Mélanie Leray, a talented and accomplished French actress and theater director, embarked on a journey of artistic discovery at the esteemed National Theater of Brittany, where she honed her craft under the expert guidance of the revered instructors B. Bayen and H. P. Cloos from 1991 to 1994.
She embarked on a distinguished career in the performing arts, commencing her theatrical journey with the esteemed Théâtre des Lucioles in 1994. Throughout her tenure at this prestigious institution, she had the privilege of collaborating with renowned directors, including the accomplished Christophe Lemaître, the visionary Jean Deloche, the innovative Gilles Dao, and the celebrated François Rancillac.
During her formative years at the Théâtre des Lucioles, she simultaneously initiated her cinematic pursuits, making her on-screen debut in the critically acclaimed film Western, directed by the accomplished Manuel Poirier. This notable film went on to garner the esteemed Jury Prize at the prestigious Cannes Film Festival, solidifying its position as a landmark production in the world of cinema.
Mélanie Leray has had the privilege of collaborating with some of the most renowned and respected directors in modern French cinema, including the acclaimed Xavier Beauvois, the accomplished Marion Vernoux, and the esteemed Benoît Jacquot, among others.
She has also ventured into the realm of play direction, showcasing her versatility and talent by helming several productions, including the notable "I Was in the House and I Was Waiting for the Rain to Come" in the year 2001, and the thought-provoking "Leaves" in 2009, further solidifying her reputation as a talented and innovative director in her own right.
Notable theatre director and entrepreneur, she took the bold step of establishing her own company, La Compagnie 2052, in the year 2012. Since then, she has had the distinction of directing a diverse range of productions, including the critically acclaimed plays "Autumn and Winter", "La Veillée", and "La Chaise". Furthermore, she has demonstrated her versatility by co-directing plays penned by renowned playwright Lars Norén, and has also collaborated with emerging young French authors such as Mario Batista and Florian Parra.
Mélanie Leray has forged a successful professional partnership with the renowned Théâtre National de Bretagne, showcasing her remarkable adaptability by reinterpreting a diverse range of British texts. Notably, she has brought to life the poignant "Leaves" by Lucy Caldwell and the provocative "Contractions" by Mike Bartlett, demonstrating her capacity to breathe new life into original works.
Furthermore, Leray has exercised her directorial skills by spearheading the promotion of the school of the National Theater of Brittany, which centered around a thought-provoking adaptation of Milan Kundera's celebrated novel, "The Unbearable Lightness of Being".
Notable achievements in the artistic career of the individual in question began to unfold in the year 2019, when her production of "Girls and Boys", a theatrical work penned by renowned playwright Dennis Kelly, garnered widespread recognition and acclaim, ultimately earning a prestigious Molière award for outstanding solo performance on stage, in addition to the esteemed Laurent Terzieff prize conferred by the Syndicat de la Critique, and the J-C Brialy prize at the Anjou festival, a testament to her exceptional talent and dedication to her craft.
In the following year, 2020, the individual in question embarked on a new creative endeavor, bringing to life "Viviane", a groundbreaking theatrical and cinematographic adaptation of Julia Deck's captivating novel, which was subsequently repeated at the Monfort Théâtre, a further demonstration of her versatility and innovative approach to storytelling.
Mélanie Leray's creative endeavors have been marked by several notable accomplishments, with one of the most significant being the co-authorship of the play "Le Mérite" at the Comédie de Caen in 2022, a collaborative effort with the talented Maëlle Puéchoultres.
As an associate artist at the Comédie de Caen since 2021, Mélanie Leray has had the opportunity to hone her craft and explore new creative avenues, further solidifying her reputation as a versatile and accomplished performer.
Looking ahead to the future, Mélanie Leray is set to create another exciting production, "Together", written by Denis Kelly, at the Théâtre de l'Atelier in January 2024, a testament to her continued growth and dedication to her craft.
