Songs for a New World

[FosseFan]

Posted: 5/2/04 at 5:23pm

I was wondering if anyone knows anything about Songs for a New World. I went to MTI's website and it really doesn't give much information on the show. I have the cd and really enjoy it and was thinking that it could be a great show for my college to do next year. Any info would be great! Thanks a ton!

[broadwaystar2b]

Posted: 5/2/04 at 5:41pm

I believe it was Jason Robert Brown's first show produced in New York. It was basically a revue of some really great songs he wroteto get his name out. The original production was directed by Daisy Prince (Hal Prince's daughter).

[Mattio98]

Posted: 5/2/04 at 6:02pm

It's a fantastic 4 person revue by JRB. If you want to do it, make sure you have the following:

1) A GREAT piano player. This music is very difficult to learn and to play. Were talking about "finger-blurring" piano parts.

2) Great talent who can sing AND act. The music can be difficult to learn and to sing.

3) A high pop tenor. Man 1 bangs out a B Flat or higher many times during the show.

4) A good director who can play with the contexts of the different musical numbers.

Good luck!

[iflitifloat]

Posted: 5/2/04 at 6:37pm

It doesn't have to be performed by a cast of four. I saw a wonderful production by the 4th Wall Theater Company in Morristown, NJ during September, 2002. They had 10 or 11 in the cast. The interpretation of the songs was used to pay homage to 9/11 on the first anniversary. I liked it so much that I went back three weeks in a row.

[Jamie Hat]

Posted: 5/2/04 at 8:30pm

I will 2nd these:

Have a REALLY good piano player / musical director.
Have REALLY good singers. (JRB music demands it)
And one of the men has to be a supertenor. (Listen to the end of Flying Home) 2nd to last track.

[King Stevos]

Posted: 5/2/04 at 9:31pm

Oklahoma City University, did songs for a new world with a large cast also.
STEVO

[sweeedboy]

Posted: 5/3/04 at 1:44pm

The piano player is an incredible must, listen to teh beginning of 'king of the world.' As for the super tenor, the guy on the cd actually does a lot of improving which is higher then actually written(he also goes flat a couple of times... eek)...for the end of flying home a good baritone can sing it the way its actually written. The main hard part for the tenor is in steam train. I was in a production with about 11 people and it worked fabulously.

[Unknown User]

Posted: 5/3/04 at 10:50pm

It is one of my favorite shows of all time. I absolutely adore this show. I saw it when they did it in DC at the Kennedy Center. You can see it on their website too.

[Jamie Hat]

Posted: 5/4/04 at 1:11pm

If you can cast it, taking the higher octaves in Flying Home is the way to go.