Festithéâtrecréole, never two without three!

Festithéâtrecréole, never two without three!

The excitement was palpable at the Conseil des arts de Montréal on October 22. The evening saw the launch of the third edition of the Festithéâtrecréole. A colorful evening, brimming with culture around the theme of Creolité.

Hosted by J’m Kerma, the evening kicked off with a performance by Martiniquan singer Lya Sherley, who sang Ti Chou, her latest single, available for a few days now on all music streaming platforms.

We were then able to learn more about the festival program, which runs from October 23 to 31. Ralph Civil, director of the Compagnie and director of this third edition of the festival, paid a moving tribute to his wife, Nerlande Gaétan, thanking her for her unconditional support.

Jean Emmanuel Pierre, spokesman, then took the floor to express his satisfaction at being part of an experience as rich in its audience as in its programming: “The festival has the merit of satisfying a wide audience, from grandparents to kids of all ages, thanks to the diversity of shows, conferences, workshops and more…”.

Happiness was shared by Paule Beaudry, Director of Territorial Initiatives and Customer Service at the Conseil des arts de Montréal. Both were honored to be able to attend such a celebration of diversity. “A true incubator for creators of all generations and backgrounds, the festival brilliantly puts artists in the spotlight.”

The audience was treated to a surprise word from Amos Coulanges, the artist featured in the Voyage acoustic evening on October 30. He mentioned the relationship between the words “Creole” and “creation”, referring to the very essence of Creole cultures, driven by creativity and the arts. Nerlande, former director of Festithéâtrecréole and candidate for mayor of Saint-Léonard, was asked about the place of theater in relation to the pandemic. She replied that it would be necessary to adapt to young people, who are very active in the field of technology, and that in this sense, theater should follow the path taken by cinema and provide online content in order to continue to reach audiences.

The evening would not have been complete without a variety of artistic performances. Segatières Veerona and Saiswari danced the sega, a dance of African origin very popular in Mauritius, consisting of twirling one’s clothes while swaying and spinning. Their colorful clothes and movements charmed the audience.

Valérie Nicolas danced to the rhythms of a rara, a traditional Haitian dance that takes place from Ash Wednesday to Easter Sunday. With its frenetic rhythms and clapping hands, it was a lot of fun! In the same festive spirit, two members of the group Rara Soley presented one of their songs. Made up of six musicians and three singers, Rara Soley has been a gateway to Haitian culture in Montreal since 2013.

Pascalyn Paskashy, a versatile young artist from Martinique who dances to overcome her shyness, delivered a poignant performance, full of strength and agility. A particularly moving and inspiring moment.

The event ended with a heartfelt thank-you from the radiant J’m Kerma. And that was it! The festival was launched! Festithéâtrecréole runs from October 23 to 31. Several events are accessible free of charge online from the Company’s website.