The Professional Association of Canadian Theatres (PACT), Playwrights Guild of Canada (PGC) and l’Association des théâtres francophones du Canada (ATFC) have once again joined forces to promote World Theatre Day from a distinctly Canadian perspective.

Says Micheline Chevrier, Associate Director of Imago Theatre:

I am very honoured to have been asked by PACT, PGC and ATFC to write the message on the occasion of World Theatre Day. In doing so, I have had to reflect on the importance of telling stories, taking risks and broadening one’s understanding of the world. It has been a great gift. I look forward to reading other messages and taking inspiration and strength from those thoughts into my work.

The English version of Micheline’s World Theatre Day message is embedded below. To watch the French version, click here.
Download the text of Micheline’s message here: Canadian World Theatre Day Message 2013

Micheline is currently the Distinguished Visiting Artist at the University of Alberta and guest director of Saint Joan at U of A Studio Theatre.

All are invited to hear Ms. Chevrier deliver her World Theatre Day message publicly at 12 noon on March 27th in the Timms Centre for the Arts lobby.

Created in 1961 by UNESCO, World Theatre Day is celebrated annually on March 27 by theatre communities around the globe. The impetus behind World Theatre Day is to honour and further UNESCO’s International Theatre Institute’s goals to:

• Celebrate the power of theatre as an indispensable bridge-builder for mutual international understanding and peace.
• Promote and protect cultural diversity and identity in communities throughout the world. Each year, a renowned theatre artist of world stature is invited to craft an International Message to mark the global occasion.