Jason Robert Brown's 'Songs for a New World' Soars

If Emperor Joseph II of Austria had been in the packed Music Center at Strathmore last evening, he may have gone up to Jason Robert Brown, as he did in Peter Shaffer's play "Amadeus" to Mozart and said, "My dear young man, don't take it too hard, Your work is ingenious. Its quality work. And there are simply too many notes, that's all. Just cut a few and it will be perfect."

Brown doesn't need to cut any notes from his "Songs for a New World". The first five notes that he played with his right hand to start the evening are haunting and memorable. Those five notes are an introduction. They're saying, "Sit back, relax, you're in for a ride".

And what a ride. Before an enthusiastic, packed hall (which seats about 2,000), Brown and an incredibly talented four other musicians, were the background for four stellar performers who sang their hearts out and seemed to be enjoy every minute. What a quartet.

There was Tony nominated Alice Ripley who not only has incredible comedic timing but a gorgeous voice. Tony nominated Brian D'Arcy James was successful at comedy as well as romanticism. Soon coming to Broadway as "Sebastian" in Disney's "The Little Mermaid", Titus Burgess who brought down the house numerous occasions. And a newcomer from the Broadway stage, Laura Griffith, was the lucky one who started the evening singing "A New World"…with a light touch.

This was a thrilling evening. This was the closest this area has been to the successful "Encores" series in New York where Broadway shows is performed concert-style with the cast normally singing their music on music stands with a large symphony orchestra accompanying them. (As a matter of fact, Griffith came straight from her appearance over the week-end in the Encores' series and had only three days to learn her part.)

There was no orchestra on stage but it certainly sounded like one. Kudos to Randy Landau (bass), Shawn Galvin (percussion), Brian Dunn (drums) Gary Siege (guitar), and of course, the composer and music director on the Steinway.

This hybrid of an evening, bringing Broadway music to the gorgeous Strathmore Hall (which is the Baltimore Symphony's home away from home) was a joint production of the Signature Theatre and Strathmore. The director, Michael Baron, Signature's Associate Director, did a masterful job, with his minimalist approach to the work and there was great lighting that enhanced the evening.

There was a nice touch for the finale. The final song sung by the cast is "Hear My Song". At the end, the four performers surround the piano, a spotlight shines on Brown has he sings, "Listen to the songs that I sing, we'll be fine". It was a goose-bump moment.

There is so much to write about the performances. But let me sum it up. DO NOT MISS THIS SHOW TONIGHT!! Final performance is at 8 p.m. It's not often you get a chance to such a talented composer perform his own work with such an amazing cast of singers AND actors.

I noticed the exuberant audience was comprised of mostly young people. I recall Brown's dad, Stuart Mark Brown, in a Letter to the Editor to the New York Times confronting a Times' article about the dearth of new composers on Broadway around the time of Brown's Tony winning musical "Parade".  Stuart sadly passed away last year. But I'm sure he must be smiling seeing the great reception his son's music is bringing to a new generation of Broadway patrons.

"Songs for a New World" can be seen Thursday night, May 17 at 8 p.m. at the Music Center at Strathmore, 5301 Tuckerman Lane, North Bethesda. Tickets are $21-$50. Call 301-581-5100 or visit www.strathmore.org.

For comments, cgshubow@broadwayworld.com.

Photo - Jason Robert Brown

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