and television. His works depict with insight and sensitivity a realistic image of collective tragedy and of society in constant change. Through his vision of the world he demonstrates his talent as an artist, vividly sketching in our imagination familiar characters whose fate illustrates our inner struggles, emancipation, alienation, socio political and generational conflicts, fight for liberation, and impossible dreams. A pioneer of Quebec playwrights, he and his words remain current and forceful.

Born in Montréal on January 3, 1930, Marcel Dubé discovered his passion for theatre while pursuing a classical education at Collège Sainte Marie. In 1950, he founded the La Jeune Scène theatre company. He won a prize for De l'autre côté du mur and in 1953 swept the honours at the Festival national d'art dramatique with Zone. Awarded a bursary in Quebec, he studied at theatre schools in France during 1953 and 1954. Radio Canada broadcast over 20 of his plays between 1952 and 1970.

Among his outstanding works are the plays Zone, Florence, Bilan, Au retour des oies blanches, Un simple soldat, Les Beaux Dimanches, and the television series La Côte de Sable and De 9 à 5 which aired between 1961 and 1966.

Marcel Dubé has also adapted works for radio and television by French and American authors such as Édouard Albee, Arthur Miller, and Jean Giraudoux.

In addition, he has served in different capacities for various organizations including as Secretary and then President of the Conseil de la langue française, as well a founder and Director General of the Secrétariat permanent des peuples francophones.

Prizes and distinctions awarded to Marcel Dubé include the Athanase-David prize in 1973 (the highest distinction of the era accorded by the Government of Quebec), the Victor Morin prize from the Société Saint Jean Baptiste, and the Molson Prize from the Canada Council for the Arts. He is an Officier de l'Ordre national du Québec and an Officer of the Order of Canada.