NEW WORK IN DEVELOPMENT

Steven Gallagher & Anton Lipovetsky. Photo by McKenzie James
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BLACKOUT

On August 14th, 2003, Toronto was sent into chaos when the largest blackout in Canadian history left millions stranded in the dark and unable to reach or connect with their loved ones.

Inspired by real events, Blackout depicts three stories of connection that unfolded when the city was dark and strangers banded together to find the light. A new Canadian musical by two of Canada’s most exciting voices, Blackout is a story of hope, resilience and community.

Originally developed through The Musical Stage Company’s innovative musical development initiative Launch Pad, a selection of this new work was first seen in 2019 as part of REPRINT.

PHOTO GALLERY

Credits

Commissioned with funding by the Aubrey & Marla Dan Fund for New Musicals

Originally commissioned by The Musical Stage Company (Mitchell Marcus, Artistic & Managing Director; Robert McQueen, Director of New Musical Development)" and Yonge Street Theatricals (Linda Barnett and Natalie Bartello, Producers) as part of Launch Pad.

Company

Book by
Steven Gallagher

Music & Lyrics by
Anton Lipovetsky

Director & Dramaturg
Ann Hodges

Music Supervisor
Wayne Gwillim

Venue

Frequently Asked Questions

Show Calendar

DEVELOPMENTAL HISTORY

  • Developed through the 2019 Launch Pad program. under its former title ‘CYGNUS’
  • FEBRUARY – APRIL 2020: Private Workshops with actors.

CONTINUED GROWTH

Produced in association with Canadian Stage, BLACKOUT is set to have its full-length premiere in May 2021 at the Berkeley Street Theatre as part of Canadian Stage’s 2020-21 season.

CREATOR BIOS

STEVEN GALLAGHER – BOOKWRITER

Based in Toronto, Steven Gallagher is a writer, director and actor. His play, Memorial, the winner of the Trafalgar 24 Play Festival, premiered in Toronto at the Next Stage Festival in 2013, and it’s US Premiere at Half Moon Theatre in New York. His play Stealing Sam premiered at the Toronto Fringe Festival in 2013, and was also seen off Broadwayat The United Solo Theatre Festival in 2014 where it was awarded Best Drama. With his collaborator Linda Barnett, his musical Pollyanna was shortlisted for the 2016 Playwrights Guild of Canada Best New Musical Award. Drama 101, written with Kevin Wong, was commissioned by Bravo Academy in Toronto and premiered in 2017. Wally Flynn, written with composer Eli Bolin, is being developed by Yonge Street Theatricals in Toronto. He is a Merritt Award nominee and the recipient of a 2013 Harold Award.

ANTON LIPIVETSKY – COMPOSER & LYRICIST

Anton Lipovetsky is a theatrical composer, lyricist, performer and educator based in Vancouver, Canada.
Anton participated in The Musical Stage Company’s inaugural LAUNCH PAD program where he collaborated with Steven Gallagher on Cygnus, a thirty-minute musical about the Northeast blackout of 2003. An expanded, full-length version commissioned by The Musical Stage Company retitled BLACKOUT will premiere at Canadian Stage in May of 2021. Also in 2021, Anton’s collaboration with playwright Dave Deveau called This Is It (a contemporary musical about violence and student activism in American high schools) will premiere in Nashville, Tennessee at the Nashville Children’s Theatre. Other musicals Anton has written music for include Elbow Room Café (ZeeZee Theatre), Best Laid Plans (Touchstone/Patrick Street), cool beans (Solo Collective), Broken Sex Doll (Virtual Stage/The Cultch) and FLOP! (Delinquent Theatre).
As an actor, Anton has performed across Canada including the National Arts Centre, the Luminato Festival, Banff Arts Centre, Arts Club Theatre, Caravan Farm Theatre, Belfry Theatre, and five seasons at Vancouver’s Shakespeare festival, Bard on the Beach. And in addition to acting and writing, Anton has worked as an educator, mentor or workshop facilitator with theatre artists of all ages through Studio 58, Bard Education, Carousel Theatre For Young People, Theatre Replacement, Lyrebird and Neworld Theatre’s Learning Ensemble Across Difference, an acting ensemble made up of neurotypical and neurodiverse performers.
Anton is the recipient of two Jessie Richards Awards, four Ovation awards and a Vancouver Mayor’s Arts Award for Emerging Theatre Artist. He is a graduate of the Studio 58 Acting program and the Stratford Festival Birmingham Conservatory for Classical Theatre.