On a remote island torn apart by war, three newcomers arrive by boat with promise of a bridge connecting the island of Hope to modern civilization. As the newcomers campaign the islanders to embrace change and move on, they find themselves falling in love with the island and the women who inhabit it.
Convincing the islanders to trust strangers is harder than first expected. And as the newcomers find themselves falling in love with the island and the women, their mission is thrown into a tailspin as they struggle with duty and matters of the heart. Roy finds a worthy adversary in the ever-faithful Katherine, who spends her nights on the beach waiting for her husband to return from the war. Although all the other widows have accepted their husband’s fate, Katherine tirelessly waits for hers to return. This undying faith and devotion attracts Roy in a way that he did not expect.
Meanwhile, Charlie, naturally nervous and fearful, finds calm and peace in the embrace of Katherine’s adventurous sister, Miranda, who is desperate to get off the island, and is fixing up a sailboat to that end.
When a shack is discovered on a remote side of the island, Katherine becomes convinced that her husband Beecher is in the shack, and suddenly Roy finds himself in competition for the woman of his dreams, with a man who may or may not exist.
However, Roy’s main adversary is the island Minister, Samison, and his wife, Gouda. Suffering from the loss of their own son in the war, the couple have drifted apart, and Samison has lost his faith entirely. However, the two agree on the dangers that strangers can be to their island, and their fear creates a new bond between the two. As they start building a coalition against the bridge, Miranda convinces Charlie to sail away from Hope, and to take her to the new world on her sailboat. The next morning, the youngest islander, Ayla spreads the news of Miranda’s disappearance, and Samison uses this news to convince the islanders of the dangers these strange new men present.
As plans for the bridge begins to unravel, it becomes more apparent that the bridge will not happen. But what is uncertain is whether or not these newcomers will succeed with their plan to help the islanders move on.
Faith, devotion and a community’s awesome power of denial are themes in this magical musical with a lush score. Consisting of nine female roles, five male roles, and a large female ensemble, Hope is a heartwarming, heartbreaking and evocative piece that leaves audience members talking long after the curtain falls.
Female roles:
KATHERINE – Mid/late 20s. A spirited and feisty young woman who is in complete denial of the harsh realities of life. Happily content to tend to her garden until her husband returns, she has a great sense of humour and is kind to those in need, but fiercely loyal to her ideals and those she loves.
GOUDA – 40s. Katherine and Miranda’s elder sister, and wife of the minister, Samison. She has ruled her home with an iron fist, and always believed that if she followed God’s plan all would be well. But after the death of her son at war, her husband has abandoned his spiritual beliefs, leaving Gouda alone with her faith. She is strong-willed, stern and traditional, but inside lonely and afraid. She must cling to her faith, because that is all she has left.
MIRANDA – Early 20s. Gouda and Katherine’s adventurous younger sister who is desperately looking for more than life on the island of Hope can offer. Filled with vim and vigour, Miranda is the high-spirited young woman who takes matters into her own hands to create her destiny. She is confident, warm, affectionate and highly motivated.
MARVEL – 40s. The leader of the islanders, and Ayla’s mother, Marvel is a formidable woman who sticks by tradition at all times. She is loyal to her followers, level-headed, and tries to rule in a just and humane manner, all the while trying to raise an impetuous daughter on her own.
DEVON – Mid/late 40s. The island prostitute and tavern owner. Since the men are gone, Devon has no customers, which is a welcome relief to her. She is a strong fighter and can take almost anything thrown her way. After years of abuse and degradation, she is tired and is always open to the idea of change.
AYLA – Teens. The youngest on the island, Ayla is sweet, innocent and longing to learn more about life. Because she doesn’t judge, Ayla truly loves Katherine, and acts as her confidante and helper. She is adventurous, with a strong spirit and an aching to be noticed by the adults around her.
FRIEDA – 40s. The island gossip-monger. Always excited to spread the latest juicy detail to her fellow islanders. Friendly, bubbly and full of life, Frieda doesn’t follow the herd, choosing to live in her own reality.
REGAN – Teens. The prettiest girl on the island. She is in her early teens and practically floats around the island like royalty. She is your typical pretty teen, obsessed with her looks. Once the men arrive, she is obsessed with them.
LUCRECIA – Teens. Terribly shy, Lucrecia feels like a freak in her own body. As she grows into a woman, she becomes increasingly uncomfortable in the body she has been given, when all she really wants to do is blend into the woodwork. She is incredibly sweet and loving, just too shy for her own good.
Male roles:
ROY – 30s. Confident, elegant, all business, but charming when he needs to be. A born salesman, Roy can convince anyone to buy whatever he’s selling, so he is perfect for the job of convincing the people of Hope to build a bridge to connect them to the new world.
SAMISON – 40s. The island minister who lost his son in the war and has turned his back on God and his faith. As the one remaining man on the island, he feels he must show strength and try to lead the women around him. He is angry, broken, desperately sad, and incredibly dangerous.
CHARLIE – Late 20s. A hypochondriac engineer who quietly sits in the background and does what he is told. Charlie plays by the rule books, and is a hard worker, and becomes torn between sense of duty and his heart when he starts to fall in love. But as he grows more in love each day, he also discovers something else he never knew he had: courage.
BEECHER – Late 20s. Katherine’s husband. A God-loving, kind, generous man who would give his life for Katherine. Even in bad times, he always has the mindset to thank God for all his many blessings, mainly Katherine. And when things go wrong, his faith keeps him strong, and he knows one day God’s plan will be realized. A good, decent, soft-spoken man.
LUCIEN – 30s. A crude, rugged man whose rustic good looks are diminished by his brutish demeanour. Thrilled to land on an island filled with women, Lucian quickly forgets what they are doing on the island, and uses every opportunity to conquer the women around him.
MASON – 20s. The island idiot. Left behind because he was too weak and sickly to fight in the war, Mason stumbles around the island trying to be useful and desperately trying to earn the love of Miranda. Impressionable to a fault, sweet, loving, attentive and always under heel, Mason just wants to be loved.