This headphone opera follows a WWII bride from Britain as she faces new challenges as an immigrant in the USA in the 1940's. The opera comes full circle to the present day with immigration as a focus with children being separated from their families on the Rio Grande border. The opera premiered on November 10th in San Antonio Texas to two sold out shows with 200 headphones checked out for both performances.
ACT 2: S.S. Saturnia
i. FDR
ii. The Dance
iii. War Bride Ship
iv. Letters from Germany
v. The Atlantic to New York
Joe
I see you
Standing there
Dancing beauty
(dancing. Jean & Joe fall in love and immediately look to get married. Jean was previously engaged to an French Canadian soldier who died in action)
Joe & Jean
Time stands still
In your arms
Marry me
My Joe/Jean (respectively)
Jean
I’ve lost one before
To this war
Take my heart
(fast forward to shipman, signifying marriage and the beginning of Jean’s journey)
Shipman
All aboard the S.S. Saturnia
War Brides!
(on the S.S. Saturnia setting sail over the Atlantic. This is Jean’s first time seeing the ocean and she is alone as Joe is stationed back in Germany and will not return to the US for 18 more months. We also discover Jean is pregnant and is feeling alone leaving her family and Joe for the time being)
Jean
Virgin eyes
On ocean shores
Atlantic
CHORUS ( murmurs )
Shipman
In one week
You will see America
Jean
Breathing inside me
Please God
Save my family
I hope this letter finds you
Goodbye England
My heart is forever torn
from
The War Bride (Live Headphone Opera),
released January 2, 2019
CAST
Elise Miller (soprano) plays...
Jean Groundsell Contreras
James Dykman (tenor) plays...
Joe Contreras, Neville Chamberlain, grandchild
Jeremiah Drake (baritone) plays...
Franklin D. Roosevelt, Shipman, US Customs Officer, Juan
written by Nathan Felix
directed by Shane Howard
set design by Chris Sauter
audio engineering by Erik Wofford
poster artwork by Ben Humphreys
THE ORCHESTRA
Richard Castillo (conductor)
Michael Tijerina-Cho (oboe)
William Colangelo (clarinet)
Jacob Kolodziej (trumpet)
Joseph McLemore (trombone)
Florian Love (violin)
Gabriella Baez (viola)
Luke Bonecutter (cello)
Jaime Ramirez (piano)
Ben Humphreys (percussion)
Steph Huskin (soprano)
Nancy Poffenbarger (soprano)
Chancey Blackburn (alto)
Madeline Elizondo (alto)
JonRay Watson (tenor)
Gregory Hillard (baritone)