A Girl in Persia
A Girl in Persia is an epic sung-through full-length musical set in the royal palace of Shushan during the Achaemenid Empire—the First Persian Empire. In a kingdom ruled by powerful men, an ordinary orphan girl somehow or other gets involved in drama and danger of imperial proportions. Surrounded by expectations, prejudice, and uncertainty, she must rise above it all. What shall become of her? What will she do to shine?
Featured Songs
Feast of Persia
The year is 500 B.C. in the glorious Persian Empire. A grand royal feast has been going on for around 6 months, but now for a week it opens to the public in the capital of Shushan. The reigning king is King Xerxes or more faithfully in Persian, King Khashayar. The servants sing about how lavish the… Read more
Listen & learn more
Sage Advice
The king's seven male advisors/sages come up with a solution to deal with the rebellious behavior of the queen (and by extension all women in the kingdom). They propose to banish the queen and write some royal decrees to further strengthen the patriarchal society.
Listen & learn more
Fast for Me
Eventually, a new law was made by Haman, and Queen Esther is faced with the choice to risk her own life to save her people, as the penalty for approaching the king's throne without warning, even for the queen, is death. Her final request is, fast for her.
Listen & learn moreAll Musical Numbers
1. Feast of Persia
The year is 500 B.C. in the glorious Persian Empire. A grand royal feast has been going on for around 6 months, but now for a week it opens to the public in the capital of Shushan. The reigning king is King Xerxes or more faithfully in Persian, King Khashayar. The servants sing about how lavish the… Read more
Listen & learn more
2. The Queen’s Arrival
The king calls upon his queen, Vashthi, to appear to be shown off to the crowd on the feast's final day, building up grand expectations from the feast-goers, but alas, due to whatever unknown reason, she refuses to show up and a ruckus is caused.
Listen & learn more
3. Sage Advice
The king's seven male advisors/sages come up with a solution to deal with the rebellious behavior of the queen (and by extension all women in the kingdom). They propose to banish the queen and write some royal decrees to further strengthen the patriarchal society.
Listen & learn more
4. Sage Decree
As usual with royal matters, the decision by the king and his sages is made into law, translated into every language of the land, and sent out to everybody through the royal messengers.
Listen & learn more
5. Someone that You Will Love
The king remembers his ex-queen and is sad, but his servants remind him of the next steps that will be taken shortly to find a new queen: By gathering each and every beautiful eligible virgin from every corner of the kingdom (whether they like it or not)! The king approves the execution of this plan… Read more
Listen & learn more
6. What a Time to Be Alive
The virgins are gathered to the palace in Shushan, which is a song that is not ready yet, but it might be ready in the next special preview!
Learn more
7. Do with Me
When the virgins were gathered at the palace in Shushan, there was a special girl who appeared, catching the attention of head eunuch Hegai. Something about her is very special and he notices.
Listen & learn more
8. Sun After Sun
Meet Mordecai, a mysterious man who cares about Esther. And also enter the house of women in which Hegai instructs the virgins. For this song, do bear with Benjamin, who will be standing in as Esther, before teresa's recording is available.
Learn more
9. What You Wish to Bring
Hegai tells the women that it is time to see the king; to choose jewelry, ornaments, and other things which they wish to bring for their night with the king.
Learn more
10. Put on Me
It is now Esther's turn to choose what to put on herself when going to the king. To start off, he gives Esther these instructions.
Learn more
11. Shining like the Sun
Eventually, after going through hundreds if not thousands of women to be his queen, the king has just experienced the best night of his life, with a girl named Esther.
Listen & learn more
12. Who is She?
Esther leaves the king for the first time. The king wonders who exactly she was, and asks his servants. Fortunately all his servants like Esther very much and give her the highest praise.
Learn more
13. New Queen of Persia
This is where the king throws a feast for Esther for her crowning. Everyone important turns up. There is celebration, rejoicing, dancing, feasting, and even a holiday in her honor. This is the moment!
Learn more
14. The End of the King
Eunuchs Bigthan and Teresh are up to no good, before Mordecai foils their plans to assassinate the king.
Learn more
15. Write It Down in History
Mordecai's heroic whistleblowing was written down in the chronicles of Persia, only to be forgotten... until the right time.
Learn more
16. Haman
After some time has passed in the empire of Persia, the king made a man named Haman the most powerful man in the empire (besides himself).
Learn more
17. Pur
Haman uses divination and cast lots to determine when the best time is to wage war against the Jewish people.
Learn more
18. A Peculiar People
The king's right hand man, Haman, makes a proposal to the king to eliminate a certain people from the Persian Empire.
Listen & learn more
19. The End is Real
The Jews receive Haman's mandate to eliminate every of their old and young, woman and child in the Persian Empire—in each province, in each state.
Listen & learn more
20. Sold to Bloodshed
Surprisingly there was a delay in the mortifying mandate to reach Esther, so this is where she finds out.
Learn more
21. Am I a Lie?
Esther contemplates her place as both the Persian Queen and a Jew whose people are going to be eliminated by Haman's royal mandate, ruminating the consequences and the weight of the situation, and what she is willing to do.
Learn more
22. Fast for Me
Eventually, a new law was made by Haman, and Queen Esther is faced with the choice to risk her own life to save her people, as the penalty for approaching the king's throne without warning, even for the queen, is death. Her final request is, fast for her.
Listen & learn moreCast Recording Album – Act 1
currently in production
Music, lyrics, mixing, mastering, male demo voices, and classical guitar by BIBLE THE MUSICAL
Latest songs completed
- 11. Shining like the Sun (5:05) – 90% complete – Listen access by request only
featuring teresa as Esther, co-produced by PAUL HYDE, JUSTIN RAYNA, BERNADETTE GOH, LIS SNIDERMAN, PALOMA MARTIN, and EDINA MATSUO - 7. Do with Me (2:36) – 90% complete – Listen access by request only
featuring teresa as Esther
Full list of songs
- 1. Feast of Persia [Act 1 Opener] (6:37) – 70% complete
with ethnic percussion by MACIEJ GIZEJEWSKI, trumpet solos by NEBOJSA PAVLOVIĆ
- 2. The Queen’s Arrival (3:21) – 70% complete
with metal instrumental section demo by ALEXANDER THINMAN, ethnic percussion by MACIEJ GIZEJEWSKI, trumpet solos by NEBOJSA PAVLOVIĆ
- 3. Sage Advice (5:36) – 90% complete
with qanun by MADIHA NECHI
- 4. Sage Decree (1:25) – 65% complete
- 5. Someone that You Will Love (4:01) – 25% complete
with flamenco guitar by MARCYO BONEFON
6. What a Time to Be Alive (5:15) – 15% complete
- 7. Do with Me (2:36) – 90% complete – Listen access by request only
featuring teresa as Esther
8. Sun After Sun (12:14) – 20% complete
9. What You Wish to Bring (3:53) – 30% complete
10. Put on Me (5:48) – 25% complete
- 11. Shining like the Sun (5:05) – 90% complete – Listen access by request only
featuring teresa as Esther, co-produced by PAUL HYDE, JUSTIN RAYNA, BERNADETTE GOH, LIS SNIDERMAN, PALOMA MARTIN, and EDINA MATSUO
12. Who is She? (2:15) – 25% complete
13. New Queen of Persia (2:30) – 25% complete
14. The End of the King (1:53) – 25% complete
15. Write It Down in History (2:30) – 30% complete
16. Haman (3:30) – 35% complete
17. Pur (1:04) – 35% complete
18. A Peculiar People (5:28) – 30% complete
19. The End is Real (4:30) – 20% complete
20. Sold to Bloodshed (3:26) – 20% complete
21. Am I a Lie? (3:25) – 30% complete
- 22. Fast for Me [Act 1 Finale] (7:16) – 85% complete – Listen here
featuring teresa as Esther and choir members ANASTASIA PATSAKIDOU, VICTORIA K, TATIANA PIERFEDERICI, SOPHIE BOUEY, ANNA BAXE, DENISE PAHANG, LEAH SCHULT, JAKE SHEFFER, IAN PHILLIPS, DANIEL EMMY, JOAN RICHARDS, VLAD KIM, MELISSA CHRISTINE, ANA NICOLE, IFEANYI EZE, AHAJI ANNA, ODUCHE KOSY, ONUOHA JOHANA, EZEMADU CHISOM EDMUND, MBAH HENRY, DON VAL , EZEH PATRICK, EZEOKE STANLEY, NWITE JOHNBOSCO OGONNA, OBINNA COLLINS, OKORO FRANKLIN KELECHUKWU, CHINECHEREM, ELIAS AJIR, and more!
Act 2 is being written… Coming soon!
The Music
Instead of the usual pop or Broadway-style music, the genre of the musical can be described as "world music meets Broadway". The melodies, chord progressions, and scales have Middle-Eastern influence. Instruments like qanun, bendir, darbuka, dohol, dohola, riq, and tombak have already been recorded, and in progress are Plucked Strings: Oud, tar, rubab, divan—Bowed Strings: Kamancheh and qeychak—Percussion: udu, dayereh, daf—Reed: Qoshmeh, ney, sorna, karnay. As Justin Rayna (award-winning producer and composer) puts it, “You're really capturing the environment! and sense of the culture in the music!”
p.s. A stripped-down version of the score featuring only a guitar, a violin, and a cajon (with some cymbals) will be available too, capturing its essence and spirit, in the case of non-availability of world music musicians.
History
A Girl in Persia is a project by the band Bible the Musical. It has its roots in 2020 when Benjamin Yong—a poet, film composer, and musical theatre lover—decided to let go of his career in digital marketing and video production to combine his three passions and expertise to make a full-length musical that he wished existed. A Girl in Persia was born. With a lot of love for Middle-Eastern-inspired music since his youth, he started his years-long journey to bring this huge musical to life.
What's Next?
Sign up for our newsletter and follow us on social media in order to keep up with the latest developments! Right now, we're working on producing demos for Act 1 and completing the libretto for Act 2. We welcome opportunities for collaboration, so if you'd like to be one of our singers, musicians, critics, sponsors, or collaborators, feel free to reach out!
More Reviews
Cast & Creatives
Taina Hernandez
Esther (On-screen)
CREDITS: Recent appearance and vocal performances include Long Live The Texas Queen: a Selena tribute concert at Marietta's Theatre on the Square, The role of Erzulie on Once on This Island also at Marietta’s Theatre on the Square. And Nine: In Concert by The Jennie T. Anderson Theatre in Atlanta. T… Read more
Benjamin Yong
Composer (Music, Lyrics), Producer, Guitar, Demo vocals
Benjamin is the man leading the project. A poet, film composer, and musical theatre lover, he left the corporate world to pursue his artistic roots. Right now he lends his voice to all the demos until they are replaced with a proper cast, making as much progress as he can and getting all the help th… Read more
Julienne Magbanua (teresa)
Co-composer (Music, Lyrics), Esther (Streaming/Demos)
Julienne Magbanua (teresa) is a singer-songwriter and composer hailing from the Philippines. Her interest in musical theater started when she joined a theater club in grade school. This love for theater music grew even more in high school, and in 2018, she started composing an unfinished musical wit… Read more
Musicians
Christos Chatzopoulos
Oud
Christos Hatzopoulos (ΧΡΗΣΤΟΣ ΧΑΤΖΟΠΟΥΛΟΣ) was born, grew and lives in the Thrace. From adolescent years he dealt with the music. He participated in various musical events (popularly festivals, marriages, dances, concerts). He studied with outi the traditional music of Thrace, and the oriental music… Read more
Maciej Gizejewski
Percussionist
A seasoned percussionist, recording artist, and producer with two decades of experience in performance and 15 years in recording and sound engineering. Worked with notable artists including Vibraslap & Trilok Gurtu, Panagiotis Andreou, Jose Torres, Skalpel Big Band, Stanisława Celińska, Stanisła… Read more
Madiha Nechi
Qanunist
Madiha contributed the qanun accompaniment in our number "Sage Advice". Based in UAE, she has played qanun at many events and festivals in the UAE, Tunisia, Morocco, and Algeria. She is also the head teacher of music at an international school. With many years teaching and performing, Madiha is amon… Read more
Marcyo Bonefon
Guitarist (Flamenco)
Marcyo Bonefon contributed flamenco guitar on our number "Someone that You Will Love" and some of our other demos. Born in 1973 in Montevideo, Uruguay, he began his musical studies at home with his mother, a singer and guitarist. He also studied guitar, harmony, and jazz improvisation with his cousi… Read more
Nebojsa Pavlović
Trumpeter
Nebojsa Pavlović is a trumpet player from Belgrade with a background in both classical and jazz music. He studied at the Academy of Fine Arts in Belgrade and trained with renowned mentors across Europe. Since 2012, he’s been a dedicated educator, with his students winning awards at competitions in S… Read more
Rajat Prasanna
Flautist
Alexander Thinman
Metal instrumentatlist
Choir
Ifeanyi Eze
Choir Co-organizer, Bass
ABOUT: Ifeanyi coordinated a big part of the virtual choir that will appear in future demos of "Fast for Me". A go-getter from Nigeria, he wears many hats as well: Public speaker, tutor, social critic, political activist, and medical professional.
Ineska Dabrowski
Soprano
Ineska Dabrowski is a dynamic and multilingual performer, educator, and cultural facilitator whose artistic journey spans several disciplines. Born in London and raised in Spain, she has cultivated a rich background in music, theatre, and education. She holds ABRSM Grade 8 in flute, Grade 6 in voice… Read more
Daniel Emmanuel
Tenor
Daniel Emmanuel is a passionate tenor singer, pianist-in-training, and final-year Biotechnology student at Kaduna State University. Based in Kaduna, Nigeria, he began his music journey in 2018 and has since grown in skill and purpose. With a deep love for God’s work, Daniel is committed to using his… Read more
Denise Pahang
Alto
Denise is a passionate vocalist, songwriter, violinist, and PhD Biomedical Engineering student at the University of Virginia. In her free time, she performs in her university's orchestra and livestreams gaming content. She regularly hosts fundraising events for non-profit organizations and hopes tha… Read more
Anastasia Patsakidou
Soprano
Greek soprano Anastasia Patsakidou began her professional career at the age of 19 and has since been a part of various opera and musical theater productions, concerts, oratorios and original works. She is currently based in Aachen, Germany where she recently played the title role in X. Montsalvatge'… Read more
Vlad Kim
Tenor
Vlad Kim is a dedicated full-time freelance voice-over artist and session vocalist who specializes in pop, jazz, and R&B production. Operating from his professional studio, Vlad brings expertise and versatility to projects across multiple genres. His comprehensive service offerings are designed… Read more
Kelly Even
Soprano
Kelly contributed soprano vocals for our Act 1 Closer "Fast for Me". Training: Northern Kentucky University (Acting 1, with Charlie Roetting), Madcap Education Center (Ballet 1 with Anna Rae Brown; Musical Theatre Dance level 1 with Genevieve Perrino), Building Confidence (Musical Theatre Dancing an… Read more
Joan Richards
Alto, Soprano
Joan Richards is a Legal Practitioner, vocalist, song writer and fashion designer with over a decade of experience in rendering vocal services.
Sophie Bouey
Soprano
Sophie Bouey is a Toronto-based actor, singer, puppeteer, dancer, writer, and photographer. Born in China and raised on Vancouver Island, she began performing in plays and musicals at the age of 5. While completing the four-year BFA in Acting program at the University of Windsor, she trained in a br… Read more
Victoria K
Soprano
Victoria contributed soprano vocals for our Act 1 number “Fast for Me.” Training: Extensive vocal training with Olivia Whelan; masterclasses in Hamilton, Newsies, The Prom, and Everybody’s Talking About Jamie with Lauryn Ciardullo; workshops in Dear Evan Hansen and Aladdin at Emil Dale Academy. Addi… Read more
Blog
Listen to the full demo album
Get our exclusive early preview full demo album of A Girl in Persia: A New Musical in your inbox!
Get accessPre-buy the digital show
Support us by pre-ordering the digital show which you will be able to watch. Own the digital staging at a special rate!
Inquire nowHelp produce the show
If you like what you see and hear, donate out of your heart to support the production and development of A Girl in Persia: A New Musical! We have mostly funded the production and development out of our own passion and pockets!
Donate nowGet a license to stage the show
The show is still in development, but you are most welcome to take a few seconds to register your interest so that we can inform you as soon as it's available for licensing!
Register your interestCollaborate with us
Collaboration is everything, and theatre is a collective art form, so we welcome anyone to contribute their talents to the development and production! If you love what we are doing, please let us know how you can be a part!
Involve me!Contact us
Any other questions, inquiries, doubts, or just want to say hi? We are looking forward to hearing from you and saying hi!
Send a message