Founded in 1965, the CEAD now has close to 250 Francophone members from Quebec and Canada. An association of playwrights at the playwrights’ service, the CEAD provides support for playwriting development and promotes Canadian Francophone plays and playwrights. It enjoys a solid reputation, as much for the sheer number of writers that it counts as members, as for its continuing objectives of quality and innovation.

Support for playwriting development

The primary mandate of the CEAD is to accompany its playwright members in their creative process and to encourage the production of their works. Through a range of dramaturgic activities that include dramaturgic support, workshops, readings, and individual coaching, the CEAD’s counsellors and staff offer considerable, concrete support to its members, in the production and promotion of their writing projects.

Public events

In order to promote our dramaturgy, the CEAD organises public events all year long, including various series of readings. These events aim to help the audience discover unpublished works, as well as immerse it in the work and career of a playwright. Renown internationally as the main reference in contemporary French language dramaturgy from Quebec and Canada, the CEAD regularly organises its events in partnership with other countries.

Resource center

The CEAD also owns and manages a resource center that includes over 3300 published and unpublished plays. A hub of script oriented theatre, the CEAD is the Canadian reference when it comes to expertise in playwriting and promoting contemporary and repertory dramaturgy. The resources it puts at the public’s disposal, including the online Repertory and the Nouveaux textes newsletter, are unique and priceless.

The CEAD is also involved in the production of the events related to the Fondation du Centre des auteurs dramatiques (CEAD) , which gives the Gratien-Gélinas, Louise-LaHaye and Michel-Tremblay awards to French Canadian playwrights every year.