Catherine Boivin is a shining star in theatre design

By Amanda Kelly

Catherine Boivin applied to the National Theatre School, but she didn’t get in.

“It turned out to be a blessing, because Concordia's program in Design for the Theatre was better suited to my needs,” she said. “It also allowed me to make contacts that will benefit me throughout my career.”

Boivin graduates this year as the star of her department. Not only has she has been involved in productions within the program, she assisted in major projects around the city.

“My first professional experience was quite special. I did an internship with the designer Guillaume Lord while he was working on the French musical Don Juan, by Félix Gray. Not only was I working with high-profile professionals, including the director Gilles Maheu, but my involvement in the project grew beyond what I ever thought it would be.”

The fact that she is in a wheelchair posed challenges, because the Theatre Department building is only accessible to the first floor.

“There is a definite lack of accessibility in some of the theatre facilities, but more deplorable is that the F.C. Smith theatre [which includes three performing spaces] is completely inaccessible.”

This had serious implications not only for her studies, but also for her work. “It meant that the only productions I could work on were the ones in the [downtown] D.B. Clarke.”

Although efforts were made to get the university to renovate the F.C. Smith, nothing was done. “Montreal is an amazing city to study theatre in, and it saddens me to think that one of the best schools does not have the resources and facilities on a par with the quality of the education.”

However, Boivin said, “Throughout my studies the teachers and staff of the Theatre Department have been extraordinary in adapting the program for me and making me a part of the group.”

She said she needed drive and determination. “There is a great quote from Einstein that always reminds me of what it's like to be an artist, particularly in my situation: ‘Great spirits have always encountered violent opposition from mediocre minds.’ As an artist, you have to expect that.”