The Centre Dramatique de l'Est | Le Centre Dramatique de l'Est (Strasbourg), 1952-1957 |
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MSD took the lead of the theater in January of 1953. It was Jeanne Laurent, who is known to have had a major part in the creation of theater centers outside Paris, who offered him the job. It took MSD five years to create the “Ecole Supérieure d’art dramatique” (National Drama School). In 1958, The ESAD was transferred from Colmar to Strasbourg where it would occupy buildings that had been constructed especially for it. MSD, in charge of the direction of the group and maintaining its artistic endeavors, also organized this move to Strasbourg. During the move, MSD started working with the Cadets (the future troupe des Trétaux) who were a product of the ESAD.  Technical course - buhr, jung, lefèvre The new theater, the first one to be constructed in France since the war, was the work of Pierre Sorel who had already been the partner of MSD for the reconstruction of the Old Vic in London. Centered in a group of modern buildings, the new theater was home to the stage and production department, as well as all of the offices for the two branches of the Theater Center of the East: the Comédie de l’Est and l’Ecole. The repertory was divided between French classics, 19th century, “social” comedies, modern works, foreign classics, poetry readings and works by authors from the School itself (J.C Marrey emulating A.Obey for the Compagnie des Quinze). Finally MSD developed a policy geared towards the audience, creating a specific position concerned with the evaluation of the public’s reaction to their theatrical experience. J.C Marrey, later followed by Didier Béraud, was invested with this role. As a result of the new policy, the final season was brilliant: there were increases in subscriptions and attendance and positive audience response at shows. Overall the theater was running smoothly and striking a balance while little by little taking full advantage of its new space. Due to health problems, MSD left just before he could fully enjoy the newly finished building where his former students were going to participate in the expansion of the Comédie. He left the role of director of the center to Hubert Gignoux.
The history of the CDE by E. Ertel |
The Theater Center of the East was created in 1947 in Colmar and could be defined as a sort of theatrical trade union. Its members were people that came from the main cities of the Eastern region such as Colmar, Metz and Strasbourg and that would later be joined by people from Hagueneau, Nancy and Thionville. The Theater Center was led by André Clavé after he replaced Roland Pietri.