Armstrong’s War

November 11-December 6, 2015

Access the Study Guide HERE

Armstrong’s War involves a chance encounter between a plucky 12-year-old girl, a Pathfinder, wheelchair-bound as a result of an accident, and a 21-year old soldier in an Ottawa Rehab Hospital following a tour of duty in Afghanistan. From shared readings of Stephen Crane’s The Red Badge of Courage, what evolves is an unlikely friendship, as well as an emotional battleground over the value of a life.

Armstrong’s War connects with the Ontario curriculum in several unique ways:

  • It allows students to engage with the geography, history and politics curricula by invoking a discussion of the war in Afghanistan.
  • Students can engage with the English curriculum through the novel The Red Badge of Courage and its connection to the story being told on stage.
  • Armstrong’s War also allows students to connect with the health and science curricula, as it engages with themes of mental health and coping with trauma.
  • It is also a bold piece of theatre with young professional actors and thus of great relevance and interest for the drama students.