Gilles Provost mourned

Pillar in Outaouais’ cultural development dies at 86

Taylor Clark

Outaouais’ theatre community was rocked by the death of 86-year-old Gilles Provost on June 23. The actor, director, and artistic director was a pillar in cultural development in Gatineau. During his long career, Provost notably became the heart and soul of Quebec’s only municipal theatre, Théâtre de l'Île, acting as the artistic director for more than three decades.

His more than 60-year career earned him an array of awards including the Queen’s Silver Jubilee medal in 1977, the Queen’s Golden Jubilee medal in 2002, the Prix Hommage des Culturiades from Culture Outaouais in 2003, and the Special Jury Award from the Capital Critics Circle in 2007. His long-standing accomplishments also earned him the Ordre de Gatineau in 2014, as well as the Municipal Merit award in 2016.

In a video honouring his 2014 win, Provost described the theatre as “(his) coke, (his) drug, (his) beer, (his) life.” “I would like people to remember that for me, my seasons, there is comedy, there is drama, there are questions that are asked. There are things that will cause you to protest. I said, that’s theatre, that’s life. At 10 years old, I learned that laughing was important and that crying and being moved were also important,” said Provost.

Photo caption: Actor, director, and artistic director Gilles Provost shares his love for theatre after receiving the Ordre de Gatineau in 2014.

Photo credit: Ville de Gatineau YouTube – Ordre de Gatineau 2014 – Gilles Provost