Blackout was a Tableau D'Hôte Theatre production presented in 2019 at the D.B. Clarke Theatre in Montreal. It re-examined the events the 1969 student-occupied computer centre on the 9th floor of the Hall Building of what is now Concordia University which was to protest the university’s mismanagement of a racism complaint lodged by West-Indian students against their biology professor. Riot police were called in when an agreement to end the occupation fell through, resulting in widespread damage, a mysterious fire, and over a hundred arrests. Created and devised by Montréal artists, Blackout re-examines the events the led to the occupation and protests, asking how race relations have changed in Québec over the last 50 years, if at all.

CBC News: Sir George Williams riot back in spotlight on 50th anniversary with new play Blackout

Performers: Maryline Chery, Lucinda Davis, Kym Dominique Ferguson, Marie Hall, Briauna James, Justin Johnson, Jahlani Knorren, Gita Miller, Michelle Rambharose, Sophie-Thérèse Stone-Richards, Shauna Thompson, Dakota Jamal Wellmen

Director: Mathieu Murphy-Perron
Assistant Directors: Tamara Brown, Shanti Gonzales
Choreography: Rodney Diverlus
Stage Managers: Kate Hagemeyer, Kate Stockburger
Lighting Design: Audrey-Anne Bouchard
Sound Design: Rob Denton, Elena Stoodley
Set Design: Sophie El-Assaad
Costume Design: Noémi Poulin
Projection Design: Jaclyn Turner
Makeup Design: Pamela Warden
Assistant Designer: Nalo Soyini
Graphic Design: AJ Korkidakis, Lost in the island
Production Manager: Nikita Bala
Technical Director: Martin Nishiakawa

Text: Tamara Brown, Kym Dominique Ferguson, Lydie Dubuison, Mathieu Murphy-Perron (with contributions from: Michelle Rambharose, Dakota Jamal Wellman, Warona Setshwaelo)

Photos: Jaclyn Turner