Launched at the turn of the millennium, Motus celebrated its 20th anniversary in 2021. We have produced 19 original pieces aimed at young audiences, performing them at the regional, national and international levels – racking up more than 2,000 performances here at home, and also abroad, in China, the U.S., Mexico, Spain, France, Switzerland, Mali, Burkina Faso, Ivory Coast, Senegal, Greece and Costa Rica.
We’ve performed for over 420,000 spectators. Several of our plays have been translated and performed in English, in Spanish, and two in Mandarin, as well as integrating 10 other languages into our pieces.
Motus works in the medium of puppetry arts, reveling in the freedom it offers in dramaturgy and staging, the perfect vehicle for stirring emotions and pushing formal boundaries. Co-artistic directors Hélène Ducharme et Mathilde Addy-Laird explore the relationship between puppets, acting, live music, black and color shadow theatre, and other complementary theatre forms.
Nominations and Awards
Co-Artistic Directors
Hélène Ducharme is an author, director, actor, puppeteer, and co-founder of Motus Theatre. For the past 20 years, she has written, co-written, or co-adapted every Motus creation and directed most of the company’s productions. She explores her passion for puppetry, dramatic acting, and shadow theatre through her bold, adventurous texts and productions for young audiences. Deeply respectful of her young audience members, Hélène collaborates with children throughout her creative process. Her training as an educator allows her to design activities for each production. In addition to her work at Motus, Hélène is on the board of directors and several committees of the Centre des Auteurs Dramatiques (CEAD) and the Québec Association of Puppeteers (AQM). She is also treasurer of the Union Internationale de la Marionnette Canada (UNIMA-Canada) and the International Association of Theatres for Children and Young People Canada (ASSITEJ Canada).
Mathilde Addy-Laird is a creator, director, actor, and puppeteer. She has been creating contemporary works for over 15 years. The cornerstone of her work is the encounter: the encounter between a work and its words; between artist, audience, and material; and the encounter between human beings. Mathilde has collaborated with PPS Danse, Théatre AchanéE, Théâtre Advienne que Pourra, Qu'en dit Raton, and L'Allumette, Théâtre de Marionnettes. In addition to her creative work, she has co-directed a feminist theatre company for over 10 years, sat on the board of directors of three arts organizations, participated in the creation and publication of two poetry collections, and directed artists from diverse backgrounds. Mathilde has participated in numerous Motus creations since 2012 and joined the co-artistic direction team in 2022.
Reaching beyond their personal creative spaces, together Hélène et Mathilde shape the present and future of Motus.
Board of directors
President - Hélène Parent
Media management consultant
Treasurer - Pauline Deschamps
Strategic communications advisor
Corporation du Fort St-Jean
Secretary - Chloé Besner
Managing Director, Dynamo Théâtre
Administrator - Hélène Ducharme
Artistic and Executive co-Director, Motus Theater
Administrator - Geneviève Ménard
Director of Branding and Marketing, EcoloPharm
Administrator - Esther Plante
Retired administrative judge
Administrator - Alain Roy
Corporate identity strategist