A Visionary
Jean Duceppe was a man who believed in the power of theatre. “Theatre must celebrate the audience. I want to make them laugh or make them cry; I want to reach out to them, to touch them, as in life." And he did just that. The Théâtre Jean-Duceppe launched in 1973 and continues to thrive today. Driven by the urge to bring great theatre to Quebec audiences, Duceppe started with remounted productions of Charbonneau et le Chef and Death of a Salesman at what was then called Théâtre Port-Royal at Montreal's Place-des-Arts. The plays were an instant hit and Duceppe never looked back.

Success Story
For 35 years, Théâtre Jean-Duceppe has been giving Montrealers what they want: passionate, emotional, truthful performances. In the company's history more than 5,421,000 spectators have filled the seats for over 173 productions. It has become one of the province's most important and beloved cultural institutions. The theatre company strives to present the people of Quebec with contemporary works that speak to them by both local and international playwrights such as Michel Tremblay, Eugene O'Neill, Arthur Miller and Gratien Gélinas.

A Legacy Lives On
Following Duceppe's death in 1990, Théâtre Port-Royal was renamed Théâtre Jean-Duceppe in 1991, a most fitting tribute to the man who brought such verve and inspiration to his work for the audiences at Place des Arts. Since then Michel Dumont and Louise Duceppe have held the reins at Théâtre Jean-Duceppe and have ensured that the same level of passion, creativity and intensity are still present in every performance.