Resurrection
Resurrection uncovers the real life story of Michael Callen—activist, musician, and leader in the AIDS self-empowerment movement. Based on the hit podcast of the same name, 'Resurrection' is part cabaret, part documentary theatre, part live podcast event.
CONTENT ADVISORY: This show contains discussions of sexually explicit material. The show is not recommended for children.
- Adult $30
- 30 & Under $25
- Senior (60+) $25
- Student $20
Sponsors
Created by Dane Stewart
Starring Dane Stewart, Andrew Morrisey and Andrew Boudreau
Directed by Adam Capriolo
Resurrection tells the incredible story of early AIDS activist Michael Callen through theatrical performance, live music, and archival video footage. In 1983, Michael Callen co-authored the pamphlet How to Have Sex in an Epidemic: One Approach and is largely credited with inventing safe sex. Resurrection tells the story of this pamphlet, but goes far beyond, diving deep into Michael’s romantic life, his musical endeavours, and his political activism.
“The subject of our show, Michael Callen, was a singer and songwriter who played a vital role in AIDS activism, but has been largely forgotten in recent decades,” says Dane Stewart, creator of Resurrection. “Michael Callen saved countless lives by inventing safe sex. He created the first buyers club in America. He fought with Dr. Tony Fauci to get drugs approved faster. His story is incredible and we are so excited to share it with Montreal.”
Resurrection is based on a podcast of the same name which is dedicated to sharing the stories of queer people whose lives have been impacted by HIV/AIDS. Since its release in 2023, Resurrection has charted among the Top 15 podcasts in Canada, was named one of Amazon Music’s Best Podcasts of 2023, and was called “an excellent show” by The Guardian. Listen to the Resurrection podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or by searching on all other podcasting platforms.
Resurrection has been praised by AIDS activists with Sean Strub, founder of POZ Magazine, writing, “I can’t recommend Dane’s podcast strongly enough. It is well-researched, including uncovering context previously unfamiliar to me. If you want to understand the intensity of the community’s 1980s anger at the federal government in general, and Dr. Fauci in particular, this podcast is essentially Exhibit A.”
Rehearsal Video
Cast & Creative Team
Meet the Cast
This project was made possible with the support of the Conseil des arts de Montréal and the English Language Arts Network’s Trellis Micro-grant project. The Trellis Micro-grant project, funded by The Department of Canadian Heritage’s Official Languages Support Programs, seeks to highlight English-language Arts and Artists to make them visible to a broader community, and build bridges between Québec’s English-speaking minority and Francophone majority.