Calling Julia Segal’s new musical “magical” is far from hyperbolic. A combination of parlor-style magic and musical theater, Shelly Shazam is a family affair, in more ways than one.
The musical is based on a children’s book of the same name, written by Abby Segal — Julia’s younger sister — and published in 2023.
“My sister is a professional magician and wrote Shelly Shazam! as a kind of autobiographical story about a young girl who falls in love with magic,” says Julia ’20.
It was the perfect subject matter for Julia, who had been itching to write her first full-length musical.
She has always been passionate about music, serving as the music director for the Colgate Resolutions and for Hamilton Central School’s production of Dirty Rotten Scoundrels while studying theater and psychology. After graduation, she turned more seriously to songwriting, performing original songs at open mic nights around New York City. She has released four singles and an EP as half of the electronic pop duo Not the Ending. She also teaches private voice, theater, and piano lessons.
“At this point in my career, I’m trying to prioritize what’s going to launch me off the ground and what’s going to make me happiest, which is why I turned back to musical theater,” Julia says.
With her sister’s blessing, Julia devoted herself to adapting Shelly Shazam! for the stage. Like the book, the musical follows Shelly, an 11-year-old girl who discovers real-life magic when a magician performs at her school. She explores this new passion and develops her skills, proving naysayers wrong and learning to trust her own voice along the way.
Julia wrote the music and the script. Abby, who works at the Chicago Magic Lounge, provided insight on which tricks to include. Between songs, cards swish in and out of sight, ropes double and halve, and Abby interacts with the audience, seemingly reading their minds.
“I want it to be a show that people of all generations can go to together,” says Julia. “I think the magic element appeals to everyone.”
The show’s music has a contemporary sound, influenced by Julia’s background in pop music and by kid-centric musicals like Matilda.
After testing out songs at cabarets across the city, in November 2025, Julia took a risk and emailed a detailed pitch to one of her dream venues: 54 Below, a cabaret and restaurant in the basement of the iconic Studio 54. The risk paid off, and Julia found herself with less than six months to prepare a concert version of the show.
“It was like a full-time job,” says Julia. “After the new year, every single day was insane because I decided to produce it as well as music direct it. I wanted to do everything.”
“Everything” included casting. Julia put out an open casting call via Playbill and TikTok, receiving more than 350 self-taped auditions. She chose five performers of varying ages — as well as her second cousin, Ethan — to play Shelly, her classmates, the magician, and Shelly’s dads.
The open casting call also helped to build the show’s digital footprint. Throughout the process, Julia turned to social media to spread the word and drive ticket sales.
On March 19, Shelly Shazam debuted to a house full of friends and family at 54 Below. “It was one of the best days,” says Julia, who also sang and played piano in the show. Now that the curtain has fallen on the 54 Below performance, Julia is thinking seriously about what’s next for Shelly Shazam. After revisions, she’d love to do a staged reading and hopes to bring the show back onstage at a regional theater or through a university program.
“I’d love to take it off Broadway,” says Julia, “or on Broadway.”