Talisman Theatre

08/26/2026

Snapshot of our artistic director Lyne Paquette with author Virginie Daigle and translator Alexis Diamond, at the Season Launch of La Chapelle Scènes Contemporaines! ✨ (left to right)

At the event last week, Virginie and Alexis read excerpts of the freshly-translated NOLI to an eager audience of arts lovers. We enjoyed mingling with all of the artists involved, and are excited for a riveting upcoming season of cutting-edge work!

08/18/2026

Some shots of Virginie Daigle and Alexis Diamond Alexis Diamond talking about our upcoming co-production of NOLI with Infinitheatre Infinithéâtre at La Chapelle Scènes Contemporaines!

Join us this Thursday, August 20 at 6 p.m. at La Chapelle La Chapelle Scènes Contemporaines for the unveiling of their artistic program! You still have until August 20 at 6 p.m. to get a pre-unveiling Package (10 shows for $200).

08/13/2026

✨ CALL FOR ANIMATORS / VJ ! ✨

Talisman Theatre is seeking an emerging animator or VJ for the creation of visuals for a new digital play. This six-month internship (through Montreal Arts Council DémART program) involves the creation of an hour-long abstract animation to accompany the audio of the critically-acclaimed sci-fi play, Seeker, written by Marie-Claude Verdier and translated by Alexis Diamond. Interns will also develop social media materials derived from their work.

Swipe through to learn more, and for the French description! Click the link in our bio for the full description.

08/04/2026

Interview with Phara Thibault, author of Chokola 🤎 Part 2!

Chokola is a deeply personal autobiographical monologue that explores the complex journey of a young woman who was adopted from Haiti and raised by a white family in rural Quebec. Chokola grapples with the complexities of transracial adoption, racism, self-acceptance, and a longing for maternal love.

📸: Jules Bédard
Phara Thibault

07/29/2026

Interview with Phara Thibault, author of Chokola ✨ Part 1!

We were so glad to have the chance to hear more about Chokola, which is in development for a digital production here at Talisman. Author Phara Thibault offered us deep insights into her complex internal world that led her to write the play.

07/22/2026

As part of his 2026 Artist-in-Residence project at Talisman Theatre, Davide Chiazzese will translate Camille Paré-Poirier’s "Je viendrai moins souvent" into English.

Developed from Paré-Poirier’s podcast, Quelqu’une d’immortelle, the play grew out of nearly four years of recorded conversations between Camille and her grandmother, Pauline, as Pauline lived with dementia in a long-term care home. Blending documentary style, personal storytelling, and Pauline’s own recorded voice, "Je viendrai moins souvent" explores caregiving, memory, grief, aging, and the relationship between a granddaughter and her grandmother.

The play premiered at the Centre du Théâtre d’Aujourd’hui in 2023, where it received the Prix écriture dramatique for the 2022–2023 season. It has since been presented by Duceppe at Place des Arts, Théâtre Périscope in Quebec City, Théâtre La Seizième in Vancouver, and Théâtre de la Ville in Longueuil, and continues to tour.

“I was deeply moved by the play’s exploration of life’s impermanence and its meditation on the fact that the people we love won’t be here forever...and neither will we. My own experience of grief drew me to the piece and to its philosophical reflections on memory and what makes us who we are. I was also drawn to the relationship between Camille and Pauline, and to the way their bond evolved beyond the roles of grandmother and granddaughter into something closer to friendship. I’m excited to begin the process of bringing this deeply personal work into English and exploring how its voice, intimacy, and documentary elements can live in translation.”

This will mark Davide’s first full-length theatre translation, following his participation in the 2023–2024 Introduction to Theatre Translation mentorship program offered by Playwrights’ Workshop Montréal (PWM) and the Centre des auteurs dramatiques (CEAD), under the guidance of translator Alexis Diamond.

We look forward to sharing more about the translation process in the coming months.

Je viendrai moins souvent
Written by Camille Paré-Poirier
English translation in development by Davide Chiazzese

📸: Valérie Remise

07/10/2026

Emerging theatremakers: Check out this opportunity!

Applications are now open for the 12th edition of our Young Creators Unit!

“I've loved being in this year's Young Creators Unit. Leila facilitates our cohort with a fervent loyalty towards our plays and what our writing wants to say. Here I have learned to revere my creative impulses and to lean on my peers’ expertise. Leila, the other YCU playwrights, and the theatre professionals I’ve met during our outings have made me feel like my play has found its home in this city. Thank you PWM!” — Hanesa Banks (YCU Cohort ’26)

Offering emerging theatremakers innovative workshops, 1:1 consultations, and group activities that focus on creation, dramaturgy, and professional development, the Young Creators Unit is a 9-month creative incubator. Be supported to find your voice, make connections, and learn new storytelling skills, as well as develop practical skills needed to establish a successful career in the arts.

The YCU will once again be led by PWM’s Artistic Producer & YCU Dramaturg, Leila Ghaemi, and will be taking place from September 2026 to June 2027. YCU participants are provided professional development resources and opportunities, including grant writing guidance, access to local theatre experiences and performances, and networking opportunities.

Submit your application by Sunday, July 19, 2026, 11:59PM EST.

Visit the link in our bio for more information about the program and how to apply!

ID: A graffiti-like background of blue, turquoise, and black. In the centre, a white banner with the words Call for Applications written in turquoise. Underneath, the words Young Creators Unit 2026-2027. On the bottom right, the PWM logo in white.

06/23/2026

Talisman Theatre is pleased to welcome Davide Chiazzese as our 2026 Artist-in-Residence through the support of the Elspeth McConnell Fine Arts Award from Concordia University.

A longtime collaborator of Talisman Theatre, Davide is an actor, director, filmmaker, and translator with over 16 years of experience in Montreal’s theatre community. After graduating from the Professional Theatre Program at John Abbott College, he completed a Bachelor of Fine Arts with a Specialization in Film Production at Concordia University.

Over the past decade, Davide has worked closely with Talisman as an actor, performing in Billy, The Days of Howling (2014), Province (2015), and most recently Wildfire (2023), for which the production received the META (Montreal English Theatre Award) for Outstanding Ensemble.

Alongside his work as a performer, Davide has continued to develop his practice as a director and translator. He participated in Black Theatre Workshop’s inaugural Artist Mentorship Program as a Director (2013–2014), and in 2023–2024, he was selected by Playwrights Workshop Montreal (PWM) and the Centre des auteurs dramatiques (CEAD) to participate in the Introduction to Theatre Translation mentorship program under the guidance of Alexis Diamond.

During his residency, Davide will contribute to Talisman’s artistic development by completing his first full-length theatre translation and exploring the adaptation of a newly translated work into film, while working closely with Artistic Director Lyne Paquette. We look forward to sharing more about his work and the projects developed during his residency in the coming months!