Less than a week after the death of actress Rita Lafontaine, the National Arts Centre (NAC) is saddened to have learned the loss of another Canadian theatre legend, playwright Marcel Dubé.

Over the course of its history, the NAC has been proud to present some of Marcel Dubé’s most important works, including the plays Zone, Un simple soldat and Les Beaux Dimanches. In 2005 he received the Governor General’s Performing Arts Award for Lifetime Artistic Achievement (Theatre) and was honoured at the Awards’ annual gala at the National Arts Centre. 

The National Arts Centre has lowered its flag to half-staff to honour Marcel Dubé’s work on the stage and television.  

Prolific playwright Marcel Dubé wrote volumes of text for the stage, radio, and television. His works depicted with insight and sensitivity a realistic image of collective tragedy and of society in constant change. 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.

In addition to Zone, Un simple soldat and Les Beaux Dimanches, his outstanding works are the plays Florence, Bilan, Au retour des oies blanches, and the television series La Côte de Sable and De 9 à 5 which aired between 1961 and 1966. Marcel Dubé also adapted works for radio and television by French and American authors such as Édouard Albee, Arthur Miller, and Jean Giraudoux.

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 was an Officier de l'Ordre national du Québec and an Officer of the Order of Canada.

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FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT:

Carl Martin
Senior Advisor, Communications
National Arts Centre
613-947-7000, ext. 560