Emerging Artist (Selected by Anne-Marie Olivier)

Mary-Lee Picknell is an integral part of Quebec City’s theatrical scene since 2010. Originally trained as an actress, she has performed in over forty productions, in Quebec City, Montreal, Toronto, Ottawa, Paris and Lyon (France). In 2017, she created her own theatre company, Les Hébertistes.

In 2021, she submitted her very first play to the Jamais Lu, a festival committed to dramatic literature. Her first text, Heimat/Revenir, was later produced by Théâtre La Bordée in Québec, marking the beginning of a promising new career as a playwright.

Interested by issues of identity and mental health, her writing is tender but poignant, laced with sharp wit. Her strengths are dialogue, nuance, and her love for human beings, who will never cease to fascinate her.

Her first play Heimat/Revenir was published by Atelier 10 and her second, Être ou ne pas être un douchebag, will tour around the province of Quebec in 2028.

She is currently working on the stage adaptation of Le Petit Astronaut, a graphic novel by Jean-Paul Eid, which will be featured at the Trident in spring 2026. She also wrote one of the scripts for the opening show at the Caserne - Scène Jeune Public.