Dreaming of America
A family musical about the great emigration
On a sunny summer day in 1866, the ship "Christiania" sets sail from the dock in Oslo to embark on a grand adventure, carrying 350 emigrants across the vast Atlantic Ocean.
At the helm of this maritime endeavor is Captain Baltazar, who will soon find himself in a desperate race against time to avoid losing everything in a bet he made with his cunning and manipulative steward, Krøpen.
Meanwhile, the captain's son, Nøtta, despairs over his father's gambling addiction but discovers solace in an unexpected friendship with Asta Morell, a beggar girl who has sneaked aboard as a stowaway.
Nøtta is the proud owner of an English-Norwegian dictionary and therefore qualifies as the ship's language teacher.
Asta Morell finds herself under the protective wing of Petunia von Vift, a wealthy widow from the upper class who is tired of snobbish suitors and determined to capture the heart of an "ordinary" man. The most ordinary man nearby turns out to be the Captain, and to attract him she must learn the language and ways of the working class, a task made possible only with the help of the beggar girl.
As the ship sets sail, the challenges come thick and fast. During the voyage, the crew and passengers must brave treacherous storms, endure frustrating calms, navigate through dense fog, rescue women overboard, and narrowly avoid a collision with a colossal steamship. Adding to the drama is the looming threat of an invisible "Jonas" who seems to bring a curse upon the travelers. In the end it all comes down to seconds, and in the ruthless battle for the ownership of the vessel, both fair and foul means will be employed and exposed.
This is the action-specked storyline of the family musical, "Dreaming of America." The musical score of which spans a wide range of genres, from sailor's waltzes to funky tunes, all crafted by two of Norway's most seasoned hitmakers.
In 2025, we will commemorate the 200th anniversary of the first Norwegian emigrant ship's voyage to America. It's difficult to grasp the sheer scale of this emigration wave. Over a span of 60 years, nearly one-third of Norway's population left their homeland. Limited freedom of speech and religion were significant factors driving many to seek new horizons, but economic hardships also played a crucial role in the decision to leave their meager circumstances behind for the promise of a brighter future across the Atlantic.
Today, there are more descendants of Norwegians in USA than there are Norwegians in Norway, forging an exceptionally close bond between our two nations.
This historic occasion deserves to be celebrated, and we extend a heartfelt invitation to you to stage a condensed version of this musical at the Epcot Center in 2025. Let's bring to life the remarkable journey of Norwegian emigrants and honor the enduring connection between our nations with the enchanting and spirited "Dreaming of America."