Music, Lyrics, Book, & Directed by Anthony Palermo
The Gray: A Wilde Musical is inspired by Oscar Wilde’s classic that follows Dorian Gray, a young singer-songwriter determined to be a star, as he enters the hottest rock nightclub in Toronto’s Gay Village in the late 70s, David's Disco. Catching the eye of Basil, a closeted photographer, Dorian gets a picture taken of himself which he soon becomes obsessed with, and the power it holds over others. After the club’s owner, Henry, makes Dorian the Disco’s headline act and corrupts him into the dark side of nightlife culture, Dorian notices the once beautiful image turning into his inescapable nightmare. Based on the series of real-life unsolved homicides, missing queer people, and the fire at David’s Disco in Toronto’s Gay Village during the 70s, Dorian’s journey merges this historical setting with Wilde’s timeless tale of morality and the relentless pursuit of beauty. With an original score inspired by the legendary genre of glam rock, The Gray explores self-expression, generational queer trauma, and what it means to find home in LGBTQ+ spaces.
Produced by Hart House Theatre in April 2023.
Cast & Creative Team
Dorian Gray- Nick Palazzolo
Basil- Jacob Moro
Henry LeBlanc- Liam Peter Donovan
Sibyl Vanity- Nell Khayutin
Jackie/ Disk Jockey/ Ensemble- Stevie Hook
Marco/ Ensemble- T.Y. Jung
Stage Manager- Sabrina Weinstein
Costume Designer- Gabriel Woo
Lighting Designer- Cass Iacovelli
Alison Starkey- Sound Designer
Projection Designer- Isabella Cesari
Musical Arranger- Benjamin Kersey
Dramaturge- Aaron Jan
Music Director- Giustin MacLean
Assistant Music Director- Ashley Heng
Assistant Music Director- Max Webb Comor
Drums- Pieter Huyer
Bass- Nick Arseneau
A Three-Part Song Cycle
Written, Composed, & Performed by Anthony Palermo
Produced and commissioned by
Soulpepper Theatre at QueerCab in June 2022.
“She” is the Mythological Greek figure Tiresias.
“She” is a Twink in The Village.
“She” is a multi-dimensional Space Bitch on a mission to find who touched their tits.
She, Men, and the Giant F*cking Snake is a three-part song cycle about gender identity and sexual assault in queer spaces.
Original Creative & Design Team
Directed by Nicci Pryce
Lighting Design by Emerson Kafarowzki
Costume Design by Anthony Palermo
Production photos by Dahlia Katz
Photos by Dahlia Katz
Music & Lyrics by Anthony Palermo
Directed by Dillan Chiblow
ONE SONG GLORY is a fully subsidized four-weekend long youth musical theatre training intensive that builds community, self-confidence, and self-expression through a combination of new music creation, masterclasses, rehearsal, and a public showcase. Through this performance, we are thrilled to be growing our community of young performers and non-performing artists, and giving students from across Ontario access to fully subsidized training led by the country’s leading musical artists.
Among other Canadian Musical Theatre, participants performed Anthony’s original song “Lost and Found” and “I Love It” from Drama 101, written by Kevin Wong & Steven Gallagher.
Produced by Musical Stage Company in November 2022.
Production & Creative Team
Music Director/ Composer- Anthony Palermo
Director/ Choreographer- Dillan Chiblow
Artistic Director- Ray Hogg
Artistic Programs Associate- Patricia Cerra
Production Manager- Joey Lau
Production Assistant- Aimée Tremblay
Photos by Dahlia Katz
Book, Music, Lyrics, & Directed by Anthony Palermo
Winner of “Best Original Work”, “Best Direction”, and “Best Virtual Show” at the University of Toronto Drama Coalition Awards 2022.
The Gray: Wilde Audio Drama reimagines Oscar Wilde’s classic novel as a 4-part musical series, following dead rock star, Dorian Gray, in his afterlife, as he recounts his youth and tries to piece together the meaning of his story through one final farewell concert. Flashing back to his beginnings as a young singer-songwriter in the late 70s, Dorian steps into David’s Disco, the hottest rock nightclub in Toronto’s Gay Village, and soon, is corrupted into the dark side of nightlife culture. Based on the series of real-life unsolved homicides, missing queer people, and the fire at David’s Disco in Toronto’s Gay Village during the 70s, Dorian’s journey merges this historical setting with Wilde’s timeless tale of morality and the relentless pursuit of beauty. With an original score inspired by the legendary genre of glam rock, The Gray explores self-expression, queer generation trauma, and the definition of beauty in LGBTQ+ spaces.
Produced by Victoria College Drama Society (University of Toronto) in March 2022. Upcoming in April 2023, Hart House Theatre will be producing a live production of The Gray, dramaturged by Aaron Jan.
Cast & Creative Team
Dorian Gray- Oliver James Parkins
Henry LeBlanc- Liam Peter Donovan
Sibyl Vanity- Nell Senkevich
Basil- Kenneth Johnson
Featuring Gabby Ibrahim & Victoria Watson Sepejak
Musical Arrangements by Benjamin Kersey
Production Management, Sound Design, and Editing by Alison Starkey
Assistant Production Management by Caitlyn Grant
Music Mixing by Marco Wong
Dramaturged by Brynn Bonne
Publicity by Cherry Zhang
Listen to Anthony's original song "Run" from The Gray:
https://youtu.be/6DBbnCHxsvY?t=1911
SPOTIFY LINK (All 4 Episodes):
https://open.spotify.com/show/586Yc9hf2pApsQA6MZBdyn?si=f1a8b0e6311a4f11
YOUTUBE LINKS:
Episode 1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R1pfzilhxsg&t=2661s&ab_channel=VCDS
Episode 2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=76_qGrzYQ0Q&ab_channel=VCDS
Episode 3: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6DBbnCHxsvY&ab_channel=VCDS
Episode 4: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=411MlN0VI6k&ab_channel=VCDS
Music, Lyrics & Directed by Anthony Palermo
Book by Chloé Castrucci
Winner of “Best Musical”, “Best Musical Achievement”, “Best Set Design”, and “Best Ensemble” at the University of Toronto Drama Coalition Awards 2022.
Mythic Women and their Cabaret to Save Humanity is a new musical inspired by the characters from classic Greek myths and plays. This musical, set in their mythic afterlife, follows 5 women from classic Greek myths all on the quest to retell their stories. After Pandora’s Box allows one woman to return to their past and rewrite their history, the girls must perform in a cabaret to decide which one of them is most worthy to get another chance. This musical explores themes of femininity, empowerment, unity, and defines what it means to be mythic.
Produced by the U of T Mississauga
English & Drama Student Society in April 2022.
Cast & Creative Team
Clytemnestra- Sydney Scott
Medea- Brynn Bonne
Cassandra- Maya Bogojevic
Pandora- Nasim Sedeghat-Ramirez
Helen- Kasey Belding
The Box- Nick Buchanan
Swing- Reena Goze
Music Director & Orchestrations- Anthony Palermo
Choreographer- Chloé Castrucci
Stage Manager- Avery McMillan
Sound Designer- Alison Starkey
Costume Designer- Gabe Woo
Set Design- Anthony Palermo & Chloé Castrucci
ASMs- Jewell Bowry & Jasmine Jenkinson
Lighting Operator- Vivi Valo
Written, Composed, & Performed by Anthony Palermo
After learning about their late cousin who died of AIDS in the early 90s before they were born, A sets out to uncover the secret past of a queer family member, so buried they have to forge their own path of discovery. Using a form of Italian witchcraft, they attempt to connect with their late namesake, uncover their story, and understand who they could have been in each other's lives. The A-Word transforms a hidden history into a queer fantasia, blurring the lines of generational queer trauma and a secret life of possibilities, past and present.
Originally produced by Theatre Erindale (Studio Series) in April 2022.
Dramaturgy by Andrew Cheng & Najla Edwards
Text, Music, & Lyrics by Anthony Palermo
Performed by Anthony Palermo & Charlotte Green
Functioning: A Piece in 5 Jordans is a song cycle which journeys through the headspace of a person living with anxiety in an ever-changing world that seems to be moving way too quickly. Inspired by Jordan Raskopoulos’ TED Talk about dealing with their mental health, we wanted to create a digital theatrical experience, filled with songs, text, and movement, to encapsulate the different visceral processes of functioning through everyday life, separated into various styles through “parts”. This piece is dedicated to those who feel like sometimes everything gets too loud and becomes too difficult to keep going. I hope you’re reminded of all the ways you personally continue to thrive, and the places where you keep your desks.
Originally commissioned and produced by Theatre Oculus in August 2021 for the Artist-in-Residence program.
Creative Team
Choreography & Editing by Charlotte Green
Mentored by Drew Berry
Special Thanks to Rohan Dhupar & Macayla Paris
Music & Lyrics by Anthony Palermo
Text Adapted by Reena Goze
Original Text by Marìa Irene Fornés
Five women meet to rehearse for a charity event in the fall of 1935. Through music, we are given a glimpse into each of their inner lives and personal struggles. Inspired by Fornés’ original work, Friends of Fefu: A Song Cycle follows the stories of five women navigating the patriarchal society that holds them hostage. By challenging power dynamics, gender roles, and the complexity of relationships, Fefu’s friends must grapple with fighting for their place at the table, all while dodging the bullet of friendly fire.
Originally Produced by University of Toronto Mississauga English & Drama Student Society at the Performing Arts Festival in March 2021.
Cast & Creative Team
Directed by Reena Goze & Anthony Palermo
Music Direction by Anthony Palermo
Animation by Tanya Arbabian
Fefu - Juliet Spizzirri
Emma - Chloé Castrucci
Cindy - Brynn Bonne
Julia - Sydney-Paige Scott
Paula - Reena Goze
