World Premier coming in 2022
Based on the book by Chris Hadfield with Kate Fillion
Adapted for the stage by Jim Millan and Ian MacIntyre
Directed by Jim Millan
Magic Consultant: David Ben
Set and Costume Design by Anna Treusch
Lighting Design by Bonnie Beecher
“The creation of The Darkest Dark has been another challenging journey in my life. Jim’s thirty years of creating incredible theatre and expertise in the world of magic will provide the perfect vehicle to envelope audiences.”
~ Commander Chris Hadfield, Astronaut
From the imaginations of Canadian Astronaut Chris Hadfield and acclaimed director/writer Jim Millan – with a little enchanted guidance from world-renowned magician David Ben – this ground-breaking theatrical experience will weave magic, flight, movement and multimedia with theatre arts to create an enchanting planetary playground.
Inspired by Commander Hadfield’s internationally best-selling children’s book, The Darkest Dark is a timely new play for young audiences about overcoming your fears and embracing the unknown. The story is based on Hadfield’s own experience as a child confronting his fear of the dark so he can one day travel to space.
The Darkest Dark
Written by Chris Hadfield
Are you afraid of the dark? Nine-year-old Chris is too. At bedtime, the night closes in – full of shadows, creaks and the worst sorts of aliens. It’s 1969 and Apollo II is about to land on the moon. Space-loving Chris dreams of becoming an astronaut. But watching history being made hangs in the balance if he can’t conquer his fear. What is truly out there – in the darkest dark? The Glow in the Dark Cover edition of The Darkest Dark is currently available at indigo and amazon.
Director/writer Jim Millan (Kids in the Hall, Mythbusters, Broadway’s The Illusionists and Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark) developed a relationship with the Hadfield family when he worked on Chris’s science-based variety show, Generator. Both were intrigued by the idea of bringing The Darkest Dark to the stage. In 2017, Jim approached YPT to turn the beautiful book into a play.
Early on in the process, YPT realized that we were dealing with a production unlike anything we had ever mounted before – one that would weave magic, flight, movement and multi-media with theatre arts. We knew we had a very special piece of source material, with a truly extraordinary creative team to guide the project.
YPT is proud to announce that The Darkest Dark has been selected as a recipient of The National Arts Centre’s National Creation Fund, representing the first English language TYA project to receive support.
For more information please visit youngpeoplestheatre.org/shows-tickets/the-darkest-dark
