a little history

Since its inception, TBD has produced seventeen plays, combining 3,159 performances before a total audience of nearly 704,000 people.

It was the play Bouches décousues (Unbutton Those Lips) created in 1984 by Jasmine Dubé that led to the founding of THÉÂTRE BOUCHES DÉCOUSUES (TBD) in 1986. Three plays for young audiences followed: Le mot de passe (1988), Jouons avec les livres (1990), Petit monstre/ Little Monster (1992).

In 1994, Paula Pan, Minister of Childhood and Related By-Products was created. In 1995, followed La bonne femme which made history by winning three « Masques » from the Académie québécoise du théâtre. For the first time, a work for young audiences was being awarded both the Masque du Texte (best play) and the Masque de la Mise en scène (best production).

Le bain/Bathtime, a show intended to introduce the very young to theatre followed in 1997. In 1998, La bonne femme was invited to Bruxelles by Théâtre La montagne magique. This was the first European performance for TBD. L’arche de Noémie/Norah’s Ark (1998) also toured extensively in France and Switzerland.

In 2000, after a five month residency at the Saint-Arsène school, came La mère merle followed in 2001 by Le pingouin/The Penguin, a play coproduced by TBD and the Ottawa National Arts Centre’s Théâtre français. Later came La couturière/The Dressmaker, in 2004 and, in 2005, Mika, l’enfant pleureur, from Pascal Chevarie, and Léon le nul/Leo The Zero from Francis Monty in coproduction with Théâtre d’Aujourd’hui and Théâtre de la Pire Espèce.

TBD celebrated its twentieth year in 2006 and received the Grand Prix du Conseil des arts de Montréal (Montreal Arts Council). That same year the play Les flaques was created by Marc-Antoine Cyr in coproduction with PPS Danse. In 2007, TBD began production work around Jasmine Dubé’s triptych Les jardins d’enfants. For the 2009 edition of the Festival Petits bonheurs, TBD created a first draft of Marguerite, aimed at children aged 18 months and over. That same year, it created Les mauvaises herbes. In 2010, Marguerite was performed at Reims’ Festival Méli’Môme, and Ginkgo et la jardinière, a Théâtre Maât co-production, was performed for the first time at the Festival Petits bonheurs.

On January 9, 2011, the TBD celebrated its 25th anniversary.

THÉÂTRE BOUCHES DÉCOUSUES

Well known for stating loud and clear that youth theatre is an entirely distinct art and that children are not just tomorrow’s audiences but a worthy public today, Théâtre Bouches Décousues (TBD) is a theatre company devoted to research and dramaturgical creation that shines a tender yet discerning light on the world of children and the adults surrounding them to create a bridge between the two.

The adult/child relationship is an inexhaustible subject that is at the heart of TBD’s work. Fundamentally, we believe that it is possible to broach any subject with children. Sexual abuse, the male expression of tenderness, power, solitude, homelessness, the end of childhood and war are all themes that we have explored in our productions. The presence of children at the very heart of our activities is a considerable advantage for the artistic team, enabling them to stay connected to their public.

TBD has included a research component since 1994 to stimulate creativity and reflect on the world of children. By drawing inspiration from a wide range of sources, we like to step outside the regular confines of production to allow for experimentation, error, digression, in short for all that will nourish the creative act. The research workshops respond to an ever-present need for exploration and bring together artists from varied disciplines.

Our artistic mission revolves around the development of a dramaturgy for children. Each creation is the result of a long process in which children play a vital role. Both the children and the artists involved are part of the creative process in their own way. Then, too, by supporting emerging authors, TBD assists in the emergence of new works.

Through our productions we connect with local and foreign audiences. We give more than one hundred and fifty performances a year, mostly in Quebec, but in other parts of Canada and in Europe as well.