Canadian Theatre Encyclopedia
Poissant, Claude
Actor/playwright/director, born in 1955, died June 6, 2025. Claude Poissant was Artistic Director of Théâtre Petit à Petit/PàP from its inception in 1978 until 2014. He then became the A.D. of Nouvelle Compagnie Théâtrale / Théâtre Denise-Pelletier. Poissant worked continuously in the theatre for more than four decades.
As a playwright he wrote several works performed by PàP including the profoundly moving Si tu meurs je te tue an autobiographical work about the death of his brother. In February 2000, he directed the premiere of his Les enfants d'Irène.
As an actor he performed on television and in film, but also in the francophone premiere of Brad Fraser's Poor Super Man at the Théâtre de Quat'Sous.
He was also an award-winning director winning the first director's award at the Masques Awards for Le Cygne and the best direction prize from the Association québécois des critiques de théâtre for Le prince travesti at the Théâtre du Nouveau Monde. He directed at Espace Go, Théâtre la Licorne, Nouvelle Compagnie Théâtrale / Théâtre Denise-Pelletier, Théâtre de Quat'Sous, Théâtre Populaire du Québec and the Café de la Place des Arts. He also directed several works for PàP (including October 1999's production of Geneviève Billette's Crime contre l'Humanité and the September, 2000 production of Reynald Robinson's Hôtel des Horizons). In February, 2001, he directed the Compagnie Jean-Duceppe production of John Logan's Les Oiseaux de proie.
Claude Poissant was a director of remarkable gifts, mixing equal amounts of aesthetic finesse with deeply felt and transmitted emotion.
He told Montreal's Voir in February, 2000, "In the creations for PàP from 1975-1982, we had a theme, which we developed. I have less of a taste to say ONE thing; I want to provoke reflection from many things. Also, I want the universe I write to touch on the human as well as the social and the political...put all those things together and make a puzzle which holds together."
Profile by Gaetan Charlebois
Last updated 2025-06-09
Since October 2002, Athabasca University has hosted the web site, with an editorial board of theatre scholars from across Canada.
To submit an entry, please consult the guidelines for submissions.
Email your submission to: Anne Nothof, Professor Emerita, Athabasca University.
The Encyclopedia collects and disseminates information on plays, playwrights and theatre practitioners. It does not respond to requests for information, auditions, bookings, or tickets.
The Canadian Theatre Encyclopedia web site was originally conceived and developed in 1996 by Gaetan Charlebois—theatre critic, playwright, and actor.
