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 preview production of 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

A distanced shot of 2 performers spotlighted on a dark, wooden outdoor stage (left), mid-performance and in deep conversation. The audience is seated on large outdoor concrete stadium style benches, a dense forest surrounding the scene - the only lighting in the night time, coming from the hanging stage lights.

Chilina (left) and Synthia (right), are mid-argument on an open-air stage within a prop kitchen. Chilina, a pale skinned woman with dark brown eyes and chestnut hair, is standing between a kitchen cabinet and table, looking at Synthia. Synthia (back to the camera), a mixed race person with light brown skin and long, brown wavy hair in a loose ponytail, is seated on a distant chair, mid-gesture. The background has a large painted backdrop of a city skyline in shadows, wooden stage partitions, hanging lights and forests.

Synthia (left) and Chilina (right), are seated together on a wooden stage floor and in conversation, with a kitchen table and chair in the background. Synthia, a mixed race person with light brown skin and long, brown wavy hair in a loose ponytail, is looking at Chilina, kneeling and holding Chilina's right hand. She is wearing a white blouse and dark blue pants. Chilina, a pale skinned woman with dark brown eyes and chestnut hair, is looking intently at Synthia, one leg sprawled out. She is wearing a boho outfit of a striped tank top, pink skirt, tied shawl and bangles.

4 people are standing together, centered on an outdoor wooden stage, 3 of them with their glasses raised in a toast, the 4th (Jonathan) about to drink his glass. Left to right is Germaine, a dark-skinned Black femme with short black hair; Rami, a young Pakistani-Canadian man with light brown skin; Yemie, a Black woman with warm brown eyes and long single boxed braids; and Jonathan, a white man with short, styled brown hair and blue/grey eyes. The background has a large painted backdrop of a city skyline in shadows, wooden stage partitions, hanging lights and forests.

Jonathan (left) and Yemie (right) are seated close together, holding each other's hands tightly between their laps, both looking deep in emotion. Yemie, a Black woman with warm brown eyes and long single boxed braids, is wearing a white and blue patterned dress, a pearl earring highlighted. Jonathan, a white man with short, styled brown hair and blue/grey eyes, wears a blue polo and grey slacks, looking at Yemie as she stares into the distance, tears in her eyes.

A wide shot of 4 performers standing on a wooden stage (left frame), mid-performance with a dusky sky, each of them sitting or standing in a living room scene, having a wide discussion. The audience (right frame) is seated on large outdoor concrete stadium style benches, a dense forest surrounding the scene.

Michael, a white LGBTQ2S+ actor with short dark hair and brown eyes brimming with emotions, looks up into the night sky. He is mid-song, his arms spread, and wearing a plaid open shirt layered over a khaki tee and jeans. The background is dark and foggy, dotted with twinkling lights.

Michael (left) and Brandon (right), are spotlighted on a dark stage, both of them looking up into the night sky. Michael, a white LGBTQ2S+ actor with short dark hair and brown eyes, is pointing out a star to Brandon. Brandon, a mixed race white/Filipino man with dark brown coiffed hair, looks upward too, wearing a disheveled wedding suit with a paisley vest and black dress pants. The background is dark, dotted with twinkling lights.

Mitchell (left) standing on a wooden outdoor stage, addresses an excited audience. The audience is seated on large outdoor concrete stadium style benches, a dense forest surrounding the scene.

A back image of silhouettes of audience members in a dark outdoor theatre. 2 blurry performers are spotlighted (upper right) on a wooden stage, a blurry and twinkle-lit background prop and slatted partitions complete the backdrop.

A MUSICAL STAGE COMPANY PRODUCTION IN ASSOCIATION WITH CANADIAN STAGE

Graphic of "Safe travels" Stamp by World Travel & Tourism Councilbadge from

The Musical Stage Company has been awarded a #SafeTravels Stamp by WTTC (World Travel & Tourism Council), for adopting health and hygiene global standardized protocols.

Credits

A MUSICAL STAGE COMPANY PRODUCTION, IN ASSOCIATION WITH CANADIAN STAGE.

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 2019.

COMMISSIONED WITH FUNDING BY THE AUBREY & MARLA DAN FUND FOR NEW MUSICALS (VIA THE MUSICAL STAGE COMPANY).

ORIGINAL DRAMATURGY & WORKSHOP DIRECTION BY ANN HODGES

Creative Team

Book by
Steven Gallagher (he/him)

Music & Lyrics by
Anton Lipovetsky (he/him)

Direction & Dramaturgy by
Ann Hodges (she/her)

Music Supervision & Orchestrations by
Wayne Gwillim (he/him)

Movement Direction by
David Andrew Reid (he/him)

Design Team

Set Design
Brandon Kleiman (he/him)

Costume Design
Alex Amini (she/her)

Lighting Design
Logan Raju Cracknell (he/they)

Sound Design
Kaitlyn MacKinnon (she/her)

Cast

Zachary
Brandon Antonio (he/him)

Lenin
Michael De Rose (he/him)

Leighton
Chilina Kennedy (she/her)

Fynn
Rami Khan (he/him)

Sarah
Germaine Konji (she/they)

Pandora
Yemie Sonuga (she/her)

Manny
Jonathan Winsby (he/him)

Eddie
Synthia Yusuf (she/her)

Production Team

Production Supervision
Crystal Lee (she/her)

Production Management
Leslie Hernandez (she/her)

Stage Management
Dustyn Wales (he/him)

Apprentice Stage Management
Joey Lau (she/her)

COVID-19 Safety Consultant
Tali Anzel-Sivkin (she/her)

COVID-19 Infection Control Monitor
Daniel Oulton (he/him)

Assistant to the Music Director & Copyist
Jonathan Corkal-Astorga (he/him)

Fight & Intimacy Direction
Siobhan Richardson (she/her)

Head of Props
Mary Spyrakis (she/her)

Production Assistant, Wardrobe
Bebe Brunjes (they/them)

Production Assistant, Runner
Aimée Tremblay Woodman (she/her)

Apprentices

RBC Apprentice Director, as a part of the Kathleen C. Freeman Leadership Development Fund
Vanessa Sears (she/her)

RBC Apprentice Producer
Alicia Barban (she/her)

RBC Apprentice Stage Manager
Joey Lau (she/her)

RBC Apprentice Sound Designer
Olivia Shortt (they/them)

Band

Piano & Conductor
Wayne Gwillim (he/him)

Guitar
Steve John Dale (he/him)

Venue

VENUE

1873 Bloor Street West
Toronto, ON
Canada M6R 2Z3

Please Note: With exception to service animals, pets are not allowed in the High Park Amphitheatre.

BY CAR

Please Note: High Park is currently closed to vehicular traffic on Saturdays and Sundays. Parking availability may change without notice.

FROM WEST OF TORONTO:

Take the QEW / Gardiner Expressway exit at South Kingsway
Follow the Lakeshore Road west to Parkside Drive and exit north
Turn left at High Park Boulevard to enter High Park
Slight left toward Harbour Street (signs for Yonge Street / Queens Quay)
At the first stop sign turn right, and when you reach the second stop sign you’ll be at the Grenadier Cafe.

FROM EAST OF TORONTO:

Exit the westbound Gardiner Expressway at Dunn Avenue / Jameson Avenue and get onto Lakeshore Road
At the lights at Parkside Drive, turn right to exit north
Turn left at High Park Boulevard to enter High Park
At the first stop sign turn right, and when you reach the second stop sign, you’ll be at the Grenadier Cafe.

FROM LOCAL STREETS OF TORONTO:

One way to enter High Park is from Bloor Street at the lights at High Park Avenue, which is west of the lights at Keele Street / Parkside Drive
Follow the one-way southbound West Road to the stop sign in front of the Grenadier Cafe
Pass the stop sign and on the left is the entrance to the Grenadier parking lot.

BY TRANSIT

FROM HIGH PARK STATION (LINE 2, BLOOR-DANFORTH):

From the main entrance, walk east to get to High Park Avenue and walk south to the lights at Bloor Street and High Park Avenue
Continue through the lights, staying on the sidewalk to the left on Colborne Lodge Drive. It is about a 20-minute walk from High Park Subway Station to the amphitheatre.
The pathway to the amphitheatre is across from the parking lot of the Grenadier Café, on the northeast corner of the intersection of Colborne Lodge Drive and Centre Road.

BY STREETCAR:

The 501 Queen streetcar stops along the south side of High Park on The Queensway at Colborne Lodge Drive which you can follow north to the intersection of Centre Road where you will find the path to the amphitheatre.

For questions about getting here by transit, visit the Toronto Transit Commission.

Please Note: High Park is currently closed to vehicular traffic on Saturdays and Sundays. Parking availability may change without notice.

While there are several parking areas within High Park, please be sure to check the City of Toronto website to verify whether vehicular traffic is permitted in the park on the day of your performance.

Please note that High Park will have Vehicle-Free Weekends throughout the spring and summer of 2021.

Frequently Asked Questions

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

How will I receive my ticket(s)?

Tickets will be delivered to you as a PDF attachment by email. You may either print your tickets and bring them with you to your performance, or you can display your ticket barcode(s) on your mobile device. Please be sure to have your tickets ready upon arrival and, if you are using your mobile device, have the brightness turned all the way up.

What is the seating capacity?

Seating in the High Park Amphitheatre is General Admission. We are maintaining a significantly reduced capacity in order to allow ample space between parties.

Is the High Park Amphitheatre accessible?

The pathway leading from the road/sidewalk to the Amphitheatre seating is a natural, unpaved pathway and you may encounter tree roots, rocks, and sections of uneven ground.

Accessible seating is available in the top row of the Amphitheatre. Please inform our Box Office representatives if you require accessible seating when booking your tickets.

At least one accessible portable washroom will be available with roll in ground level access, grab bars, and a self-closing, unmotorized door.

While the pathway within the amphitheatre grounds is lit after sunset, the portion of pathway between the amphitheatre grounds and the road/sidewalk is not.

When should I arrive at the amphitheatre?

To facilitate physical distancing, we have indicated on your ticket a preferred time of arrival. As you are able, we ask that you arrive within the designated timeframe.

What should I do if I am feeling unwell in advance of my performance?

Please do not attend if you have a fever or are experiencing any symptoms of COVID-19, have tested positive for COVID-19 within 14 days of attending, or if you have had close contact with anyone suspected or confirmed of having COVID-19.

Contact the box office at 416-368-3110 as soon as possible and our Audience Services team will be happy to discuss your ticket options.

Where is the High Park Amphitheatre?

The High Park Amphitheatre is situated in the heart of one of Toronto’s most significant and iconic natural sites, High Park.

Please visit our High Park Venue and Directions page for detailed location maps and directions.

What should I bring? Can I bring my own food/beverages?

The High Park Amphitheatre is an outdoor venue so we suggest you wear clothing appropriate to the weather conditions. You may also wish to bring sunscreen, bug spray, and a blanket or cushions on which to sit.

Please note, food and beverages will not be allowed in the amphitheatre, except for water. Once seated, guests may remove masks briefly while taking a drink of water.

Can I bring my pet with me?

No, except for service animals, pets are not allowed in the High Park Amphitheatre.

Where can I park?

Please note that High Park will have Vehicle-Free Weekends throughout the spring and summer of 2021.

Are there washrooms available on site?

Portable washrooms, including an accessible portable washroom, are available on site for the use of ticketed patrons, and are regularly sanitized. All washrooms will be equipped with hand sanitizers. Please sanitize your hands before and after use.

Show Calendar

BLACKOUT AUDIO DESCRIBED LISTENING PARTY

Though we look forward to providing a COVID-safe experience in High Park Amphitheatre this summer, we understand that not all individuals are comfortable with in-person events at the current moment. To ensure that BLACKOUT is accessible to all members of the blind, low-vision, and partially-sighted community, including those who would prefer to enjoy an audio-described performance from the comfort and safety of their own home, we will be producing a professionally-recorded audio version of the show, complete with audio description describing the visual elements of the show as they were seen in High Park Amphitheatre. This audio version of the show will be released as a Community Listening Party this fall, hosted by our professional describer. This event will give members of the blind, low-vision, and partially-sighted community a chance to mix, mingle, and enjoy new Canadian musical theatre with a like-minded group of theatre lovers.

If you are interested in learning more about the Community Listening Party, or you want to receive more information about this event this fall, please fill out the form below. If you have any difficulties filling out the form, please contact Accessibility Manager Alethea Bakogeorge directly by email at aletheabakogeorge@musicalstagecompany.com, or by phone at (416) 927-7880 ext. 226.

SAFETY GUIDELINES

DREAM IN HIGH PARK SAFETY GUIDELINES

The Dream in High Park outdoor experience has been designed with the safety and comfort of patrons, artists, and staff as the top priority. The Musical Stage Company & Canadian Stage will continue to monitor and respond to governmental policy changes and advice from health authorities to ensure we are always up-to-date and offering the safest experience possible.

THINGS TO KNOW

Face Coverings: Patrons and staff will be required to wear masks at all times.
Health Screening: Upon arrival, and before patrons are granted entry to the Dream in High Park site, all patrons must complete a self-assessment health questionnaire and temperature check administered by a Canadian Stage staff member.
Reduced Contact: As much as possible, interactions between Dream in High Park staff and patrons will be contactless. This includes ticket scanning, temperature checks, box office and concessions transactions, and health screening. Staff will be equipped with masks, face shields, and gloves to keep you safe.
Physical Distancing: Staff, stanchions, barriers, and signage will be in place throughout the Dream in High Park site to ensure physical distancing is maintained for patrons.
Pod Seating: Audience members will be seated in designated marked areas, or Pods, that can accommodate up to 4 people travelling together. Pods will be physically distanced across the seating area.
Sanitation: Hand sanitizing stations will be available throughout the Dream in High Park site. All high-touch surfaces will be sanitized both prior to and following each performance.

Please do not attend if you have a fever or are experiencing any symptoms of COVID-19, have tested positive for COVID-19 within 14 days of attending, or if you have had close contact with anyone suspected or confirmed of having COVID-19.

LIABILITY WAIVER

While we have put measures in place to enhance safety and help reduce the risk of COVID-19 transmission from person to person, an inherent risk of exposure to COVID-19 exists in public places where people gather. By attending Dream in High Park, you voluntarily assume all risks related to possible exposure of COVID-19. Failure to follow these guidelines will result in removal from the venue.

PROGRAMME

Click here for the BLACKOUT 2021 digital programme

July 23 - August 15, 2021