Music Fills The Segal Centre This Fall With Two Shows About Showbiz Dreams

The Segal Centre for Performing Arts will start the first half of the season with Tony and Grammy- winning musical Beautiful: The Carole King Musical, a co-production with the Royal Manitoba Theatre Centre, which brings the songbook of the incomparable singer-songwriter to life from October 15 to November 5. It is followed from November 19 to December 10 by a presentation of a Talk Is Free Theatre production of Boy Falls From The Sky, an insider's unflinching true story of what it takes to make it on Broadway starring Degrassi's Jake Epstein, who, coincidentally, originated the role of Carole King's husband in Beautiful.

 

Beautiful: The Carole King Musical is already breaking Segal Centre records for most pre-sold tickets and is sure to have audiences dancing in their seats. You know her songs, now get to know the woman behind the music. King's album Tapestry held the record for most weeks at no. 1 by a female artist for more than 20 years, buoyed by timeless hits “It's Too Late” and “I Feel the Earth Move.” But King also spent her formative years behind the scenes, penning countless hits for other artists like The Drifters and The Shirelles. King's trailblazing story is one of perseverance, innate talent, and an unbridled passion for music.

Royal Manitoba Theatre Centre Artistic Director Kelly Thornton directs and Tess Benger (Talk Is Free Theatre's Sweeney Todd and Grand Theatre's Cabaret) stars as King in this musical that will take you from the Brill Building to Carnegie Hall and through a golden era of songwriting. Canadian Musical Director Floydd Ricketts (Grand Theatre's The Color Purple) and Choreographer Jaz Sealey (currently in his 10th year in Aladdin on Broadway) help lead this 19-person cast featuring talented performers from all over Canada, including beloved local talent.

Following their time in Montreal, the entire team will head west to the Royal Manitoba Theatre Centre where the production revives from January 9 to February 3, 2023.

“Only at the Segal Centre can you amplify the magic of Broadway with the intimacy and pride of your local theatre. I can't wait for our space to come alive to the electrifying soundtrack of the astounding Carole King!” says Artistic and Executive Director Lisa Rubin.

 

To most Canadians of a certain age, Jake Epstein played a troubled teenage heartthrob on Degrassi: The Next Generation. But even back then, Epstein had dreams of starring on Broadway, and after leaving his hit show, he went on to realize those lofty aspirations. He starred in US National Tours of Spring Awakening and American Idiot, he played Spider-Man in the infamous and expensive Turn Off the Dark written by U2's Bono and The Edge, and left it to star in the original production of Beautiful. Even though Epstein reached the pinnacle of his profession, life at the top wasn't all it was cracked up to be. In this engaging one-person performance with a backing band, Epstein bares his soul in storytelling and hit songs (from A Chorus Line, Chicago, Oliver, Les Misérables, original songs, and more), peeling back the layers of showbiz in a heartfelt, joyful, and moving way. Boy Falls From The Sky is a must-see for anyone who's ever chased their dreams.

“He may ‘fall from the sky' but I can guarantee that you will fall for the charismatic and engaging Jake Epstein. Whether you're an artist or an art lover, Jake takes you on the rarely seen or talked-about journey of what it takes behind the scenes to become a Broadway star. His story will have you on the edge of your seat,” says Artistic and Executive Director Lisa Rubin.

 

Tickets for these two hit shows are on sale now at 514-739-7944 or at www.segalcentre.org.

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