vow virtual program

A NOTE FROM THE PRODUCTION TEAM Welcome to the virtual performance of \"The Valley of War\". The past year has been a challenging one for the performing arts industry. Producing our first show during a world pandemic has been an emotional rollercoaster. Along the way, our plans, expectations and development process for this show have changed and adjusted multiple times. Now here we are presenting a virtually performed cut down version of Act I in the form of a workshop. Special thanks to all the people in the cast and creative team who have been so understanding, patient and supportive. Special thanks to the Goldsmiths University of London for supporting this project. We hope you enjoy the show. Follow us thevalleyofwar

Sarah Patsalidou Ha Eun Bae PRESENT The Valley of War BOOK MUSIC & LYRICS John Goh John Goh Based on the song by John Goh Starring Anibal Miranda Michael Murrey Larissa Bonaci Wayland Holford Sarah Patsalidou Matthew Carter Sophia Patsalides AND Graham Rich

Logo Design Video Editing Elpiniki Georgiou Maria Andronikou Arrangements Sarah Patsalidou & John Goh Musical Director and Supervisor Keziah Green Director Maya Kyriazi Original online musical produced by Sarah Patsalidou and Ha Eun Bae MA Musical Theatre Final Project 2019-2020 Goldsmiths University of London

Scenes & Musical Numbers Act One SCENE 1: DEMONS/PSYCHIATRISTS/WAKING UP/ “Patient 95” Adelia, Kirsten, Patient 95 and Demons SCENE 2: FIRST INTERVIEW/JOINING THE ARMY/ “Joining the Army” Jack, Mo, Janice, Nick SCENE 3: SECOND PROCEDURE/AFGHANISTAN/I FROZE/THEM OR US “Discombobulation” Mo, Jack SCENE 4: HAPPY BIRTHDAY MO/PATROL “Discombobulation” Mo, Jack SCENE 5: THE BIG PICTURE/CAUGHT A STRAY/CANTEEN/AFTERMATH OF BOMB “The Valley of War” Jack, Mo, Patient 95

CONCEPT “The Valley of War” is a musical based on the song of the same name. The protagonist is an “everyman character” who goes to war, witnesses and performs atrocities and though survives is mentally damaged and on a downward spiral. Key themes include the psychological cost of soldiers exposed to war and medical ethics for untried treatments.

SYNOPSIS Dr Adelia Nightingale is a Psychiatrist working at a Long-Term Mental Health Unit in 2035. She is a genius and holds 3 PhD’s in addition to her MBBS specializing in Psychiatry. Patient95 is in her care and hasn’t spoken in 20 years. She convinces her friend and fellow Psychiatrist Dr Kirsten Doubleday to assist her in using a new but risky technique which Adelia herself has devised. Patient 95 is revived. He reveals his name is Jack Ripley and that he joined the Army in 2009. He also remembers that he was not good at school and that he got into trouble with the law when he was young. However, after marrying Janice Waters he decided to settle down by joining the Army. Jack takes to Army life. He was good at sports in his schooldays, especially football. The physical exertions don’t bother him, and he likes the team spirit nature of his unit. At boot camp, Jack meets Mo (Mohammed Hussein) a gay Muslim who is in a civil partnership with Nick Diamond. He comes from a middle-class family whose father owned a chain of Pakistani food restaurants. Mo was thrown out of his traditional Muslim family when he came out. He had secured a place at Oxford University but could not afford the fees on his own hence decided to join the Army. Mo by contrast finds the training difficult. He was not good at sports and is clumsy. As part of the training, the entire platoon or squad is punished if one of its members fails an exercise. Mo, therefore, proves unpopular. He misinterprets the unpopularity as closet homophobia and regrets joining the Army.

They are deployed to Afghanistan, Jack saves Mo’s life. Mo realises that he had misunderstood his platoon mates. He makes an effort to be part of the platoon and volunteers for hazardous duty where he does well. The other soldiers notice this and respond to him. Patient95 has stopped remembering at this point. He wants to know more. Kirsten is wary and concerned that the treatments are proceeding too quickly. Adelia overrides her concerns and continues the treatment. Mo now has a good reputation with the platoon as an alert and dependable soldier. Jack and he are now “war buddies” saving each other’s lives. Jack and Mo discuss what they would do when they get back to the UK. Jack invites Mo and Nick to his house for a summer barbeque. However later, Mo is killed while saving Jack’s life, which drives Jack into a state of Survivor’s Guilt and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.

Creatives JOHN GOH MAYA KYRIAZI BOOK/MUSIC/LYRICS/ARRANGER DIRECTOR The Valley of War is John’s first musical. Maya is a Theatre Director. With an John was born and educated in Singapore. He won the enduring passion for the Theatre since her “Best Actor” award at his A-level College competition. early years, it was at a very young age she After completing his military service of two and a half knew she wanted to become a Director. years he moved to the UK to study Chemical Straight out of a Music High School, in 2018, Engineering at Manchester University, eventually she auditioned for the course of Theatre ending up working in the Corporate Sector. However, Directing at Drama Centre London, Central he maintained his interest in Creative Writing and the Saint Martins. After two very exciting, Performing arts throughout. John has written short challenging and fulfilling years, she is ready stories some which have been published including “ to take on her third and final year at Drama Hero Ah Kong” and “The Everything Equation. He has Centre! composed several songs including “Christmas She’s worked on numerous shows yet Valley Fourteen”, “Soldier of the Union” and “The Valley of of War is the first musical she’s ever War” the latter of which the musical was written directed. around. John also regularly does amateur performances at Open Mic events around London and the Home Counties. For several years he has been attending various Creative Writing and Performance Arts courses at City Lit. He is currently doing an MA in Musical Theatre at Goldsmiths.

MUSICAL DIRECTOR AND SUPERVISOR KEZIAH GREEN Keziah Green is an experienced Musical Director and accompanist, primarily having worked with a variety of new works. Following her Masters degree at the University of Oxford, where she specialised in mental health in musical theatre, she is excited to be involved in a project such as Valley of War which combines her interests. Recent Credits include: Valley of War (Goldsmiths); White Walls (Brunel University); Recent AMD Credits include: Hot Wheels (BYMT); Urinetown (Brunel University); Songs for a New World (The Space); Curtains (Brunel University)

MARIA ANDRONIKOU ELPINIKI GEORGIOU VIDEO EDITOR LOGO DESIGN Maria Andronikou is a photography Elpiniki entered the art world at the age of 6 and graduate from The University of she continued developing her skills since then. the West of England in 2014. She She studied Fine Art at the University of Reading, has worked in advertising as a UK, graduating in 2019, focusing on Greek Mythology photographer and video producer. and expanding it in various approaches, from For the past few years you can installation to painting. During her studies, in 2017, find her working with moving she completed a short course on Special Effects image as a cinematographer and Makeup for Film and TV in UAL: London College camera assistant for film. of Fashion. This made her passionate about the film industry, and wanting to expand her skills, made her attend another course on Makeup FX & Prosthetics Creation in Gorton Studio in Aylesbury. Now she is a freelancer Makeup and Special Effects Artist but with other interests as well. She is really excited to start her small business on embroidery on garments, but still working with her everlasting passion, painting and sculpture.

SARAH PATSALIDOU HA EUN BAE CO-PRODUCER/ARRANGER CO-PRODUCER Sara Patsalidou studied Music and Musical Theater Ha Eun is a Musical Theatre Production Performance at the University of Southampton. She then student at Goldsmiths, London. pursued her postgraduate studies in Musical Theater and She completed her graduate diploma Performing Arts Production at the Goldsmiths University degree in Creative and Cultural of London where she had the opportunity to co-produce Industries in 2019. She assisted “The Valley of War”. Sarah’s time at Goldsmiths enriched directing several theatre performances her knowledge of innovation in creative ways of producing including musicals and plays in Seoul online theatre and organising a production from scratch. with the Korean theatrical company During her student life in London, she trained in Musical ‘U-rang’. She also worked as a K-pop Theater at the City Academy and the MXM Masterclass, producer/marketer along with Korean where she had the opportunity to participate in high-level entertainment companies and produced concerts such as The Best of the West End at the Royal a mini album which launched a Albert Hall with Ramin Karimloo, Ruthie Henshall, Ben showcase. She currently is a co-producer Forster, Mazz Murray, Layton Williams, Marisha Wallace, of “The Valley of War” with Sarah Lauren Samuels, Matthew Croke, Ben Haenow and the Patsalidou. London Musical Theater Orchestra. Experiences like this helped her gain the perspective of an artist on stage and the psychological state that a performer faces on stage, something that certainly strengthened her artistic perception as a performing arts producer.