the story
History is sobering
&
imagination is dangerous
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DEEP TROUBLE is a darkly comic, fictional musical inspired by one of the most unbelievable survival stories of the 20th century—and what might happen if we let myth take over.
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Violet Jessop really did serve aboard the Olympic, the Titanic, and the Britannic. She really did survive them all. History calls her “unsinkable.” DEEP TROUBLE begins there—and then swerves sharply into theatrical fantasy.
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In this imagined world, survival feels less like luck and more like a pattern. Coincidences start to stack. Emotions run hot. Rumors harden into legend. Familiar figures drift in and out of view, and even maritime footnotes take on a life of their own—like Jennie, the real ship’s cat aboard the Titanic, remembered for her silence and her watchful presence, here reimagined as Violet’s mute companion and omen.
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Blending dark humor, camp sensibility, and striking, image-driven storytelling, DEEP TROUBLE doesn’t reenact history—it plays with it. The result is a musical that is eerie, funny, and unsettling, asking how stories are shaped, how blame is assigned, and why survival itself can make us uneasy.
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DEEP TROUBLE is a work of fiction and satire.
History provides the facts. Imagination does the damage.
the creator
David Gargaro
Scottish conductor, composer, and musical storyteller, David Gargaro was the winner of the 2016 Ansbacher Prize for Conducting awarded by the Vienna Philharmonic. He has held key artistic roles including Principal Guest Conductor of the New Fine Arts Ensemble (South Korea), Assistant Conductor of Opera Philadelphia, and Orchestra Manager of the New York Youth Symphony. He has received invitations to conduct leading ensembles such as the BBC Symphony and London Mozart Players, and has conducted orchestras such as the Virginia Symphony, New World Symphony, and Oregon Bach Festival, among others. He was a finalist for the American Conducting Prize.
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David has collaborated with esteemed conductors including Sir Neville Marriner, Sir Roger Norrington, and Michael Tilson Thomas. As a trumpeter, he has performed with over 100 ensembles and orchestras, has performed for Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, and was invited by the American Ambassador, Cecile Shea to perform the American National Anthem at 229th U.S. Independence Day celebrations in Edinburgh.
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He studied trumpet and conducting at the Eastman School of Music and earned a Master’s in Orchestral Conducting from Bard Conservatory. He is the recipient of numerous scholarships and grants supporting his artistic development.
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In addition to his musical career, David holds a Master’s in Global Political Campaign Management from The George Washington University and a Juris Doctor from UC Law San Francisco. He is widely published on topics including nuclear energy policy and global climate solutions, and has presented his work to European Parliamentary officials and at major international universities.
listen
In this darkly comic number, suspicion finally breaks the surface. Whispers turn into accusations, the coincidences become impossible to ignore, and Violet Jessop finds herself cornered by voices demanding the truth. Built like a musical interrogation, “Fess Up, Jessop” crackles with mounting pressure, sharp humor, and an undercurrent of menace—asking whether Violet’s remarkable survival is luck… or something far more unsettling.
