A series of seemingly unrelated songs becomes a whole over the course of the performance of Songs of a New World, the first production in the 14th season of Farmers Alley Theatre.
It's an early experiment in music theater for four leads by composer/lyricist is Jason Robert Brown, who would go on to write The Bridges of Madison County and Parade. Farmers Alley Theatre deputy director Rob Weiner says Songs for a New World is resonating anew with theater companies across the US as they emerge from the silence of the pandemic. Acclaimed actor/director Jerry Dixon, who got his start in theater in Kalamazoo, reveals some of his directing secrets: storyboarding, over-preparing, letting performers show who they are, and ruthlessly editing to find the greatest clarity in a scene. Cast member Nattalyee Randall, whose vocal prowesss has roots in church, says she can relate to the different points of view in the songs she performs. The cast was chosen from video submissions from around the country, and includes Cara Palombo, who studied at the WMU Department of Theatre. Jos N. Banks and Matthew Stoke round out the cast.