This is the story of a young couple in love, their lives, their deaths, and the survivors. Tomislav is of Serbian descent and Samira's family is Muslim. Up until the early 1990s, many families of mixed heritage lived in Sarajevo.

From 1992 to 1995, Bosnia-Herzegovina experienced a resurgence of nationalism. Tomislav is pressured to join a Bosnian Serb military unit and even to renounce his affection for Samira. Samira's family, particularly her grandmother, is suspicious of non-Muslims. The living conditions in Sarajevo and in all of Bosnia-Herzegovina become dangerous and difficult. The couple marries despite their families' reservations, but they decide that in order to live a normal life they must leave the country.

Unfortunately, the risk is too great. Tomislav and Samira are killed as they try to cross the bridge out of the city. The rest of the story focuses on what it might have been like for the families and friends who remain and questions the ideology which forces diverse communities to become racially homogenous.

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PALACE OF THE FIELDS (approximately 2-1/2 hours)
by Renae Angeroth

CHARACTERS:
Milan (Mee-lawn): Father of Tomislav. Married to Bozana. Serb.
Bozana (Bow-zhawn-a): Mother of Tomislav. Married to Milan. Serb.
Tomislav (Tom-ees-slav): Son of Milan and Bozana. Serb.
Nena (Ne-na): Grandmother of Samira, mother of Amina. Married to Dedo. Muslim.
Dedo (Deh-doh): Grandfather of Samira, father of Amina. Married to Nena. Muslim.
Amina (Ah-meen-ah): Mother of Samira, daughter of Nena and Deda. Muslim.
Samira (Sa-mee-rah): Daughter of Amina. Muslim.
Nikola (Nee-ko-la): Friend of Tomislav and Samira. Serb.
Djurdje (Zhour-zhay): Younger friend of Nikola and Tomislav. Serb/Croat.
Hiba (Hee-ba): Friend of Samira’s family. Muslim.
Company

ACT I
Sarajevo Overture - Orchestra

Scene 1 (Two identical apartments: Bozana, Milan and Tomislav in one;
||||||||||Samira and Amina in the other)
Serbian Lullaby - Bozana and Milan

Scene 2 (Street or korzo in Sarajevo)
The Korzo - Milan and Company
Tribute to Tito - Company

Scene 3 (Street from 1967 to 1992)
Love in Sarajevo - Tomislav and Samira
Love That Cannot Be - Tomislav, Nikola, Djurdje

Scene 4 (Muslim apartment)
A Love That Cannot Be, Reprised - Nena and Samira

Scene 5 (Edge of Vrbanja Bridge)
Vrbanja - Tomislav and Samira

ACT II
Scene 1 (Samira and Amina's apartment)
Muslim Lullaby - Amina

Scene 2 (Garden area of apartment)
Wedding Vows - Tomislav and Samira
Sarajevo Overture - Orchestra Postlude
Fast and Far Away - Nena, Amina, Hiba, and Samira
When We Were Children - Nena and Dedo

Scene 3 (Sniper hut next to Miljacka River)
Zilavak and Blantina - Djurdje, Nikola, and Serb military unit
Secret of My Shame - Female choir

Scene 4 (End of Vrbanja Bridge)
Vrbanja Reprise/On the Bridge - Tomislav, Samira, Djurdje, and Nikola
War Echoes - Nikola

ACT III
Scene 1 (Bridge)
Sarajevo Lullaby - Amina, Bozana, Milan
Fast and Far Away Reprise - Djurdje, Nikola, Milan

Scene 2 (Soccer field/Cemetery)
Palace of the Fields - Muslim, Eastern Orthodox, Roman Catholic clerics, families, crowd

Scene 3 (Sarajevo street)
City Under Siege - Company

Scene 4 (Amina's apartment)
You Stay in My Mind - Amina and two friends

Scene 5 (Street, destroyed by war)
Transition - Company
Dayton Polka - Company
Aria - Nena and Dedo
Legacy - Nena and Company

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