Gabrielle Lessard named artistic director of Espace libre
The actress and Théâtre P.A.F. director takes over July 31, promising human-scale stories rooted in the neighborhood.
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Gabrielle Lessard, actress and director of Théâtre P.A.F., is becoming artistic director and co-general director of Espace libre starting July 31, succeeding Félix-Antoine Boutin, who has held the post since 2023.
Lessard has deep ties to the venue. She co-directed Jamais lu in 2023 and has presented works there including "Judy" (2019) and "La blessure" (2022). Her vision for the theatre anchors itself in the neighborhood and in human scale. "Espace libre is a theatre rooted in its neighbourhood," Lessard said. "I want to anchor it even more — at human scale, proposing subjects at human scale."
She plans to bring stories to the stage that often lack poetic platforms: the realities of healthcare workers, people experiencing homelessness, and others whose lives intersect with systemic invisibility. "I want to bring subjects to the stage that carry these realities, that sometimes don't have spaces to be poeticized," she explained. Her approach weaves those stories into strong artistic containers, maintaining rigorous quality while staying rooted in the community.
The Centre-Sud neighbourhood where Espace libre stands is on the cusp of change. In the coming five years, 15,000 to 20,000 new residents are expected to move in — nearly 50% growth — as condominiums from former Radio-Canada, the old Molson factory, and Esplanade Cartier complete construction. Most will be owners, a marked demographic shift from the area's current 76% renters. Lessard sees the theatre's responsibility clearly: to serve as a bridge between diverging realities, a democratic space where art opens conversation rather than closes it. "There's atomization happening in society right now," she reflected. "Maybe art needs to serve democracy?" Her first season will launch in 2027–28.