It was opening night of colleges biggest show of the year Little Shop Of Horros. I was serving as stage manager and the house was full of 297 patrons (all paying). We were thirty two minuets into the show and on our 67th cue, i had called the warning cue about thirty seconds earlier and it was time for the cue to go. I said "Cue 67 Go" and the lighting board op hit go and and the whole stage plunged into blackness. I looked at the board and said "What the h##l" thinking they had hit the blackout button, then the lights flickered back on, then off, then i noticed the computer screens for the sound equipment and the board had both powered off. To my surprise the emergency lights hadn't come on either. All communication backstage had been frozen and the phones (which were out as well) had funny odor coming out of it. I looked to the TD who had come into booth and was flicking all emergency breakers in the dark and asked "Where are the usher flashlights?" His response was to take my flash light and say thanks! Meanwhile i had gone back to my kit and grabbed my back-up flashlight (which turned out to be one of two flashlights in the building). I Moved the entire crew to the green room along with the cast (Which had the only functioning back up light in building... go figure). The director who happened to be watching that night had now asked the audience to turn on their cell phones and use the light from them to get to the nearest exit. The house was eventually cleared by cellphone light one glowstick and my two flashlights. I dismissed the crew as was on the phone with the power company, who had earlier said they had no clue what the problem was, told me some bright spark had run his car into a transformer down the street (he was fine). The orchestra (all 15 of them) had also been stuck in the pit so we had to get them out with an A-frame ladder. Wow this getting long. In the end as i was locking the building the lights came back on! I guess the lesson here provide your theater with flashlights (i had required the crew to purchase $1 ones form wal-mart) and check your E-lighting systems they might not work. Sorry if this rambling and if your're still reading good for you.