91Ö±²¥

To officially kick off its 25th anniversary celebrations, Porte Parole, in partnership with 91Ö±²¥â€™s Department of English and the Centaur Theatre, is hosting a special public conversation bringing together three leading voices in contemporary theatre. Annabel Soutar, Porte Parole’s Co-Founder and Artistic Director, will be joined by Emily Mann, a trailblazer of documentary theatre in the United States, in a conversation moderated by the celebrated Canadian playwright, director, and actor Robert Lepage.

This rare encounter will explore the evolution and impact of documentary theatre on both sides of the border over the past 25 years. Soutar will revisit her discovery of the genre as a student of Mann’s at Princeton in the early 1990s — a turning point that led to the founding of Porte Parole. Since then, the form has grown in Quebec from virtually unknown to one of the most popular theatrical genres. Mann will share insights from her career as a playwright and director in the U.S., where she brought pressing social issues to the stage in landmark works such as Execution of Justice, Greensboro (A Requiem) and Having Our Say.

In this deeply polarized moment in North American politics, they will also discuss how artists navigate complexity, bridge divides, and foster important conversations. At a time when divisions strain civic life, what role can theatre play in creating agoras for debate and reflection across our borders?