Jules Boudreau
Categories: Male Authors - Francophone Authors - Novelists - Dramatists - Acadian Coast
Source: Malou-Z-Art
Biography
A playwright and theatre activity leader, Jules Boudreau was born, and still lives, in Maisonnette, a small village in northeastern New Brunswick. In addition to being the founder or co-founder of several troupes (Les Élouèzes, Le Théâtre de la Dune, La Troupe 2%), he has about 20 plays to his credit, several of which were performed on stage (Cochu et le soleil, La Bringue, Images de notre enfance, and Des amis pas pareils) or broadcast on the national Radio-Canada network (Louise et le soldat, La Reine Horse, Poker électrique, and Requiem pour Florian).
He wrote the dialogue of Louis Mailloux, a musical with songs and music by Calixte Duguay, which was produced six times from 1975 to 1994 and in 2010 and 2011. He also wrote the script and dialogue for the musical comedy La Lambique, also with Calixte Duguay, which was performed in Caraquet in 1984 and staged by Viola Léger. He toured schools in New Brunswick (1985) and Quebec (1986, 1993) to present his work and talk about his writing process.
He was introduced to drama through amateur theatre and always maintained a great interest in it. He worked as a theatre activity leader with several community and school troupes.
Five of his plays were published by Éditions d’Acadie (1979 and 1989), and eight plays, grouped together as “historical theatre,” "social theatre,” and “children’s theatre,” were published in a collection by Éditions de la Grande Marée in 2008. In addition to his stage writing, he published a collection of short stories: Chroniques d’une île de la côte (Éditions d'Acadie, 1999), and a children's novel, Le mystère de la maison grise (Chenelière-McGraw Hill, 2003). A second short story collection entitled Chroniques d’une île de la côte, tome 2, came out in 2012, from Les Éditions de la Francophonie. A collection of short biographies of prominent personalities in Acadian history was published by Éditions de la Grande Marée in 2014.
In 2018 he published his first novel, Les Potabrés, again with Éditions de la Grande Marée. In the spring of 2023, De Terre et d'eau was published, a work written in collaboration with Calixte Duguay. It features the lyrics to the Acadian songwriter’s songs, accompanied by comments on his work.
The jury of the Prix France-Acadie gave him a special award in 2010 for his body of work.
What is your favourite New Brunswick book, and why?
It would be a trilogy, which is in fact a masterful novel in three volumes: À la recherche de la gâgne, by Louis Haché. The three volumes are called La tracadienne, Le desservant de Charnissey and La maîtresse d’école. It is an impressive work, based on thorough, in-depth research, which brings to life a whole period through characters of extraordinary presence and truthfulness. In my opinion, it is the first truly great Acadian novel to be published here at home. In addition, Louis Haché’s work is that of a true writer, who masters the language and knows how to use its resources.
What do you consider to be the highlight of your career so far?
That is a difficult question to answer … there have been at least three significant moments. However, I would say the first performance of Louis Mailloux, in October 1975, on the small stage at the Polyvalente Louis-Mailloux in Caraquet.
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Literary Prizes |
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| Honorary Doctorate (Theatre) - Université de Moncton - 2018 | |
| Ordre des francophones d'Amérique - 2017 | |
| Lieutenant-Governor's Prize for High Achievement in the Performing Arts - 2015 | |
| Nomination - Prix France-Acadie - 2008 | In recognition of: Théâtre |
| Nomination - Prix Éloizes - 2000 | In recognition of: Chroniques d’une île de la côte |
| Nomination - Prix France-Acadie - 2000 | In recognition of: Chroniques d’une île de la côte |
| Nomination - Prix France-Acadie - 1993 | In recognition of: Mon théâtre, des techniques et des textes |
| Nomination - Prix France-Acadie - 1980 | In recognition of: Cochu et le soleil |
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Featured Publication |
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Théâtre (2008) |
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Find this author in the New Brunswick public libraries catalogue.
Source(s): Author.
