Review: SONGS FOR A NEW WORLD at West Fargo Sheyenne

West Fargo Sheyenne Theatre Presents: Songs For A New World

This one is kind of hard to describe so I actually had to do a little research on this. Songs for a New World had it's off Broadway debut in 1995 and is described as a Song Cycle or an Abstract Musical. It's about one moment. It's about hitting the wall and having to make a choice... or take a stand... or turn around and go back. These are the stories and characters of today, the Songs for a New World.

The original production featured only 4 performers, and this production features only 8 (and some dancers featured on video throughout the show) but what an 8 they chose. We see a beautiful, but simple, set with only 1 piece and no set change throughout the show.

The team at Sheyenne chose 8 powerhouse performers to bring this show to life. There is no "lead" in this show and any one of these single performers could be the lead in any other regular musical production. The power and range of these 8 voices is something special. I will just go in the order they were featured.

The show kicks off with the opening number The New World and each of the 8 performers gets to show off their voice. The way these 8 blend together is just beautiful.

Jaden Dahlin is the first to get a true solo performance with On The Deck of a Spanish Sailing Ship. WOW this kid can sing. I remember Jaden from We Will Rock You but I don't remember his voice being quite this powerful or having this range. He transitions from low to high with such ease. In Act 2 we also see a beautiful duet featuring Jaden and Avery Moxness on I'd Give it All For You but the true shining moment for Jaden is his final solo performance on Flying Home. I literally got chills and teared up at the same time when he hit some of those notes.

Next up we have McKenna Reiser on Just One Step. This was a fun song and McKenna gets to use a New York accent and she shows off some great range and comedic chops here. Her next solo was another real funny one called Surabaya Santa. McKenna plays a scornful Mrs. Claus singing to her husband. With lyrics like "I saw you look at Blitzen long and lovingly
The way you used to look at me" and "you sit by yourself on the couch in the den
And you watch "Miracle on 34th Street" I was laughing throughout. McKenna did a wonderful job.

Avery Moxness comes out strong on her first solo with I'm Not Afraid of Anything. A beautiful performance on a song about realizing the people you love have been holding you back. I mentioned earlier about the duet between Avery and Jaden on I'd Give it All For You. This was an amazing performance about 2 lovers reuniting.

Henry Christiansen is first featured in his performance with Matt Stiel on The River Won't Flow. This song is about 2 derelicts swapping stories about bad luck. We get to see Henry show off his dancing ability on this song also. Henry has a great voice and stage presence here, but my favorite of his was on The World Was Dancing with Gabby Mowery. This song tells the story of his father starting, then losing, a business and how this affects his decision to leave his fiance.

Matt Stiel, as mentioned above, gets to show off his vocal and dancing skills on The River Won't Flow. We even get to see him do the moonwalk which brought a smile to my face! The next song we hear Matt featured on is King of the World about a man that is in some type of prison and demands he be set free to be leader of the world. Matt hits some great notes during this performance.

Alexis Sauvageau is featured on our first transition and definitely leaves everyone wanting to hear more from her beautiful voice. Her full solo comes on The Steam Train and was definitely worth the wait. Alexis has an absolutely amazing performance on this fun and upbeat song. We are treated one more time to her solo voice on another transition later in the show.

Kaitlin Bitzegai is next and starts off with an absolutely stunning performance of Stars and The Moon which tells the story of 2 people and the rich man she eventually marries. In Act 2 we hear Kaitlin tell the beautiful story of a woman discovering her pregnancy on Christmas Lullaby.

Gabby Mowery starts off with her beautiful duet performance with Henry on The World Was Dancing.

Her final solo performance is on The Flagmaker, 1775 about a women whose husband and son are fighting in the revolutionary war and she is sewing a flag and trying to keep hope alive. Another beautiful performance by Gabby.

The show also features all 8 singers on a few more songs and these are simply perfection. The connection and obvious respect these 8 singers have on stage is clearly evident and just cements this amazing show. I am so glad that Anthony Peterson and Marilyn Laliberte chose this show, I can't imagine any other show that could have featured these 8 wonderful performers this well.

I also need to give a huge shout out to the amazing pit featuring over 20 incredible musicians. It's not often that the pit outnumbers the cast by that much.

I truly hope you will take an opportunity to see this show. West Fargo Sheyenne continues to impress with every show. Check out this link for tickets.

https://web.ovationtix.com/trs/cal/32415/1612155600000

***Photo Credit - Mike Benedict

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