Valhalla 2024

About the Show

Welcome to Valhalla! This is a place of warriors, valor, and merriment. In Norse mytholgy, Vikings who die in battle are chosen by Odin (the chief god of war) and escorted by the Valkyries (his loyal “shield maidens”) to feast and fight in the “hall of the slain” known as Valhalla. Those who come to Valhalla know they must fight alongside Odin in the age of Ragnarok, the cataclysmic destruction of the cosmos and everything in it – even the gods.

Valhalla | A Viking Rock Opera follows the story of Sven, the newest Viking of a Norwegian clan. Seven years after his father left on a Voyage to settle a new land, Sven, under the leadership of his jarl (chief), Magnus, enters the exotic world of Britain with its strange Christian religion. But when the Vikings’ raiding expedition goes wrong, Sven finds himself alone and out of his element. Desperate to find his way back to Norway, he makes a hostage of a young nun named Mary, who helps him steal a ship and undertake a reckless voyage.

Together, Sven and Mary must overcome their differences as they sail beyond the limits of their worlds, confronting powerful storms, cruel villains, voices from beyond, and crises of faith. Their quest for hope and truth takes them beyond the limits of imagination and into the magical realm of the gods. The only question is what is real.

Director's Note

This play was my dad’s idea, to whom I dedicate it. With a proud Scandinavian heritage, ancestors named after the characters of Wagnerian operas, and the privilege of living in the age of rock music, somehow we both understood that it was our family’s duty to bring a Viking rock opera into existence. My dad’s original idea was to put the music to the tunes of classic rock songs, such as matching the phrase “We’ll Go to Valhalla” with Queen’s “We Will Rock You”. But I didn’t think that would fly with copyright law, so I got creative with my own melodies (as did some family and friends who caught the vision).

Despite my efforts to be authentic, what was my surprise when, at a rehearsal, I heard Queen’s famous rhythm (boom boom clap ... boom boom clap). With out any suggestion from me, the actors were pounding their feet and clapping their hands to the rhythm of “We Will Rock You”. Perhaps this wasn’t about plagiarism or artistic expression. It was about fate, a match made in Valhalla, as my wise father somehow knew. I only hope that when dad and I meet Freddie Mercury in Valhalla, he won’t cleave our heads off with an axe. Though I wouldn’t be surprised if he does, because that’s what they do in Valhalla.

I'd love to hear what this play means to you. Come talk to me afterward (Sir Hector/Odin).

— Stephen Gashler