In addition, Gonshor said Wasserman wanted to do a show-biz-style musical to celebrate the re-launch of the new and improved Segal Centre, formerly the Saidye Bronfman Centre, which underwent a stunning makeover in the fall.

Gonshor had a few things on his side to get the playwriting gig: He received his Master's Degree in film producing from the University of Southern California (screenwriting was part of the program); he is the current director of marketing at the Segal Centre; and, growing up in Montreal, he's known Wasserman for most of his life.

"We've known each other forever," Gonshor said. "But this is truly a testament to Bryna's artistic vision."

And what he calls a gift.

"You know how they say in life you're lucky to have mentors and people who take you under their wing or open a door -- I see this as one of those times, and I'll never forget it," Gonshor said. "Writing a play is timing, luck and hard work -- but it wouldn't have happened if Bryna hadn't said yes.'"

Gonshor feels the end result is something both dramatic and entertaining.

"If you tell the story of a famous person, you've got to tell how they became famous," he said. "So we definitely tell how Houdini becomes Houdini."

SPIRITUALIST MOVEMENT

The production indeed shows some of the tricks and illusions that made Houdini famous.

"But what I think people will find fascinating is Harry's obsession or passion in trying to believe that you could communicate with the other side following the death of his mother," Gonshor said.

When Houdini's mother died, he continued, the magician was approached by Arthur Conan Doyle, the creator of Sherlock Holmes.

"Doyle was a passionate evangelist from a spiritual movement," said Gonshor. "And one of their big tenets was that you could communicate with the dead."

Doyle prompted Houdini to hold a séance in order to communicate with his mother. Eventually the pair struck up a friendship.

"Harry, being an immigrant and who rose up from the street, loved the fact that he could befriend a famous intellectual," said Gonshor. "As for Doyle, if he was able to convert Houdini to this spiritualist movement, it would be a huge boom."

At the séance, Doyle tried to convince Houdini that his mother was there. Houdini was not convinced.