When I saw the Green Room’s production of SONGS FOR A NEW WORLD, which opened January 9, it was at a final dress rehearsal the previous evening.
Something about the experience of seeing this song cycle – about characters on the cusp of change – just ahead of its presentation to the community proved to be amazingly evocative. Gorgeously rendered, with vocals of almost unbelievable power, it was an experience I’ll surely never forget.
In many ways, the timing of the show – like most of its musical numbers – couldn’t be better.
The first local show of 2009, this production of SONGS runs just ahead of a historic inauguration that is a break from the past in a dozen different ways. Additionally, to see it on the heels of a holiday season celebrating both the anticipation and realization of long-held hopes, at a time when we mark the passing of a year and the turn of the seasons, is to see it at just the right time.
And for the Green Room Theatre, which is at a major turning point in its own history, there has to be some connection to this deeply moving, totally contemporary material.
In the 24 hours leading up to the dress rehearsal I saw, Green Room’s artistic director Tyson Danner (who stars in this show) found his organization evicted from its building. In that same time, the entire production (and associated equipment) was moved, re-staged, re-blocked, re-lit, and ready for a professional review.
Compared to many a show I’ve seen in the past dozen years, in fact, this SONGS FOR A NEW WORLD is more than ready for critics and audiences to take a look.
(In truth, a couple of quibbles – no, merely quibble-ettes – I had with the show concerned staging and choreography, but these minor issues were probably taken care of long before the next 24 hours has elapsed.)
A cast of four performers delivers this diverse collection of musical numbers – which are connected only by theme – and the music they produce is simply great. Ranging from heartbreakingly lovely ballads, straightforward pop songs and riotously funny comedy pieces to rousing jazz- and gospel-influenced numbers that will take your breath away, SONGS is inspired and inspiring. There is never a maudlin moment, and the direct, almost simple presentation of this material serves all of it well.
The cast, loaded with talent, serves SONGS even better.
Steve Quartell, whose rich voice has a timbre that suits his on-stage persona, sings mostly songs about love – the kind that confounds, and the kind that never ends, among others. Though his solo work is almost too big for the venue, he controls his voice during duets and quartet vocals so that the blend is well-done. His character’s exasperation during "She Cries" and the romantic performance of "I’d Give It All For You" (a duet with Cara Chumbley) are among his best work in SONGS FOR A NEW WORLD.
Chumbley’s voice, meanwhile, is not quite so big. But she holds her own in this ensemble just the same, and the sweet fragility of her vocals is moving, both during the duet and with her solos, "I’m Not Afraid of Anything" and "Christmas Lullaby."
Sarah Ulloa, who can deliver powerhouse vocals and quietly intimate lyrics with equal ease, gets the big comedic numbers in SONGS, including the laugh-aloud "Just One Step" and "Surabaya Santa," which she delivers with all the intensity you expect from this seasoned talent. The depth she lends "Stars and the Moon" and "The Flagmaker, 1775" is terrifically evocative, and she makes them both unforgettable.
Danner employs a beautiful tenor that has a stunning emotional range – from fragile and haunting to earnest and impassioned – and he turns in a thrilling, totally committed performance throughout. The powerful "The River Won’t Flow," which closes out the first act, showcases Danner’s voice sublimely, and you’ll spend intermission believing you’ve been blown away by his performance. Yet, in Act Two, he pours heart and soul into "King of the World," a song full of jaw-dropping feeling, then stuns you one more time during "Flying Home," which features his almost unbelievably gorgeous voice.
Even without the context, this performance would be an incredibly strong one, but Danner has created something beyond magical here, and I suspect this show’s remaining performances will be standing room only.
Make sure you are part of the crowd that packs the house during SONGS FOR A NEW WORLD.
