Olivier PY named at head of Châtelet theater

The ex-director of the Avignon Festival will have the mission of replacing the current co-directors, Ruth Mackenzie and Thomas Lauriot dit Prévost, from the prestigious Parisian theater.

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Olivier Py was appointed to the artistic direction of the Châtelet theater, announced the Paris town hall, Wednesday 1 er February, confirming information from Figaro . The former director of the Avignon Festival will have the mission to replace the current co-directors, Ruth Mackenzie and Thomas Lauriot dit Prévost. The appointment of an “immense artist, praised all over the world” is “a guaranteed promise of audacity, joy, surprises and impertinence”, reacted in a Tweet The Socialist Mayor, Anne Hidalgo.

What a beautiful news! Olivier Py, an immense artist praised all over the world, at the head of @theatrechatelet.… Https://t.co/lzspargnnq

– anne_hidalgo (@anne hidalgo)

The prestigious Parisian theater had announced, at the end of August 2020, the departure of its artistic director, the British Ruth Mackenzie, following an audit that highlighted “managerial and financial problems”, according to a source Close to the file. The Director General, Thomas Lauriot, remained at his post until July 2022. The town hall of Paris then launched a call for candidates, specifying that it was an international call.

In addition to restoring a strong artistic identity to this flagship of the city of Paris, Olivier Py will have to take up the challenge of sanitation of finances, the deficit amounting between 4 and 6 million euros, according to sources. The Châtelet receives 15 million euros from the city and generates 10 million own revenues.

at the head of the Avignon Festival for ten years

At the same time playwright, director of theater texts but also about thirty operas, actor, singer, author of novels and film director on occasion, Olivier Py was at the head of the festival from Avignon from 2014 to 2022.

Born in 1965 in a family in the petty bourgeoisie in Grasse, in the Alpes-Maritimes, he entered the National Conservatory of Dramatic Art in 1987, then studied theology for two years. In 1998, he took the lead in the national dramatic center of Orleans and created remarkable pieces there, such as the joyful apocalypse or Requiem for Srebrenica.

In 2007, he was appointed director of the Odéon National Theater. But, in 2011, the Minister of Culture, Frédéric Mitterrand, did not renew his mandate, despite a good record, and appointed Luc Bondy to succeed him.

In a consolation lot, Frédéric Mitterrand appointed him to Avignon, where PY had already been a candidate in 2007. In September 2013, he took the direction of the festival. The dream of a life for this great lover of popular theater.