September, 2006 – For the first time ever, the award-winning Leanor and Alvin Segal is proud to present a play by one of the most legendary names of twentieth century theatre: Fallen Angels, by Noël Coward, will open the 2006-07 season of First Class Theatre, running October 22nd –November 12th.

Directed by Diana Leblanc (whose most recent Segal Theatre production was the award-winning Rose, starring Martha Henry) Fallen Angels features three of Canada’s leading ladies of the stage: Clare Coulter, Brigitte Robinson and Goldie Semple. “Their appearance at our Theatre only serves to reinforce our commitment to bringing First Class English language theatre to Montreal,” said Bryna Wasserman, Segal Theatre Artistic & Executive Director. Rounding out the cast for this production are Noel Burton, Tim Hines and Paul-Antoine Taillefer.

In Fallen Angels, two couples, Julia and Fred and Willy and Jane, are happily married and the best of friends. That is, until a postcard arrives with news of an imminent visit from Maurice, a handsome Frenchman carrying strong ties from the pasts of both Julia and Jane. This is Noël Coward at his unmatched best - gay, debonair, sophisticated. This style won him international acclaim as the most successful creator of high comedy in modern day theatre.

Coward’s legendary reputation is well deserved. Fallen Angels was penned during the playwright’s particularly prolific period in the 1920’s. In 1925, the year of the play’s premiere, Coward had three concurrent productions running simultaneously (On With The Dance, Hay Fever and Fallen Angels), a record that stood for half a century. His career as playwright, actor, director, producer, comedian and dancer was unmatched in his lifetime, a fact that led some to dub him “The Master.” Indeed only two statues stand in the foyer of London’s oldest theatre – the Royal Drury Lane Theatre: William Shakespeare’s on the left and Noël Coward’s on the right.

Along with director Diana Leblanc, the creative team bringing Fallen Angels to life at the Segal Theatre are Michael Gianfrancesco (Set and Costume Director), Claude Accolas (Lighting Designer), Rob Denton (Sound Designer) and Jen Strahl (Stage Manager).

Even prior to the first performance of the season, The Segal Theatre is off to a remarkable start. Its historic collaboration with La Compagnie Jean Duceppe saw the opening of that theatre’s season with the French translation of My Old Lady, part of the Segal’s previous season. And with over 3100 subscribers already on board to date, this marks an increase over last season’s record breaking total of 3000. “We are so proud that our efforts at reaching out to the community are really bearing fruit,” a delighted Wasserman said.

88.5 CBC Radio One Presents Sunday-@-the Segal Featuring Robert Adams

Join us for another exciting season of intimate conversations and riveting lectures as acclaimed literary reviewer, Robert Adams, speaks about, The Master: Noel Coward

Robert Adams has been profiled several times on television and his lectures are featured on TV Ontario's Big Ideas and Book TV. His biography of painter Alexander Bercovitch was short-listed for the 1988 Q Spell Award. His collection of lectures, A Love of Reading, was a national best seller and the sequel, A Love of Reading-The Second Collection, was short-listed for the 2003 Mavis Gallant Award for Non-Fiction. In 2005, he was honoured with a gala evening by the Jewish Public Library and was the keynote speaker at the Canadian National Jewish Book Awards in Toronto.

Sunday, October 22nd, 11am. Admission is Free.

Monday Night Talkbacks presented by Pratt and Whitney Canada

Tickets and Media Information

Previews: October 22, 1:30 PM
October 23, 24, 25 8:00 PM

Opening Night: October 26, 8pm

Run: October 22-November 12, 2006

Performances:
Monday-Thursday, 8pm
Saturday, 8:30
Sunday, 7 pm
Matinées: Wednesdays, 1pm / Sundays, 2 pm

BOX OFFICE: (514) 739-7944
5170 Cote St. Catherine Rd.

The MEDIA CALL for Fallen Angels will be held on Thursday, October 19 at 12:30PM for Still Cameras and 1PM for Video Cameras. This is an occasion for camera footage, interviews and still photography. Please confirm by October 13.

Diana Leblanc - Director

Diana’s previous credits at The Segal Theatre include Rose, starring Martha Henry and A Streetcar Named Desire, a co-production with Soulpepper Theatre Company. Stratford: Long Day’s Journey Into Night, Sweet Bird of Youth, The Cherry Orchard, Death of A Salesman, Macbeth, The Seagull and, most recently, the highly acclaimed, Ghosts; For Soulpepper: The Maids, The Real Thing (Soulpepper/NAC), The Zoo Story. Elsewhere: Long Day’s Journey Into Night (MTC); Copenhagen (Mirvish Productions/NAC/Neptune). Opera Director: The Rape of Lucretia (Pacific Opera, Opera Centre Amsterdam, COC), Dialogues des Carmelites (Calgary Opera, COC). Upcoming: A Delicate Balance (Stratford), Retreat From Moscow (Theatre Calgary) and The Unanswered Question (NAC). Diana is a National Theatre School graduate and a founding member of Soulpepper.

Clare Coulter

Based in Montreal, Clare appeared last year at the Segal Theatre in A Doll House. Previously based in Toronto she has performed in most theatres there, including Theatre Passe Muraille, Toronto Free Theatre (founding member), CanStage, Factory Lab Theatre, The Stratford Festival, Tarragon (35 productions) - including an international tour of The Fever which played in Montreal in private venues as well (1774, Strange Fish, Geordie). She performed at the Centaur as Constance in Goodnight Desdemona, Goodmorning Juliet.

Brigitte Robinson

Brigitte Robinson lives in Niagara-on-the Lake where she is a member of the Shaw Festival Company. Credits there include, The Return of The Prodigal, The Importance of Being Earnest, Marathon 33 and An Ideal Husband. She has performed in many notable productions across Canada including Blythe Spirit and Present Laughter (Citadel) and numerous shows at both the N.A.C. and the Grand Theatre in London. She has also appeared in many television shows, including three seasons as host of Switchback (C.B.C.).

Goldie Semple

Fallen Angels marks Goldie’s Montreal debut. This past summer she celebrated her 14th season with The Shaw Festival, appearing in The Magic Fire. Other favourite credits there include Camille, Heartbreak House, The Royal Family, Easy Virtue and Picnic. She also appeared for many seasons at The Stratford Festival in such roles as Lady Macbeth, Cleopatra, and The Shrew. A graduate of U.B.C. and The Bristol Old Vic, Goldie has also taught at numerous Canadian Universities and N.Y.U.