Gonzalo Valencia-Peña
Book, Music, and Lyrics for Goblins & Gates
Gonzalo is a proud immigrant, composer, lyricist, educator, ex-physicist, and all around music practitioner. He came to the US with his family at the age of 8 and fell in love with music making in high school. Over the years, he has played his part in helping to bring music and art to audiences and communities all around the NJ/NYC area. As music director, arranger, and orchestrator, recent work includes: Broadway Backwards 20th Anniversary (Broadway), La Llamada (Repetorio Español), and New Voices (Papermill Playhouse). His original works have been showcased in the form of readings, concerts, workshops, and full productions at 54 Below, Montclair State University, Bergen Performing Arts Center, 4th Wall Theatre, Pleasant Valley Productions, and more. Gonzalo lives with his amazing wife and is committed to making beautiful things in rooms with awesome humans. More at @gonz0_kindofamuppet and gonzalovalencia.com.
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Michael Campbell
Book, Music, and Lyrics for Goblins & Gates
Michael Campbell is an actor, librettist, lyricist, and dungeon master. Through tabletop and roleplaying games, he was inventing characters, weaving quests, and learning how story and collaboration shape one another long before he ever wrote dialogue for the stage. Michael has written a number of short plays, as well as two musicals, both with collaborator Gonzalo Valencia-Peña. Their latest work, Goblins & Gates, has been showcased in readings and concerts all over New York and New Jersey, including Montclair State University, 54 Below, and the New York Theater Festival. Michael also has an engineering degree and is the father of two adorable goblins with tremendous imaginations.
Why are you excited to bring this piece to the O'Neill and what are you hoping to accomplish here?
The O’Neill has so many tools and resources that can be brought to bear to help emerging writers like us to deliver the truest version of the work we envisioned when we began this project. Using those resources, we hope to have a new, exciting version of the show that both theater-goers and gamers can relate to and enjoy. We're looking forward to finding what works (as well as what doesn’t). Excited to work!
What inspired you to create this piece?
We’re both gamers, from tabletop to video games and everything in between. Whether it’s playing cards, Monopoly, or Mario, games have a special place in people’s hearts. This show is a love letter to the games we played and still play—as well as the people who sat at the table or on the couch with us, saving princesses and leveling up.
Why are you drawn to plays/musicals as a medium for storytelling and/or for telling this particular story?
Gamers and theater people are essentially the same; they’re adventurous, they love a great story, and really pay attention to how music is used to help tell stories. It’s only natural that we’d use music to encapsulate the silliness and solemnity that can occur when playing the games that we love. Plus, we realize musicals were the only medium that could convey multiple characters' viewpoints simultaneously and in harmony.
What advice would you give to aspiring playwrights?
Ask for help. Write whoever you look up to and want to learn from. People are kind and want to be helpful. We have been helped by many incredible teachers, friends, and peers. If you write something and don’t like it, rewrite it. If you want feedback, ask for it. If you need a break, take one. There is no one path, but I don’t know of anyone who made it to where they are alone.
Gonzalo and Michael's reading recommendations to accompany your experience with Goblins & Gates:
Recursion by Blake Crouch
Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin
On Writing by Stephen King
Dungeon Crawler Carl by Matt Dinniman
Kings of the Wyld by Nicolas Eames
Legends and Lattes by Travis Baldree
Super Powereds Series by Drew Hayes