L’Illusion, Théâtre de marionnettes, a more than 40-year-old non-profit arts venue based in Montreal, will be demolished and then reborn on its current site with help from a $3.44-million investment from the Canada Cultural Spaces Fund.
L’Illusion, Théâtre de marionnettes creates, produces and stages puppet shows. Its visual and performing arts productions are regularly selected by festivals abroad. The organization also offers creative residencies for puppetry professionals and cultural mediation activities for audiences. Its clientele comprises children aged three to 12 and adults.
After the current building topples down, the land will be excavated and construction of a new theatre will commence to include two halls with seating for 170 people.
Specialized equipment including a lighting system, sound system, stage curtains and video equipment will also be purchased. The new venue will have common areas (entrance, reception, change rooms, lobby and washrooms), two performance halls (the early childhood hall and children’s hall, which will accommodate 50 and 120 seats respectively), technical areas (dressing rooms, laundry room, workshop, green room and storage area), administrative areas and a general support area (janitorial and waste/recycling).
The funding will allow L’Illusion, Théâtre de marionnettes to welcome many more young spectators and offer them innovative experiences, with the help of modern equipment.
“Building on 40 years of research and creation, we have developed a distinct expertise in puppet theatre,” said Sabrina Baran, executive director and artistic co-director. “Thousands of spectators from here and everywhere marvel at the shows we create for them. With the strength of experience and the energy of renewal, we are looking to the future and building a space for creation and showcases dedicated to the art of puppetry.”
The Canada Cultural Spaces Fund supports the improvement of physical conditions for arts, heritage, culture and creative innovation. Also included are renovation and construction projects, the acquisition of specialized equipment and feasibility studies related to cultural spaces.
