After suffering an injury during a military tour of Afghanistan, Michael, a young soldier, is recovering in the rehabilitation wing of a hospital. The last thing he wants is to spend time with a twelve-year-old girl, but Halley, a spirited Pathfinder and self-described “reading fiend,” is eager to earn her community service badge. The pair is at odds from the start, but they find a shared interest in The Red Badge of Courage, the classic American Civil War novel, which spurs them to reveal their own stories. As their friendship grows, uncomfortable truths are exposed and questioned, redefining the meaning of courage and heroism. Reviews: "[Armstrong's War] sidesteps any obvious melodramatic moments with a quick joke or a surprising sharp turn and it provides warm and thoughtful moments..." —David C. Jones, Charlebois Post — February 2014 "Framed in surprising plot reversals, a nuanced discussion of hope emerges." —Colin Thomas, Georgia Straight — February 2014 "A script built to last." —Mark Leiren-Young, Vancouver Sun — April 2014 About the Playwright: Colleen Murphy won the 2016 Governor General’s Literary Award for Drama and the 2014 Carol Bolt Award for her play Pig Girl. Her play The December Man (L’homme de décembre) won the 2007 Governor General’s Literary Award for Drama. Other plays include The Breathing Hole, Bright Burning (I Hope My Heart Burns First), Armstrong’s War, The Goodnight Bird, The Piper and Beating Heart Cadaver. She is also an award-winning filmmaker and her distinct films have played in festivals around the world. As a librettist, she has worked with composers Aaron Gervais on Oksana G. and with August Murphy-King on the short opera My Mouth on Your Heart. Colleen has been Writer in Residence at the University of Regina, McMaster University, University of Guelph, Wilfrid Laurier University and the University of Alberta. |