Michel Tremblay has been a dominant figure of Quebec theatre since the late 1960s. He is also renowned as a novelist, translator and screenwriter. 
In 1964 he won first prize in a competition for young writers, sponsored by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, for his play “Le Train ” which he wrote in 1959. During the same year, he met André Brassard who has gone on to direct the premières of nearly all his plays. In 1965 Michel Tremblay wrote “Les Belles Soeurs", which was first produced in 1968 at the Théâtre du Rideau Vert, in Montreal. It was immediately acclaimed by critics and public alike and has since been performed in many countries. In 1973, the Paris production, presented at l’Espace Cardin, was declared “ the best foreign production of the year ”. “Les Belles Soeurs” has been called “the single most important event in the history of Quebec theatre”. 
In 1972, Michel Tremblay wrote his first full-length film script, “Il était une fois dans l’est”, which was directed by André Brassard in 1973. In 1974, the film represented Canada at the Cannes and Chicago Film Festivals. Brassard and Tremblay had previously collaborated on a short film, « Françoise Durocher, Waitress », which won three Canadian “Genie” prizes in 1972. 

Beginning in 1978, Leméac Editeur published the six novels that make up Tremblay’s “Chroniques du Plateau Mont-Royal”, all subsequently translated into English and published by Talonbooks, in Vancouver. In 1986, Leméac published a more intimate novel, “Le Coeur découvert” and its sequel, “ "Le Coeur éclaté ” in 1993. In 1990, “Les Vues animées”, twelve autobiographical stories that revolve around a young boy’s discovery of French, American, and Québécois cinema appeared, followed in 1992 by “Douze coups de théâtre”, a second collection of autobiographical stories, and in 1994, «Un ange cornu avec des ailes de tôle», on his discovery of literature. “La nuit des princes charmants ” appeared in 1995 and “Quarante-quatre minutes quarante-quatre seconds ” in 1997. In 1999, Lenéac published his latest work “ Hôtel Bristol, New York, N.Y. ” 

Many of Tremblay’s plays have been well-received abroad. Productions of “Bonjour là, bonjour ” mounted in New York in 1980 and in Tokyo in 1981, of “ Les Belles Soeurs ” in Chicago in 1982 and Glasgow in 1989, and of “Hosanna” in Paris in 1987 were particularly successful. His plays have been performed throughout Canada and the United States, as well as in England, France, Germany, Scotland, Belgium, Finland, Poland, Australia, Holland, Italy, Sweden, Denmark, Switzerland, Venezuela, Brazil, Romania, and Japan. All of his plays, 3 novels and one collection of tales have been published in English translation, and some of his work has been published in France, England and Germany as well. 

Tremblay’s work now includes 22 plays, 3 musical comedies, 11 novels, 1 collection of tales, 3 collections of short stories, and 7 film scripts. He has translated and adapted a total of 20 plays by Aristophanes, Paul Zindel, Tennessee Williams, Dario Fo, Chekhov, Gogol and others. He has also written the lyrics for songs interpreted by some of Quebec’s best known singers, and in 1989 he wrote the libretto of an opera. 
His most recent play “Encore une fois, si vous permettez” was first produced in 1998 at the Théâtre du Rideau Vert and almost simultaneously performed by Centaur Theatre, in the English version “ For the pleasure of seeing her again ”. In 1999 - 2000 this last production was produced in a Canadian tour. 

Michel Tremblay has received 6 grants from the Canada Arts Council, as well as many honours including Chevalier de l’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres de France in 1984 (promoted to “ Officier ” in 1991). In the same year he was named “Chevalier de l’Ordre National de Québec ”. He has been given four honorary doctorates. In 1999 Michel Tremblay received the Governor General’s Performing Arts Award. Several books have also been devoted to his work, including “ Le Monde de Michel Tremblay ” in 1993 published by Cahier Théâtre Jeu/Editions Lansman (Montreal and Carnières in Belgium) and in 1996, a dictionary of his work. In 1987, “ Les Belles Soeurs ” was mentioned in the Paris publication LIRE, in a section entitled “ La bibliothèque idéale: le théâtre ”, as one of 50 plays that should be included in the home library of anyone who is interested in theatre since its origins.  
For the originality of his style, the broad range of expression, and his profound vision of the world in which we live, Michel Tremblay is undoubtedly one of the most significant writers of our times. § 

 
 Photo: Grégoire Photo (Droits restreints)