History of Puppetry
in Canada

Diane Bouchard

Diane Bouchard began as an actor, and discovered puppetry in the early 1970s during a workshop for teachers of dramatic arts. The medium enthralled her and, in 1976, she became the cofounder of the company Théâtre de l'Avant-Pays, compagnie de marionnettes in Montreal. Until 1983, she wrote scripts for several of the company's productions. In 1985, she founded Théâtre Gestes in Ottawa, which was headquartered in Gatineau after 1999. Independently, or in collaboration with others, she produces theatrical works for young audiences, and offers a range of workshops. The creation of puppets occupies an important place in Bouchard's work. She developed her own construction technique using knotted strips of fabric, which she named "marionnette à nœuds" ("knot puppets"). In 1993, the Modern Puppet Center in Japan invited her to teach her technique as part of its international festival, and she was awarded a special prize for most unusual and original puppets at the Iida Puppetry Carnival (now the Iida Puppet Festa). During Culturiades 2004, she received the Prix du Conseil des arts et des lettres du Québec, in recognition of her body of work.

Website - Diane Bouchard