Theatre 1774
Marianne Ackerman and Clare Schapiro
Incorporated in 1988, THEATRE 1774 debuted in 1998 with Echo, created and directed by Robert Lepage, based on A Nun’s Diary, by Ann Diamond. A co-production with Theatre Passe Muraille, Echo won a Dora Award for lighting by Lepage following the Toronto run in 1990.
The company’s mandate, as articulated by founders and artistic directors Marianne Ackerman and Clare Schapiro, was to create original work and adaptations of classics reflecting the bicultural history and culture of Quebec. The contentious launch of this mission is captured in the NFB documentary Breaking a Leg, directed by Don Winkler, which follows Lepage, Ackerman, Schapiro and company through rehearsals, opening night and the subsequent publicity firestorm.
Previously, Clare Schapiro had founded and directed the award-winning company Créations, which produced works by young people. After leaving THEATRE 1774 in 1993, she became artistic director of Imago Theatre for 13 seasons. A theatre critic and widely-published journalist, Marianne Ackerman wrote four plays for THEATRE 1774. Since leaving the company in 1997, she has continued writing and publishing plays and novels.
Guy Sprung, who had directed two shows for 1774, was named artistic director in 1998. He changed the name and the mandate, launching a re-brand of the company as Infinithéâtre in 1999.
