Resurrection - The Real Life Story of Michael Callen

Mar 4

By Bhavna Patel
March 4, 2025

*Michael Callen (L) and partner Richard Dworkin (R) in 1980s (Credit: Spiro Lampros).*

Resurrection unveils the incredible story of Michael Callen — an American musician and early activist and leader in the AIDS self-empowerment movement. The theatrical production, a blend of cabaret, documentary and live podcast, will showcase from March 11 to 15 at the Centaur Theatre’s WinterWorks Festival. Directing Resurrection was a no-brainer for Adam Capriolo, who had participated in the podcast version of the story one year prior. “The empathy you could feel just really touched me,” Capriolo said of the leading character. “The show reminded me that we are a generation of queer people, specifically gay men, who grew up with AIDS and HIV as this grim reaper that’s just around the corner. It affected all of us in a way that we probably don’t even fully know yet.”

*Richard Dworkin (Michael Callen's romantic partner, who attended a rehearsal in NYC).*

The show will shed light on Michael Callen’s romantic life, his musical pursuits, and his role in political activism. When the global HIV/AIDS crisis struck in the early 1980s, gay men had become the most affected demographic of the disease. Headlines quickly perpetuated a sense of stigma, fear and ignorance towards the community. “With no effective treatment available in the 1980s, there was little hope for those diagnosed with HIV, facing debilitating illness, social isolation and sadly, in most cases, certain death within years,” Dr Meg Doherty, Director of the WHO Global HIV Programme, noted.

Soon after his AIDS diagnosis, Callen co-authored the 1983 booklet, How to Have Sex in an Epidemic: One Approach. The publication offered rational guidance on how to practice safer sex and reduce the risk of contracting HIV, the human immunodeficiency virus that, in its most advanced stages, becomes AIDS. His collaborative work is accredited for pioneering a safe sex manifesto to reduce the spread of HIV. The pamphlet’s introduction notes:

In the end, how you have sex is a matter of personal choice. But in the age of AIDS, it is important to realize that each one of us is now betting his life on what changes we do or do not make. As you read on, we hope we make at least one point clear: Sex doesn't make you sick--diseases do.

While the literature was ridiculed at first, it provided a model for safer sex campaigns ever since. It also helped to empower the gay community, which was fighting for survival under daunting circumstances. By 1997, AIDS-related deaths in Canada had dropped to 525, a significant decline from the peak of 1,764 in 1995.

“We owe a huge debt of gratitude to communities of people living with HIV in the 1980s,” Dr. Doherty noted. “This was a traumatic time for many communities - 40 million people have died from HIV-related causes with many dying in the first decade when there was no effective treatment for HIV.”

Dane Stewart, the producer of Resurrection, had launched the Resurrection podcast in 2023. Since its inception, Stewart has been bringing back to life the stories of queer artists whose lives were lost due to AIDS. He’s covered well-known names like the famous American playwright and gay rights activist, Larry Kramer; and also covered lesser known artists, like Daryl Allen.

Allen, who died from AIDS-related illness in 1991, was a playwright who never had the opportunity to produce his stories. In a happenstance scenario, Stewart was handed one of Allen’s semi-autobiographical scripts, Mustang 01. The story covers some of the shame the protagonist felt while coming to terms with his queer identity, something Stewart could connect with. Stewart immersed himself in research to discover more about Daryl’s life, and through the journey, felt compelled to start the podcast.

“I have always been a person who's been interested in queer history…” Stewart said in an interview. “And so, part of me felt that it was my duty as a queer person living today to take the skills that I have and use those to honour Daryl.”

The idea of resurrection, of remembering lives lost too soon through their art that was left behind, is interwoven through the current production. Capriolo, who has a background in video direction and editing, explored different ways of using media as part of the show. The production blends archival video footage with live TV installations, for instance, to represent the recorded past, while the live theatre elements ground the story in the present.

Along with being an early activist, Callen was also recognized for being a talented singer and songwriter. Much of his music will be performed during the show. New York based cabaret singer, Andrew Morrissey, will be playing the role of Callen with full gusto. “He has a Barbara Streisand feel,” Capriolo reveals. “He’s someone who’s just made to sing and he pours it out of him with such charisma,” he added. Morrissey will cover some of Callen’s 80s bops to a live piano, or track, or sometimes, both.

*Andrew Boudreau (L) and Andrew Morrisey (R).*

The theatrical show covers important and moving subject matter, while managing to maintain a fun and light atmosphere. “We want to do something that’s unafraid of the messy, gay themes that come up in this,” Capriolo explains. “The campiness of that time, which I think a lot of people are afraid to touch because it could seem disrespectful. But a lot of people survived through this [time] through making fun of it, and through the joy of being a part of a community. And I really like that.”

Initially as a podcast, and now through theatre, Resurrection is bringing Callen’s story out from oblivion. Through the unique power of live performance, the play deepens the exploration of themes like love, activism, and intimacy, while continuing to honour and remember Callen’s enduring legacy.