The Poitevin cultural landscape will be enriched this Thursday, September 21, with a new theater. With the opening of the Maria Casarès Stage, Poitiers has a new distribution center of nearly 500 square meters dedicated to young creation. The initiative goes to Matthieu Roy and Johanna Silberstein, already at the head of the actress’ house in Alloue (Charente) where a renowned theater festival is held every summer. “Maison Maria Casarès is a place of creation. We welcome many companies in residence there each year. But we were missing a place to share the shows that are born in Alloue… throughout the year”, explain the two promoters of the project, also actors and directors.
Taking advantage of the festivities surrounding the centenary of the birth of Maria Casarès, who died in 1996, Matthieu Roy and Johanna Silberstein convinced the Aquitaine region, the Vienne prefecture, the urban community and the city of Poitiers to mobilize to create this place. In terms of live performance, the territory already has a national stage (the Théâtre Auditorium de Poitiers), a national drama center (the Méta), a multi-purpose space (the Mendès France room), a stage dedicated to current music (the Confort moderne ) and a dozen activity centers and neighborhood centers. “Despite this rich offering, there was room for a new theater,” believes Matthieu Roy.
Located at 34, boulevard Chasseigne, in the former stables of the Montierneuf military barracks, “the Maria Casarès Stage will offer an eclectic theatrical program aimed at an audience eager to discover great classics at the same time [an anthology Tartuffe is offered in opening, Editor’s note] and more contemporary texts”, explains Johanna Silberstein.