2012-2013 SEASON LAUNCH

• « Une affiche de haute tenue au Centre Segal » - Daniel Lemay, La Presse
• " Ambitious, star-studded 2012-2013 theatre season" – Pat Donnelly, The Gazette
• "Boldest season in years" – Joel Fishbane, Charlebois Post

GUYS AND DOLLS

• "Many imaginative and memorable moments" "Sexy romp," "highly romantic" – Pat Donnelly, The Gazette
• "Une mise-en-scène dynamique, sinon révolutionnaire " – Daniel Lemay, La Presse
• "Knock-out performances" – Walter J. Lyng, The Suburban

Watch the trailer

THE MAHALIA JACKSON MUSICAL

• "The Mahalia Jackson Musical is an event not to be missed" – Sharman Yarnell, The Montrealer
• « Le Segal a la chair de poule » - Daniel Lemay, La Presse
• « Une des plus merveilleuses productions que l'on ait pu voir ces dernières années à Montréal » - André Lapointe, Regard en coulisse

Watch the trailer

SHERLOCK HOLMES

• *** ,"A refreshing change from today's superhero cinema"- J. Kelly Nestruck, The Globe and Mail
• "[Baruchel's] energetic portrayal fits director Andrew Shaver's beautifully staged production." – Pat Donnelly, The Gazette
• "This is the kind of play you'd like to see become a classic. It's fast, it's physical, it's funny." – Jeanette Kelly, CBC Radio
• « une production amusante, enlevante, drôle [...] on ne s'ennuit pas une minute! » - Nathalie Petrowski, La Presse
• «Cette production du Centre Segal est une réussite. La qualité du jeu de ses acteurs, sa scénographie ingénieuse et sa mise en scène dynamique ont permis au public de vivre une soirée palpitante, marquée de suspense et d'humour. » - Vanessa Guimond, Le Journal de Montréal

Watch the trailer

TALES FROM ODESSA

• "Amazing company," "strong production", "catchy songs" – Pat Donnelly, The Gazette
• "A beautiful experience" – Jeanette Kelly, CBC Radio
• « Une production de grande qualité » - Chantal Lamarre, Radio Canada Bouillant de Culture

Watch the trailer

Coup de Coeur: Summer 2013

Summer is a great time for theatre. Here are some of the plays I hope to see:

In Toronto, our friends at Soulpepper have four plays running: Angels in America Parts I & II both directed by their artistic director, Albert Schultz, and featuring Segal favourite Damien Atkins (Cabaret, Amadeus and Glass Menagerie). Michael Shamata's (dir. Visiting Mr Green) adaptation of Great Expectations will star Jesse Aaron Dwyre (RED) and C. David Johnson (Tryst) and Entertaining Mr Sloane, which will feature set and costumes by Yannik Larivée (Dangerous Liaisons & God of Vengeance)

At SummerWorks, our former resident company SideMart Theatrical Grocery will take a second kick at a work that premiered at the Segal Studio: their modern metropolitan punk clown tragedy, Trying for the Kingdom. SummerWorks runs from 8 – 18 August. While over in Picton, another Segal favourite and sometime SideMartian, Gemma James-Smith (Dangerous Liaisons, Harvey & Sherlock Holmes) will star in The Notorious Right Robert and his Robber Bride.

Over at Stratford, I cannot wait to see Scott Wentworth's (Guys & Dolls) universally acclaimed performance as Tevye. Director Chris Abraham (Hedda Gabler, I Am My Own Wife, Geometry in Venice, etc.) returns to the Festival Theatre with Othello. The great Diana Leblanc (Harvey, The Odd Couple, Rose, etc.) teams up with the great Martha Henry (Rose and RED) in a new work, Taking Shakespeare at the intimate Studio Theatre. While over at the Patterson Theatre, artistic director Antoni Cimolino directs an all star cast of Mary Stuart, which includes the one of Canada's greats, Lucy Peacock (whom you will see here in her Segal debut next season in The Seagull). As of July 22nd, select Monday nights at Stratford will feature Andrew Shaver's (Sherlock Holmes & Scientific Americans) new music series at the Church Restaurant, where you can see the finest and brightest of Canada's touring acts.

Over in Niagara-on-the-Lake the Shaw Festival is producing two of my favourites. On their Festival Stage, Peter Hinton's (A Doll House & The Seagull, etc.) Lady Windermere's Fan has been receiving rave reviews. One of my favourite plays – and for my money one of the great works of the 20th Century – Tom Stoppard's Arcadia runs at the Shaw Studio Theatre, where you can see Segal alums Patrick McManus (The Seagull), Diana Donnelly (Blithe Spirit) and Ric Reid (Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? Educating Rita & An Enemy of the People).

In Barrie, Ontario Arkady Spivak's Talk is Free Theatre will be hosting their first ever comedy festival 19 to 21 September.

Let me know if you catch any of these plays or any other theatre.

See you in the Fall.

PBF




Photos by Andrée Lanthier
The Mahalia Jackson Musical, photo by George Allister