MAX AND AARON WRITE A MUSICAL to be Presented at the Segal Centre

This Pride Month, the Segal Centre for Performing Arts will present the world premiere of Max and Aaron Write a Musical, written and directed by Montreal theatre-maker Trevor Barrette. Produced by Barrette with Jonathan Patterson, in association with Infinithéâtre, this original queer rom-com musical-within-a-musical was developed in collaboration with Playwrights' Workshop Montréal and is presented as part of Fierté Montréal's official programming. Performances will run June 15–22, 2025.

This Pride Month, the Segal Centre for Performing Arts is proud to present the world premiere of Max and Aaron Write a Musical, written and directed by Montreal theatre-maker Trevor Barrette. Produced by Barrette with Jonathan Patterson, in association with Infinithéâtre, this original queer rom-com musical-within-a-musical was developed in collaboration with Playwrights’ Workshop Montréal and is presented as part of Fierté Montréal’s official programming.
Runs June 15–22, 2025.

“I wanted to create a metatheatrical musical that brings audiences into the creative process, tells a local love story, and writes the kind of show I needed to see as a young gay creative. We still need to see these stories.”  – Trevor Barrette, producer, director and creator

Originally commissioned as a concert presentation by CETM Inc. for their 2016 Next Wave Festival, the musical was praised as “a genuine, heartfelt love letter to the art form” and “a compelling feat in storytelling” by Camila Fitzgibbons of Montreal Theatre Hub. In 2023, a Segal Centre workshop presentation left audiences feeling “grateful to feel totally seen by a piece” and admitting they “had not laughed so hard since March 2020.”

Now in 2025, this anglophone production embraces our bilingual city by providing French and English surtitles for every performance and incorporating French dialogue translated by Quebec TV and stage favourite David Noël (Ô, Les Sorcières, and this summer in Chicago).

“My not-so-guilty pleasure? Rom coms. And, in this new musical love story from one of Montreal’s most promising young artists, Trevor Barrette had me at hello! Bringing this world premiere to the Segal Centre stage during Pride Month is a fabulous way to cap off the season and show our devotion to our mission.” - Lisa Rubin, Artistic and Executive Director

A MUSICAL LOVE LETTER TO MONTREAL

Set in present-day Montreal, Max and Aaron Write a Musical follows friends and creative partners Max and Aaron as they attempt to write a musical loosely based on their own lives. With a looming deadline and rising tensions, their collaboration is tested by creative differences and unspoken feelings. As their fictional characters, Mason and Jesse, come to life onstage, the lines between art and reality blur in hilarious and heartfelt ways. Full of witty banter, catchy songs, and tender moments, the show is a celebration of love, friendship, and the messy magic of making art together.

This vibrant production highlights Montreal’s unique tapestry while centering queer narratives of love, collaboration, and self-expression — a sexy cautionary tale about writing what you know.

Every performance is presented with French and English surtitles.

Creator and producer Trevor Barrette, who fell in love with theatre as a drama student at the Sadie Bronfman Centre, returns to direct at the Segal Centre following his direction of the Yiddish-language premiere of The Great Divide and the recent, colourful reimagining of The Sages of Chelm. Audiences may also recognize Trevor as the stage manager of Our Little Secret and POTUS, and as a performer in Beautiful and SuperDogs: The Musical.
Jonathan Patterson, Head of the English Section of Music at The National Theatre School, joins longtime collaborator Barrette as musical director and choreographer. A seasoned performer with credits including The Producers, Forever Plaid, and Guys and Dolls, Patterson last choreographed the Dora Wasserman Yiddish Theatre’s A Bintel Brief.

Originally arranged and orchestrated by Luce Bélanger, this production features new vocal and piano arrangements by Chris Barillaro, recipient of both a Dora Award and an ADISQ award. The team also includes David Noël (additional French text) and Fatma Sarah Elkashef, Artistic Director of Playwrights’ Workshop Montréal, as dramaturg.

Emerging talents Rylan Allen and Émile Auger make their Segal Centre debuts in the titular roles of Max and Aaron. Bringing to life the characters within the musical within the musical are Patrick Park (Mythic, Prom Queen, Fancy Nancy), returning to Montreal after his Broadway debut in the Tony-nominated KPOP, and Nathaniel Bacon, a BroadwayWorld Toronto Award winner most recently seen as the Emcee in Cabaret.