By Cory Bilicko
Entertainment Writer
Numerous reviews on the Web espouse the musical revue Songs for a New World by Jason Robert Brown as a surprisingly unified showcase of songs that weren’t originally intended to go together, and, apparently, the show has been a favorite among small theatres nationwide.
Songs is a four-performer revue of 19 character-driven songs that are musically sophisticated, vocally challenging, and representative of disparate people in diverse circumstances with unique problems. What the songs (and the characters) have in common with each other is the theme of community— how, ultimately, it’s nearly impossible to go at it alone and that we really need each other. It’s a laudable notion, especially in our plugged-in but physically disconnected modern world of online social networking sites, texting and tweets, and International City Theatre (presenting Songs as its season closer) has excellent vocalists to bring that message to life: Parnia Ayari, Anthony Manough, Brent Schindele and Jennifer Shelton.
Unfortunately, there are moments that feel as if Brown is out of touch with the “new world” which Songs purports to address. For example, in the number “The Steam Train,” a young black man from a poor, inner-city neighborhood fantasizes about fleeing his destitution by becoming a famous basketball player. He explains that, of the 12 boys who were in his fifth-grade class, four are now incarcerated and six are dead. He plans to carve out a different path for himself in the NBA, but rather than dreaming about endorsement deals and fame, he just wants to live to see his 21st birthday. He repeatedly tells the audience, “You don’t know me, but you will.” The end of the song doesn’t reveal his fate, so his statement leaves us to interpret whether it means we’ll know him through his ultimate renown or by reading of his demise in the newspaper.
The song’s idea is indeed contemporary and complex, but the outdated metaphor of the boy as steam engine works against it and makes the songwriter seem almost culturally detached. Songs for a new world? It’s possible that the steam engine is meant to draw a loose connection to John Henry, but to see these talented performers mimicking the circular motion of a train’s wheels is a bit unsettling.
Other songs in the production are just as fleshed-out, but without any regrettable elements that render them outmoded. The most rewarding is “Stars and the Moon,” which offers a woman seeking the glamorous life as she relates her experiences with three suitors. The first two weren’t wealthy but were dreamers who promised her commitment, hope, truth, passion and adventure. She rejected them both, opting for the third man because he can provide her riches and a yacht. After years pass and she’s experienced a life of luxury, she reflects and realizes she’ll “never have the moon.” She’s found a life that gives her everything she could want, and now that she’s stuck in it, she realizes there’s nothing left to dream about. (I found 18 different recordings of this song on iTunes and purchased the one that sounded the least theatrical; sorry to say Ayari’s version is not available there, since she sang it beautifully and straight-forwardly, letting the story take center stage.)
There are other examples of songs that are touching and intriguing, with very specific folks in gripping situations. The songwriter has played with irony and straddled the line between humor and tragedy. However, a few of the pieces, including the prologue “The New World,” (which was written last) come across as vague and sappy, without real context to ground them.
When Shelton sings “I’m Not Afraid of Anything,” however, she is the epitome of the modern, headstrong woman— unafraid of darkness, dragons or growing old. By the end of the song, we realize her courage has made others afraid of her and she’s become so invincible that no one can break through her wall of strength to get close to her. It’s a post-modern conceit, a cautionary tale and a true song for a new world.
Songs for a New World will continue through Nov. 15 at ICT in the Long Beach Performing Arts Center, 300 E. Ocean Blvd. Tickets are $35 to $45. Visit www.ictlongbeach.com or call (562) 436-4610.
