The rebirth of a theater | The press

(Petite-Vallée) Despite a site that is not quite finished. Consequently, the new theater of the Old Forge officially opened its doors on Thursday. In addition, And for the director of the event, Alan on the side, it was more than time.

Posted at 5:00 a.m.

When we arrived in Petite-Vallée late Wednesday at the end of the day. Similarly, the atmosphere was more than feverish in the new very bright offices of the festival. However, While comments. However, artists, festival -goers and media were one after the other, there were still a host of more or less large details to settle … in addition to the rebirth theater | press unforeseen events.

“Wednesday morning, we had a water damage, we had to smash a ceiling!” ». For example, Told us on Thursday morning the very colorful general and artistic director of the festival, Alan Côté, during a coffee with journalists.

The project to reconstruct the theater, which completely burned on the morning of August 15, 2017, will have lasted seven years. Similarly, And now on June 4. However, a very first show took place there, a representation of The tide of the blacksmithinaugural show which brings together a dozen artists, including Michel Rivard, Klô Pelgag, Marie-Pierre Arthur and Louis-Jean Cormier. Meanwhile, “We picked up the tools at 4:30 p.m., at 5.30 p.m., people came back. For example, »»

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A lot of work has been shot dead since, but lots of things are not finished yet, especially outdoor development. Similarly, So much so that Louis-Jean Cormier renamed it “The Festival under construction of Petite-Vallée”! In addition, In the circumstances, did they not want to delay the opening of a year? Moreover, The answer fuses. For example, ” No ! Furthermore, And he assures that he never felt that they would not succeed.

On June 4, he also asked the entrepreneur to install “the biggest chip” on the land in front of the building, so that it is clear for everyone!

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Strong project

With a budget of 19.6 million, the theater reconstruction project will have been complex to manage, both financially and technically. Similarly, “Costaud”, specifies Alan Côté, with its builder bagou which does not sleep only four hours per night. Therefore, “Nothing was easy. Moreover, »»

The Théâtre de la Vieille Forge. Meanwhile, located on a point and giving directly to the beach, is no longer entirely at the same location as before. “Because of erosion. This is the regulations, we cannot be less than 30 rebirth theater | press meters from the bank. »»

But it is still very close to the water. With a hyper welcoming hall – four shuttering chairs are already continuously occupied! -. a new restaurant, a breathtaking window offering a breathtaking view of the movement of the waves and the changing color of the sky, a large mezzanine, a cathedral ceiling and wood everywhere, it is large, high and airy.

Obviously, the theater is the cutting edge of technology, which arouses jealousy of the colleagues and diffusers, slips the director. Even if it is much larger than before. its square and height format gives an impression of proximity and intimacy with the scene. The variable geometry room can accommodate up to 390 people seated, and 600 standing. It is a lot, for a village with less than 150 inhabitants!

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Pioneer

The theater will be as much a cultural place as of gathering for the people of the region, estimates the deputy artist director of the festival, Marc-Antoine Dufresne. “We have almost no bars here or coffee. It is a place to live things between us. »»

And things are starting to live … now. On Thursday. we heard the rumor of conversations, we met the artists rebirth theater | press and volunteers on the mezzanine during meal time, as before. This friendly proximity which is part of the DNA of the festival was respected.

“I have the impression that the soul of the theater has already been partly transferred,” said the perpetrator-songwriter Jeanne Côte, daughter of the Grand Manitou, who literally grew up in the old theater. “There remains a part of this soul to build. We arrive in it, and we put our marks. »»

The singer. who is part of the inauguration show The tide of the blacksmithlikes to rebirth theater | press discover new corners in the establishment, like a child. “We feel like pioneers!” »»

Marie-Pierre Arthur also believes that it is from now on that the soul of the new theater begins to invent itself. “It was the first time I saw people in the place on Wednesday. I was really moved. The atmosphere, the light … The world looked good. There, there must just be music in it. »»

The singer-songwriter who was born in Grande-Vallée. right next to it, rebirth theater | press says that his whole family has long been involved in the festival. “I have heard of all year round, reconstruction!” This is important, what is happening here. It’s extraordinary. »»

A great friend of the Petite-Vallée family, Michel Rivard, who was part of the jury for the architectural competition, believes that the new theater is “up to expectations.

Louis-Jean Cormier attended his first show on Wednesday evening in the new theater on Wednesday evening, that of rapper Jack Layne. The singer. who ensured the artistic direction of The tide of the blacksmith With Alan Côté, says he felt as moved as they are impressed.

“I was looking at the place, I felt almost pain to have such a luxurious building!” My brother said to me: “It feels like we’re at the spa.” A spa… for the ears! »»

But beyond the technical qualities. the most beautiful compliment that we can do in Alan on the side is when we tell him: we feel here here. This perfectly translates this leitmotif written on his kangaroo: “It is not because we burned that rebirth theater | press we have turned out. This is called having resilience and a heart in the stomach.