Italian-Montrealer Steve Galluccio takes on love and loss in new play dedicated to his late husband

Montrealplaywright Steve Galluccio first rose to fame with his semi-autobiographical play Mambo Italiano, which was adapted to the big screenand released in 2003.

His latestwork, he says, is his most personal play since,telling the story of three gaymen in their late 50swho come together to discuss life, love and loss.

During the play, the character of Michaelshares that his husband has Alzheimer's and is living in a long-term care home. This echoes the real life of Galluccio, whose husband died in a Quebec CHSLD only six weeks ago.

The play will be presented as a staged reading at the Centaur Theatre on Oct. 21. Due to the restrictions on public gathering, the event will be streamed for free online.

Gallucciobegan writing the play, titled At the Beginning of Time, before the pandemic arrived in Canada.

Even though the play doesn't featureGalluccio's husband as a character, it was written with him in mind.

"I had written parts of it spending afternoons with him at the CHSLD," he told CBC's Let's Go."For me, it's in another era. It was written when he was still alive."

Gallucciosaid once the first lockdown began, it was impossible for him to visit his husband due to the ban on visitors and caregivers in CHSLDs. But he continued writing and reflecting,capturing his feelings in the moment.

"The way Ideal with things is by writing them," he said.

His husband did contract COVID-19 while in the CHSLD,Gallucciosaid, but he managed to recover.He was weakened, however,and died several months later at the age of 72.

Now that the play is being presented to the public for the first time,Gallucciosaid he's looking forward to sharing this story.

He's planning to dedicate the performance to his late husband's memory. Eventually Gallucciohopes to see a fully staged production of it, once theatres can receiveaudiences again.

"I'm seldomproud of my pieces but this one I'm very proud of," he said. "I'm looking forward to seeing it and hearing it."

At the Beginning of Timewill be livestreamed by the Centaur Theatre on Oct. 21 at 7 p.m.