Théâtre la Seizième presents a staged reading of À toi, pour toujours, ta Marie-Lou, February 21 and 22
Sébastien David directs Michel Tremblay’s tragic play as part of the ÉCHO(S) series

Michel Tremblay. Photo by Lëa-Kim Châteauneuf
Théâtre la Seizième presents À toi, pour toujours, ta Marie-Lou at Studio 16 on February 21 and 22 at 7:30 pm, as part of the ÉCHO(S) staged reading series
RENOWNED QUÉBÉCOIS PLAYWRIGHT and novelist Michel Tremblay has been publishing works to critical acclaim since the 1960s.
Among his more prominent œuvres is 1971’s À toi, pour toujours, ta Marie-Lou, which tells the grim story of one family’s history from four different perspectives. Léopold and Marie-Lou were in a tumultuous marriage that ended in their tragic deaths following a verbal dispute. Ten years later, their daughter Carmen has moved on, while their other daughter Manon still lives under their roof, consumed by what happened. Unspoken truths and the burden of religion come into play when Carmen returns home and the sisters must confront their difficult past.
In honour of Théâtre la Seizième’s 50th anniversary, the company is presenting a staged reading of À toi, pour toujours, ta Marie-Lou at Studio 16 on February 21 and 22. It is the third installment of this season’s ÉCHO(S) series, which highlights five key works that Théâtre la Seizième has produced since it was founded in 1974.
Another Québécois playwright, Sébastien David, is directing this reading, which features a cast of four actors: Jessica Heafey, Steve Jodoin, Samantha Levy, and Gabrielle Morin. David’s Dimanche napalm won a Governor General’s Award in 2017, and his latest play Une fin premiered this month at Centre du Théâtre d’Aujourd’hui in Montreal.
The reading of À toi, pour toujours, ta Marie-Lou will be in French with English surtitles. It will feature live music by Steven Charles and technical direction and lighting by Chengyan Boon.
Stir editorial assistant Emily Lyth is a Vancouver-based writer and editor who graduated from Langara College’s Journalism program. Her decade of dance training and passion for all things food-related are the foundation of her love for telling arts, culture, and community stories.
Related Articles
Company to pause programming starting January 2026 while the Holy Trinity Anglican Church fixes water damage and mould in the 1912 site
At the Firehall Arts Centre, Cree theatre artist journeys through her childhood memories, incorporating cheeky crowd work
All-ages show by Cause & Effect Circus incorporates high-level skills, inventive lighting, and fun sound effects
Justin Anthony directs the show about a group of survivors navigating the aftermath of a cataclysmic event
Howard Dai’s Dream Machine pulls inspiration from Taiwanese game shows, while Paige Louter’s Nod acknowledges chronic fatigue
1 Santosh Santosh 2 Go touches on the model minority myth with hilarity and heart
Set in Pacific Theatre’s activity room, play by Katherine Gauthier leans into realism with depth of character and lasting intensity
Newest production to feature Sound the Alarm’s lineup of seasoned singers mines soundtracks of Disney and Hollywood classics
The violinist’s Fantasy Vignettes interweaves Baroque music, costume changes, and sewing machines
On the BMO Mainstage, director Dean Paul Gibson puts an ’80s spin on this resonant tale of young love
Aussie troupe Gravity & Other Myths’ stripped-down spectacle has been a hit around the world
In Hair Hair Everywhere, Shabnam debates whether or not she should shave
In girl power–fuelled show, performers channel sounds of Beyoncé, Lily Allen, and more in turning the tables on doomed relationships
In Inner Elder at the Firehall Arts Centre, the Calgary-based theatre veteran draws on more than three decades of Indigenous clowning experience
Moving into ambitious new territory, the company meets the many challenges of the Broadway classic and its still-relevant message
Arts Club play edges true-life story of Princess Di hospice visit into unexpected transcendent realm
All is not as it seems as two of Shakespeare’s most tumultuous couples navigate secret love and mistaken identities
With its flared costumes and feisty performances, Metro Theatre’s production of a Rice and Lloyd Webber favourite offers a quirkily fun tour of musical genres
As storylines switch between playwrights and the characters they’ve created, this challenging Zee Zee Theatre production spotlights hidden disparities separating two best friends
Fast-rising Filipino-Canadian actor and singer-songwriter takes the titular role in a rendition set in a 1970s variety show
The transition follows her departure from Music on Main, where she served as artistic planning and operations manager for seven years