Segal Centre Worldwide Sensation LE PRENOM Gets Montreal Adaptation at the Segal Centre

The Segal Centre is proud to present the hit comedy What's in a Name? by Matthieu Delaporte and Alexandre de la Patellière adapted from the French by Michael Mackenzie. This wild comedy about a scandalous baby name is presented as part of the official program of Montréal's 375th anniversary celebrations, July 9 through July 30.

What's in a Name? will be presented as part of the 375th anniversary of Montréal's Fous de théâtre, de la scène à la rue! summer theatre festival. The festival's À nous la scène! segment will feature 11 classic plays - hilarious, lyrical, touching, explosive, interactive and creative, two of them original creations for the 375th - presented on stages all over Montreal.

When Vincent reveals what he and his wife plan to name their unborn son, the shocking moniker causes a scandal among their friends. But what could be so offensive about a name? A casual dinner erupts into an outrageous verbal slugfest where juicy secrets are served up and long-standing friendships might get cooked!

Jennifer Tarver will direct this raucous dinner party. She is the artistic director of Necessary Angel Theatre Company in Toronto, and an award-winning theatre director and creator. She has directed for major theatre companies including the Tarragon, Canadian Stage Company, The Goodman Theatre, Nightwood Theatre, and the Stratford Shakespeare Festival. Jennifer was last seen in Montreal when she directed Venus in Fur at the Centaur.

"I am thrilled to be directing this new version of the play by Michael Mackenzie that is raw, edgy and both painfully funny and insightful," she exclaimed.

The Segal is thrilled to welcome back Amanda Lisman (Othello at the Segal and TV's Arrow, and Suits) and Andrew Shaver (Segal credits include performing in The Seagull, and directing The Graduate and Sherlock Holmes) who recently demonstrated their comedic chops in the Segal's 2017 production of Noises Off. Montreal native Matthew Gagnon (Mirvish's The Lord of the Rings, Repercussion's The Taming of the Shrew, and Centaur's Clybourne Park) also returns to the Segal stage following his appearance in 2013's production of Sherlock Holmes. Two other Montreal artists making their Segal debuts are Pat Kiely (Director of the film Someone Else's Wedding, starring Jacob Tierney and Jessica Paré, and Who Is KK Downey?, which he also starred in) and ERIKA ROSEnbaum (who recently appeared on the hit web series YidLife Crisis, and the Academy Award-nominated Brooklyn).

The creative team will showcase the talents of Olivier Landreville (Set Designer), Sylvain Genois (Costume Designer), Robert Thomson (Lighting Designer), and Steve Marsh (Sound Designer).

Adapted from the worldwide hit play Le prénom, which toured across the province with 112 performances and 70,000 tickets sold as part of the 2012 Festival Juste pour rire and received a movie adaptation that same year, What's in a Name? is being presented for the first time in this Montreal-specific adaptation as part of the celebrations for Montréal's 375th anniversary in collaboration with Just For Laughs.

"It's a very relatable story that takes incredible turns. I love our cast, who play Mile-Ex hipsters in what is a smart, witty, and fast-paced comedy adapted by Montreal-based playwright Michael Mackenzie. Just for Laughs are the experts of comedy and we are thrilled to be collaborating with them by bringing this Juste pour rire favourite to Montreal's west end as part of the summer theatre festival. It's perfect to close off our 2016-2017 season and celebrate Montréal's 375th anniversary," said Segal Centre Artistic and Executive Director Lisa Rubin.

The Segal Centre for Performing Arts is a not-for-profit theatre company dedicated to nurturing, producing and presenting world-class English-language theatre and to showcasing the best professional artists from Montreal and beyond. A part of the community since 1967, the organization was reborn in 2007 as the Segal Centre and has since expanded to become a nationally recognized venue for the performing arts with a focus on creation, innovation, diversity and cross-cultural collaborations. Driven by a belief in the power of the arts to strengthen and connect communities, the Segal's programming emphasizes original interpretations of popular classic and contemporary works, new Canadian musicals and engaging productions with universal appeal. www.segalcentre.org

The Society for the Celebration of Montréal's 375th Anniversary is a non-profit organization whose mission is to organize the festivities and socioeconomic initiatives that will mark Montréal's 375th anniversary in 2017. With a focus on promoting Montréal expertise, it acts as a catalyst for local forces to carry out its mandate: mobilize the community, implement a funding strategy, rigorously manage its financial resources, develop quality programming and ensure the visibility of the celebrations.

The Society receives financial support from the Ville de Montréal, the Québec government and the Canadian government, as well as private funding from 12 Great Montrealers. For more information, see 375mtl.com.

 

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