Song For A New World reviewRaleigh Little Theatre Review Brilliantly sung songs in "Songs For A New World" Raleigh Little Theatre presents for its outdoor musical this spring the work, Songs For A New World, written and composed by Jason Robert Brown. When director Nancy Rich chose Songs For A New World, she made a choice that every single director who stages a musical must make. That choice is, do I cast singers who dance, or do I cast dancers who sing? It is clear that Rich chose the former. Of these eight cast members, each holds an impressive set of pipes, with dynamic ranges and the abilities to both solo and blend with intelligence and ease. The downside of this, however, is that the choreography for these 19 new songs is not as bright, tight, or spectacular as it might have been; and this may be one reason that these new songs failed to hold our imaginations. The New World Brown writes of is, of course, America; but it is not by any means simply Early America. In Act I, the first song, "On the Deck of a Spanish Sailing Ship, 1492," is a company piece led by Jeff Enoch as the captain of a ship looking for a new world. It is followed in sharp contrast by "Just One Step," a song sung by Dena Byers with gusto and required drama; but the set jumps from 1492 to a 50-storey apartment high-rise in downtown Manhattan. To read the rest of this Classical Voice of North Carolina review, click http://cvnc.org/reviews/2010/052010/RaleighLittleTheatre.html. Raleigh Little Theatre presents Songs For A New World at 8 p.m. May 21 and 22 in its Louise "Scottie" Stephenson Amphitheatre, 301 Pogue St., Raleigh, North Carolina 27607. TICKETS: $18 ($15 students and seniors 62+). BOX OFFICE: 919/821-3111 or http://www.etix.com/. SHOW: http://raleighlittletheatre.org/performances/09-10/songs.html. PRESENTER: http://raleighlittletheatre.org/. VENUE: http://raleighlittletheatre.org/about/amphitheatre.html. PARKING/DIRECTIONS: http://raleighlittletheatre.org/about/parking.html. NOTE: The rain date is 8 p.m. May 23rd. OTHER LINKS: The Musical: http://www.jasonrobertbrown.com/theatre/show.php?showID=songs (Jason Robert Brown's website), http://www.mtishows.com/show_detail.asp?showid=000191 (Music Theatre International), and http://www.lortel.org/LLA_ARCHIVE/index.cfm?search_by=show&id=605 (Internet Off-Broadway Database). Jason Robert Brown: http://www.jasonrobertbrown.com/ (official website), http://www.lortel.org/LLA_ARCHIVE/index.cfm?search_by=people&keyword=name&first=Jason&last=Brown&middle=Robert (Internet Off-Broadway Database), http://ibdb.com/person.php?id=11446 (Internet Broadway Database), and http://www.imdb.com/name/nm2212346/ (Internet Movie Database). You are here: Home > Reviews and articles about the theatre's productions > Song For A New World review |