Gascon-Thomas Award 2004

Jean-Louis Roux and Christopher Plummer:
Recipients of the 2004 Gascon-Thomas Award

Montreal, October 29 2004 –The National Theatre School of Canada (NTS) is proud to announce that this year’s Gascon-Thomas Award is distinguished upon two legendary figures of Canadian theatre: actors Christopher Plummer and Jean-Louis Roux. Presided over by Tom Peacocke, the awarding jury comprised of members of the School’s Board of Governors, artistic directors Sherry Bie and Denise Guilbault, Director General Simon Brault, and several students.

The Gascon-Thomas Award recognizes exceptional achievement in theatre. Each year, two artists (one Anglophone and one Francophone) are singled out and honoured for their efforts to shape the world of theatre, and for their status as role models to NTS students. The NTS’s Board of Governors created the award in 1990 in memory of two of the School’s founders, Jean Gascon and Powys Thomas.

Jean-Louis Roux

Jean-Louis Roux is a well-known actor, writer, stage director, translator and arts executive who has been a respected member of the Canadian Theatre Community for more than 50 years. Among his multiple achievements, Roux was one of the founders of the Théâtre du Nouveau Monde (1951) where he was also Artistic Director from 1966 to 1982. He went one to become Director General of the National Theatre School from 1982 to 1987 and then Chairman of the Canada Council for the Arts from 1998 to 2003. He has performed in over 150 theatrical roles and in more than 70 productions. He was made a Companion of the Order of Canada in 1987 and is a Chevalier of the Ordre national du Québec. At the age of 80, this exceptional man continues to pursue his career of artistic excellence. This November he is scheduled to receive the Governor General’s Performing Arts Award.

Christopher Plummer

Internationally renowned actor Christopher Plummer, who recently played the role of King Lear at both the Stratford Festival and the Lincoln Centre in New York City, has had over 50 years of experience on the stage and screen. Recognized by The New York Times as being "The finest classical actor in North America," Plummer counts among his honours two Tony Awards (six nominations), two Emmy Awards (six nominations) and a Genie Award. A native of Montreal where he began his professional career on the stage and radio in both French and English, Plummer went on to play a formative role with Britain’s National Theatre, the Royal Shakespeare Company and the Stratford Festival. A veteran of over 100 motion pictures, Plummer has appeared in The Sound of Music, The Thornbirds, A Beautiful Mind, Star Trek VI, Dolores Claibourne, Twelve Monkeys and Ararat. He will soon be seen in the role of Aristotle in Oliver Stone’s epic film Alexander, due out this November. He was invested as Companion of the Order of Canada in 1968 and received the Governor General’s Lifetime Achievement Award in 2001.