Segal Centre For Performing Arts

What Segal Centre For Performing Arts does

The Segal Centre for Performing Arts is a Montreal-based, registered Canadian charitable non-profit organization (Charitable Number 85980 4833 RR0001) that produces and presents professional English-language theatre, Yiddish-language theatre, and cultural programming for the Montreal community and broader Canadian audiences. Its operations are anchored in three venue spaces — the main Segal Theatre (also referred to as the Sylvan Adams Theatre), a Studio space, and the Broadway Café — and it operates the wholly-owned Dora Wasserman Yiddish Theatre subsidiary for Jewish cultural programming. The organization complements its producing/presenting activity with the Segal Academy (after-school programs, camps, PED day programs, workshops, matinees) for youth and emerging audiences.

Its core "product" is a seasonal theatrical programming portfolio that combines Broadway-licensed titles (e.g., Come From Away via Music Theatre International), original Canadian musicals developed in-house (Grow, It's a Good Life If You Don't Weaken), concert/theatre hybrids (The Secret Chord: A Leonard Cohen Experience), and Yiddish-language plays (Di Shvegerins, Hester Street). It has been actively commissioning and developing new Canadian musicals since 2014, with most developed works subsequently touring, licensing, or receiving further development. Ancillary digital assets include the Backstage Chatter podcast (launched 2021) and an owned online box office at purchase.segalcentre.org, supported by phone, group sales, and a Cultural Partners referral channel.

Revenue is generated through a hybrid non-profit model spanning ticket sales, multi-show season subscriptions (3-4 play packages with category-based pricing for Regular, Senior, Class Act/student, Flex Pass, and Thursday Night Out), workshop and masterclass fees, and contributed income through donations (one-time and recurring), four patron tiers (Gold $360+ through Red Carpet $3,600+), seat-naming opportunities ($1,800-$3,600), legacy giving via the Encore Society, and a special arts-and-culture tax credit donation band of $5,000-$25,000. Programming is informed by a hybrid segmentation across theatre enthusiasts, the Jewish cultural community, students and under-30 audiences (Class Act), and emerging artists supported via the Stage Forward Fund's Artist Advancement Initiatives.

Name

Segal Centre For Performing Arts

Legal name

Segal Centre for Performing Arts

Website

https://segalcentre.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1967

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Segal Centre for Performing Arts is a Montreal-based registered charity that produces and presents professional English-language theatre, Yiddish theatre, and cultural programming across three venues, with audience subscription, ticketing, and donation revenue supported by an in-house artist development arm.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Performing Arts Theatre

NAICS

Theater Companies and Dinner Theaters (711110), Performing Arts Companies (7111)

akta.pro primary industry

Regional & Repertory Theatre Companies (MPAGABAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Musical Theatre (Non-Broadway/Fringe) (MPAGABAG), Classical & Contemporary Theatre (Plays/Drama) (MPAGABAH), Theater & Performing Arts Venue Operations (Playhouses, Opera Houses) (MPAGALAB), Performing Arts Centers & Presenters (Programming/Booking) (MPAGABAM), Theater & Drama Education (Acting, Improvisation, Musical Theater) (EDAMAAAG)

Keywords

• Performing arts productions
• Theatrical entertainment
• Musical theatre development
• Yiddish theatre performances
• Performing arts education

Headquarters

HQ city

Montréal

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Ticket Sales: Single tickets sold online and by phone for individual performances across all venues (Segal Theatre, Studio, Broadway Café)
2. Season Subscriptions: Multi-show subscription packages for the 2026-2027 season offering 3 or 4 plays with various performance series options (Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday, Sunday)
3. Donations and Fundraising: Charitable donations including the Stage Forward Fund supporting new creation, artist advancement, and Jewish creative leadership; Maximize your tax credit program for donations between $5,000 and $25,000
4. Naming Opportunities: Seat naming opportunities with plaques: Balcony Seats at $1,800, Main Floor Seats at $3,600
5. Legacy Giving: Encore Society bequests including specific dollar amounts, residual bequests, contingent bequests, publicly traded securities, life insurance, RRSPs, TSFAs
6. Workshop Fees: Workshop programs such as the 6-week Musical Theatre Audition Techniques Workshop at $360 and 8-week Directing Workshop at $360
7. Support Tiers: Patron support tiers including Red Carpet Patron ($3,600+), Diamond Patron ($1,800+), Platinum Patron ($500+), Gold Patron ($360+)

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels8 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

The Segal Centre For Performing Arts produces, presents, and develops theatrical works including musicals, plays, Yiddish-language productions, and bilingual works, while operating venue spaces (Segal Theatre, Studio, Broadway Café) and the Segal Academy for performing arts education. It serves audiences in the Montreal region and broader Canadian market, and supports emerging artists through new-work development programs. The Centre delivers its offerings through in-house productions, co-productions with partner theatres, the Dora Wasserman Yiddish Theatre company, education workshops, accessibility services, and outreach programs such as the Stage Forward Fund.

Product overview

The Segal Centre for Performing Arts is Montreal's leading English-language theatre, operating primarily as a presenting and producing venue with multiple performance spaces including the Segal Theatre (main stage), Guest Theatre, and Broadway Café. The Centre produces and presents theatrical productions ranging from Broadway-caliber musicals to Yiddish theatre through its Dora Wasserman Yiddish Theatre (DWYT) sub-brand. The organization operates as a platform-plus-programs model, combining venue operations with artist development initiatives including the Segal Academy (educational programming for youth) and the Stage Forward Fund (artist advancement and new creation support). The programming portfolio includes major musicals (Grow, Come From Away, It Came From Outer Space), Yiddish theatre productions (Di Shvegerins, Hester Street), concert/theatre experiences (The Secret Chord: A Leonard Cohen Experience), and community programming including workshops and the Backstage Chatter podcast.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Segal Theatre: Main theatre venue for major productions
• Guest Theatre
• Musical Fundraiser
• Dora Wasserman Yiddish Theatre
• Beyond the Stage
• Stage Forward Fund

Products and services

• Segal Theatre Mainstage Season Annual subscription season of musicals, plays, and theatrical works produced or presented at the Segal Theatre for general audiences.
• Dora Wasserman Yiddish Theatre In-house professional Yiddish-language theatre company producing plays for Yiddish-speaking and culturally interested audiences.
• Segal Academy Performing arts education program offering workshops, master classes, and training for youth and adults in musical theatre and related disciplines.
• Broadway Café performance series Intimate cabaret-style performances hosted at the Broadway Café venue space.
• Stage Forward Fund Outreach and development program supporting new theatrical works and artists, serving as a development pipeline for emerging Canadian musicals and plays.
• Venue rental and co-productions Rental and co-production of the Segal Theatre, Studio, and Broadway Café spaces for external producers and partner companies.
• Class Act student matinee program School-group matinee program offering reduced-price or subsidized tickets to student groups attending mainstage productions.

Quantifiable outcome

• New musicals developed have nearly all gone on to tour, be licensed, or receive further development
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

15 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• National Theatre School of CanadacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 30 January 2026Collaboration on Musical Theatre Audition Techniques Workshop as part of Stage Forward Fund initiative. Workshop led by Jonathan Patterson, Head of Music at NTS. Weeks 5-6 of the 6-week program held at NTS facility with mock auditions.
• Playwrights' Workshop MontréalcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with PWM Young Creators Unit as part of Stage Forward Fund Artist Advancement Initiatives. Supports emerging playwright development and new theatrical work creation.
• Thousand Islands PlayhousemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-production partner for Come From Away (2026-2027 season). Co-production originally developed at Thousand Islands Playhouse with support from The National Arts Centre and National Creation Fund.
• Theatre AquariusmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOriginally developed and produced It's a Good Life If You Don't Weaken at Theatre Aquarius, Mary Francis Moore Artistic Director, in partnership with Thousand Islands Playhouse. Co-produced with support from The National Arts Centre and National Creation Fund.
• Urban InkmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-production partner for Children of God (2018-2019 season). Won 35th Grand Prix du Conseil des Arts de Montréal Jury Prize (2020).
• Soulpepper Theatre CompanymajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-production partner for English (2022-2023 season). Segal Centre and Soulpepper co-production directed by Anahita Dehbonehie & Guillermo Verdecchia.
• Black Theatre WorkshopminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAssociation with Black Theatre Workshop for Master Harold...and the Boys production (Shaw Festival production presented by Segal).
• Obsidian TheatreminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAssociation with Obsidian Theatre for Master Harold...and the Boys production (Shaw Festival production presented by Segal).
• The National Theatre SchoolcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with National Theatre School as part of Stage Forward Fund Artist Advancement Initiatives, including audition and acting workshops.
• 2b theatre companymajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-production partner for Old Stock: A Refugee Love Story. Presented in association with St-Ambroise Montreal Fringe Festival.
• National Arts CentremajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-production and development support partner for multiple productions including Old Stock and It's a Good Life If You Don't Weaken. National Creation Fund support.
• St-Ambroise Montreal Fringe FestivalminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPresented Old Stock: A Refugee Love Story in association with the festival.
• The Creative School ChrysalisminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFurther development support for It's a Good Life If You Don't Weaken at Toronto Metropolitan University's Chrysalis program.
• Royal Manitoba Theatre CentremajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-production partner for Beautiful: The Carole King Musical (2023-2024 season).
• Soulpepper ConcertmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSoulpepper Concert created The Secret Chord: A Leonard Cohen Experience, presented by Segal Centre for 2026-2027 season.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Thousand Islands Playhouse: Ontario-based summer repertory theatre that co-produced Come From Away with Segal Centre. Comparable seasonal producing model, subscription base, and focus on new Canadian work.
• Centaur Theatre: Montreal's other leading English-language regional theatre company. Direct competitor for the same anglophone Montreal audience, with overlapping producing model, subscription-based ticket sales, and co-production history with Segal-adjacent companies.
• Soulpepper Theatre Company: Toronto-based English-language repertory theatre with a similar Canadian regional theatre profile. Has co-produced with Segal (English, The Secret Chord) and shares comparable programming, subscription model, and donor-supported structure.
• Factory Theatre: Toronto theatre company with a similar focus on developing and producing new Canadian work. Operates comparable subscription and education programming for a regional audience base.
• Royal Manitoba Theatre Centre: Winnipeg-based regional theatre that co-produced Beautiful: The Carole King Musical with Segal Centre. Shares the Canadian regional theatre profile, subscription model, and educational programming through an MTC School counterpart.
• Tarragon Theatre: Toronto-based theatre company specializing in new Canadian work development. Highly comparable model: small producing company with subscription seasons, new play development, and educational outreach.
• Theatre Aquarius: Hamilton-based Canadian regional theatre that originally developed It's a Good Life If You Don't Weaken, subsequently co-produced by Segal Centre. Directly comparable in scale, programming, and Canadian regional theatre positioning.

Broad incumbents

• Stratford Festival: Canada's largest repertory theatre festival. While not a direct competitor in Montreal, both organizations operate season-based producing models with multiple performance spaces and develop/present classical and new Canadian work at scale.
• Shaw Festival: Niagara-on-the-Lake repertory theatre with multi-venue programming. Comparable producing model with subscription seasons and educational programs; presented Master Harold at the Segal Centre, evidencing cross-pollination.
• National Arts Centre - English Theatre: Canada's national performing arts centre in Ottawa with an English Theatre wing. Has co-developed and supported Segal Centre productions (Old Stock, Come From Away, It's a Good Life) via the National Creation Fund.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@SegalCentre
• Facebookfacebook.com/segalcentre
• Xx.com/segalcentre
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/segal-centre-for-performing-arts

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Subsidiaries4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Segal Centre For Performing Arts