Many of the best songs are dramatically precise and specific, but Brown can handle more ambiguous territory as well. He makes us feel how deeply the character believes in himself, and by the end of the song we believe in him too. This character could come off as overly cocky in the wrong hands, but Mitchell grounds his confidence as a response to the rough upbringing he’s had to overcome. Mitchell as a teenage basketball player who’s determined to take the world by storm. Another highlight is “The Steam Train,” featuring Dwayne P. Both the structure of the tune and Duncan’s performance underline the situation’s tension and uncertainty it’s funny and frightening all at once. This song centers on a woman who’s fed up with her marriage to a wealthy and unfeeling man: she threatens to end it all by jumping off a skyscraper. The best songs are those that are inspired by a brilliant kernel of musical storytelling, such as “Just One Step,” a number performed with rapid-fire bravado by Laura Marie Duncan. The piece is usually staged with a cast of four, but the company’s nine-person ensemble adapts to its structure without a hitch. It also provides SpeakEasy the chance to put forward plenty of talented performers. The concept is nothing if not flexible: it gives Brown the freedom to explore different narrative devices and musical genres without being confined to a rigid narrative. Each musical number is animated by a sense of change and uncertainty they often depict people who are about to make a choice to cross a threshold into something different - a new way of living. Yet the songs aren’t so disconnected that it comes across as a revue. It’s not quite a musical play because it lacks recurring characters and a narrative through-line. Songs for a New World is a piece that’s difficult to categorize. The play grapples with the jumble of emotions prompted by the end of the pandemic while also serving as a potent reminder of what a joyful experience musical theater can be. We may not be quite there yet, but it feels as if we’re on the cusp of a return to the customary.SpeakEasy Stage’s production of a virtual version of Jason Robert Brown’s Songs for a New World fits our moment of transition perfectly. This is a relief especially for those who make a living in the arts after a year and a half of closed performance venues, many are itching for the chance to create and experience theater live and in person once again. With COVID-19 vaccination numbers rising and cases steadily dropping, it seems as if things might finally return to normal. L to R: Rebekah Rae Robles, Victor Carrillo Tracey, Alexander Tan, and Mikayla Myers in the SpeakEasy Stage production of Songs for a New World.
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