Animagination officially launched on October 31, 1988, during a Halloween party. The two founders, Luc Boulanger and Martin Dubeau, then day camp counselors, wished to leverage their entertainment talents for event organization. Here, they are seen proudly posing with the check from their first contract.
The first services to achieve great success were clown and street performer acts. To meet demand, the team had to acquire new skills, such as balloon sculpting, stilt walking, and artistic makeup. In 1991, Pierre-Eugène Savary, famous for his one-man band act, joined the team, bringing with him his experience in European-style circus. He returned to live on the Old Continent in 1995, after significantly contributing to our development.
Our interest in youth theatre emerged in the early 90s. Our first show, a puppet theatre production titled “Inspector Sentout’s Investigations,” was a great success. In response to public demand, we then produced “Professor Zut’s Fabulous Invention” and “Zap, the Alien.” These three shows have accumulated hundreds of performances to date. It was at this time that Jacinthe Cloutier, Luc’s partner, initially joined as a substitute actress but quickly became full-time. Subsequently, she became involved as a business partner.
From the late 90s onwards, we completely abandoned the clown aspect to focus on producing shows. We hired Denis Jobin to represent us, with the mission of organizing tours. The company quickly began touring Quebec, as well as Ontario, New Brunswick, and Western and Northern Canada. Denis represented us for eight years, contributing not only to the company’s evolution but also to the increased mileage on our cars.
At the turn of the millennium, Martin Dubeau, drawn by the great outdoors, left the organization to embark on a new life quest in the Far North. Before leaving, he wisely recommended Dominic Lapointe, an improvisation adventurer, as his replacement. Since then, Dominic has been part of our team and has instilled a desire to produce shows at a more sustained pace. Now, Animagination develops at least one new theatrical project each year.
Marie-Pier Genest, also known as Marimba, joined the team a few years later. She brings a unique musical touch and boundless energy. Furthermore, her expertise in music education has allowed us to develop a new segment specifically designed for toddlers.
Alongside our stage activities, we launched our website, designed as a resource for animators and teachers working in the fields of animation and theatre. The sale of Luc Boulanger’s theatre scripts achieved almost instant success; his plays for young actors are performed in Quebec, across French-speaking Canada, in Europe, and worldwide. The site’s popularity is such that its maintenance and development occupy an increasingly significant role within our organization.
