Franck Riester, Minister of Culture, in full agreement with Xavier Bonnefont, Mayor of Angoulême, Jean-François Dauré, President of GrandAngoulême, Alain Rousset, President of the Region Nouvelle Aquitaine, François Bonneau, President of the Departmental Council of Charente, and Josette Labat, President of the Theatre, approves the appointment of Sonia Kéchichian as Director of the Théâtre d'Angoulême, national stage, on the unanimous proposal of the jury meeting on October 3, 2019.
Entitled “Youth and Resonance or Shared Pleasure”, his project is marked by openness, sharing as broadly as possible and special attention to youth. This last axis will result in a significant share of shows inviting a family outing, a new place given to the programming specifically dedicated to this part of the population and a strengthening of the festival «La tête dans les nuages» redeployed over 10 days.
In the continuity of the project developed by the Théâtre d'Angoulême, the multidisciplinary programming will combine theatre, music, dance and circus, accentuate the presence of puppetry and object theatre, open to magic, hybrid forms, image arts and literature. Going beyond the walls of the theatre, it will invest squares and gardens to host shows designed for the outdoors; others can go on the roads once or twice a season.
Sonia Kéchichian will partner with a group of artists, partly based in the region, who will be both supported in their creative work and placed at the heart of the actions directed towards the public.
Finally, collaborations with other actors will allow the project to be anchored in the territory and its influence in space and time.
Since 2007, Sonia Kéchichian has been successively Secretary General, Deputy Artistic Director responsible for the Public Pole and then Deputy Director responsible for the Gap National Public Pole. She was previously attached to information at the Théâtre de Sartrouville, in charge of communication at the Théâtre de Châtillon, then secretary general of the Centre de créations contemporaines Montévidéo in Marseille.
She will take up her duties on January 6, 2020, and will succeed Gérard Lefèvre, who has claimed his retirement rights and whose career the Minister wishes to commend.