What began as a handwritten script on an Ottawa bus has evolved into a full-scale musical slated for The Gladstone Theatre.
One Small Misstep is an original sci-fi musical, written by Ottawa playwright Sandy Gibson with music by Silas Chinsen, who describe it as “Star Trek meets Annie.”
The story follows 18-year-old orphan Samantha “Sam” Higgins who leaves Earth and dreams of interacting with aliens while space travelling. She is unaware her adventures are part of a grand plot — exploiting vulnerable people to mine resources after Earth’s environment became inhabitable for humans. Sam is forced to confront this reality throughout her journey and discovers the value of family and community along the way.
The musical opens at the Gladstone on Wednesday, presented by Lost Baggage Musical Theatre company.
“The show pokes fun at science fiction with tropes from Star Trek, Star Wars and other lesser known references like Ender’s Game and Firefly,” Gibson said. “At the end of the day, it’s a family drama.”
Gibson began writing One Small Misstep while recovering from multiple concussions. In 2018, the idea struck him after he finally took time off teaching to rest.
“I was writing this out by hand on the bus … My mother in law would help me type it up,” Gibson said.
From the beginning, the show was crafted collaboratively. Gibson described the script as flexible for actors and directors to play around and shape their roles.
“It’s not a David Mamet play,” he said, poking fun at the Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright of Glengarry Glen Ross. “The script isn’t God — it’s a Google document.”
That freedom has allowed One Small Misstep to grow through multiple iterations, Gibson said. First, it was a workshop at Ottawa’s Undercurrents Fringe Festival last year, now in its current version at the Gladstone.
This iteration of the production has significantly grown in size, including a cast that has almost doubled, according to producer and Carleton University alum Euan Wheaton.*
Wheaton was a cast member in the previous version of the show and made the choice to step away from performing this time around, now focusing on producing and offering other actors a chance in the role.
Gibson “wanted this show to be its own thing,” he said. “This version is about asking what the show looks like when someone else takes it and licenses it.”
That sense of growth and change is clear in production and in the performance. Kay Sinclaire, who plays Sam, describes her character as curious, driven and deeply optimistic in spite of growing up without stability or a support system.
“She’s going on this big adventure and is just excited to get out,” Sinclaire said.
Sinclaire brought their own experiences as a queer, non-binary, neurodivergent actor to shape the character. While Sam’s bound to outer space, her desire to escape and find belonging strongly resonated with them, Sinclaire said.
“She tries to run from and push away all of the bad things that have happened to her,” Sinclaire said. “There are also moments where she definitely leans into it.”
The musical’s discography — which is available on Spotify — spans a range of styles and moods.
Chinsen’s score combines upbeat, jazz influenced numbers with haunting piano ballads. He employs different genres for each character, giving them distinctive and recognizable sounds.
“They wrote these fun, jazzy songs, and then suddenly, something heartbreaking just hits you,” Sinclaire said.
While the story warns the audience about the dangers of environmental care, it also shares a message of optimism, Sinclaire added. The show emphasizes teamwork and responsibility.
“Community is everything.”
Classic science fiction influenced the show’s overarching message of hope, Gibson said.
“Star Trek has this belief that the future can be a good place,” he said. “I want people to feel the joy.”
Wheaton echoed that feeling.
“I want people to know this was made here,” he said. “Musical theatre doesn’t have to mean Broadway. Ottawa can make shows like this, too.”
*Euan Wheaton has previously contributed to the Charlatan.
Featured image provided by Euan Wheaton.
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