March 29, 2012
By Pat Donnelly, Gazette Theatre Critic http://www.montrealgazette.com/entertainment/movie-guide/Baruchel+star+Sherlock+Holmes+play+Segal+Centre/6379235/story.html MONTREAL - When the Segal Centre announced its 2012-13 theatre season Thursday, there were some enticing surprises, like the premiere of a new play about Sherlock Holmes, written by Greg Kramer and starring Jay Baruchel, best known for his film work (The Trotsky, She’s Out of My League, How to Train Your Dragon). Andrew Shaver will direct. The season will kick off with the musical classic Guys and Dolls, directed by Diana Leblanc. It will also feature John Logan’s hit play Red, directed by Martha Henry, and a South African import, Waiting for the Barbarians, based on the novel by J.M. Coetzee, co-produced by Maurice Podbrey. Jazz legend Ranee Lee will star in the world premiere of a new tribute performance, The Mahalia Jackson Musical, written and directed by Roger Peace. Dora Wasserman’s Yiddish Theatre will be going hip with a new musical, Tales from Odessa, based on the stories of Isaac Babel, with music and lyrics by pop/hip-hop/klezmer artist Josh Doglin (AKA Socalled) and book by Alexandre Marine*. Audrey Finkelstein will direct. Four other local English-language theatre companies – Black Theatre Workshop (Harlem Duet), Scapegoat Carnivale (Bar Kapra, The Squirrel Hunter), Youtheatre (Dreaming Now) and the newly formed Metachrome Theatre (Richard III) – will be presenting plays in the Segal Studio. A French-language company, Le Productions Pas de Panique, will present its L’Augmention, and a dance company, Chartier Danse, of Toronto will present its hybrid work, Stria.*Segal Centre: Book by Derek Goldman