Biography
Michèle Voltaire Marcelin is a poet/writer, performer and painter who was born and raised in Haiti, sojourned in Chile, and currently lives in the United States. The publication of her first novel “La Désenchantée” (CIDIHCA, Montréal-2006) was followed by its Spanish translation “La Desencantada” and two other books of poetry and prose: “Lost and Found” and “Amours et Bagatelles” (CIDIHCA, Montréal-2009) – translated into Spanish by Editorial ALBA as “Amores y cosas sin importancia” – all of which garnered rave reviews.
Her writings are also featured in 3 anthologies published in France: “Cahier Haiti” (published by RAL’M-2009), “Terre de Femmes” (Editions Bruno Doucey-2011) “Revue Intranqu’îllités” (2012). She speaks and writes fluently French, English, Spanish and Haitian Creole. She has a BFA from the Leonard Davis Center for the Performing Arts at CUNY and a Masters from The New School for Social Research.
She staged a one-woman show “Walking on Fire” based on Beverley Bell’s stories of survival and resistance of Haitian women at the Alliance of Resident Theaters; she performed at the Ubu Repertory Theatre as Marie-Ange in Simone Schwartz-Bart’s play “Ton Beau Capitaine,” directed by Françoise Kourilsky, in “The Vagina Monologues” production at The Brooklyn Museum, directed by Chuck Patterson, in director Raoul Pecks’ features “Haitian Corner” and “The Man by the Shore,” and in Patricia Benoit’s “Se Mèt Kò.” Other credits include Saroyan’s “The Time of Your Life,” staged by Robert Macbeth and Israel Washington, and “Comings and Goings” by Van Italie, directed by Rhea Gaisner. In February 2009 she played the role of the Republic of Haiti in “Entrées et Sorties,” Carmelle St.Gérard-Lopez’s play at the Producer’s Theater in NYC.
She has performed her poetry live with Buyu Ambroise and his “Blues in Red” Band, with Tiga and his group “Tchaka”, with Goussy Celestin’s all women Afro-Jazz group “Sekonsa”, in universities and clubs such as La MaMa Theater club, the Brecht Forum, Cornelia Street Cafe, the Segal Theater, Lond Island University, Howard University, and the United Nations.
Her paintings have been exhibited at the OAS Museum in Washington D.C., at the Cork Gallery in Lincoln Center and Broome Street Gallery in NYC, at the African-American Museum in Hempstead, L.I., and at the National Museum in Port-au-Prince, Haiti.
Some of the paintings can be seen here.
Michèle Voltaire Marcelin is a poet/writer, performer and painter who was born and raised in Haiti, sojourned in Chile, and currently lives in the United States. The publication of her first novel “La Désenchantée” (CIDIHCA, Montréal-2006) was followed by its Spanish translation “La Desencantada” and two other books of poetry and prose: “Lost and Found” and “Amours et Bagatelles” (CIDIHCA, Montréal-2009) - translated into Spanish by Editorial ALBA as "Amores y cosas sin importancia" - all of which garnered rave reviews. Her writings are also featured in 3 anthologies published in France: "Cahier Haiti" (published by RAL'M-2009), "Terre de Femmes" (Editions Bruno Doucey-2011) "Revue Intranqu'îllités" (2012). She speaks and writes fluently French, English, Spanish and Haitian Creole. She has a BFA from the Leonard Davis Center for the Performing Arts at CUNY and a Masters from The New School for Social Research.