Theater Review - 'Songs For A New World'

By Cindi Sansone-Braff

You would be hard-pressed to find a more talented group of performers or a more polished production than Gateway’s opening show of the season, Songs for a New World.

For those of you who are unfamiliar with this show, it is a well-composed collection of songs that deliver some powerful messages. Jason Robert Brown, a 25-year-old composer/lyricist, pieced together 16 of his songs written for other creative projects, added a few new songs, linked them together thematically, and created Songs for a New World.  Originally produced off-Broadway at the WPA Theatre in 1995, this theatrical song cycle was directed by Daisy Prince, the daughter of Broadway legend Hal Prince. With this in mind, don’t come expecting the traditional musical show with recurring characters and a plot structure that has a beginning, middle, and end. It’s similar in format to Jacques Brel Is Alive and Well and Living in Paris, the 1968 musical revue that eschewed conventional narrative storytelling and just allowed each song to tell its tale. However, in Songs for a New World, the musical numbers in this show are loosely thematically connected, thus creating an overarching narrative for the show. 

I have seen other productions of this show that have left the audience baffled as to what they just saw because it has no script, a bare set, and nameless characters. Kudos to Gateway’s directors, Michael Baker and Danny Loftus George, for their creative decision to use the first act as a testament to the COVID-19 pandemic, with a salute to essential workers, a nod to the isolation of quarantine, and a musical memorial to those souls lost along the way. From the moment the talented Mary Kate Moore entered all masked up, took center stage, and then ever so slowly lifted off her mask, this highly emotionally charged, theatrical sojourn began. The second act traveled back in time to 1979, when the AIDS crisis first hit.  

The poignant lyrics in the opening number, “The New World,” let the audience know from the get-go what this song cycle is all about: “It’s about one moment … when you’re on the verge of success, the sky starts to change, and the wind starts to blow.” In this show, as in life, some people survive the life-changing jolt. Sadly, some succumb; nonetheless, faith, hope, and a belief in the wisdom, mercy, and goodness of God give many of these characters the strength to get through the dark night of the soul.

Each of the songs, in this two-act musical collection of stories, features a character who is in the midst of a life-changing event. These diverse characters are all struggling to survive these life-altering moments and must make choices as to how they want to live the rest of their lives in the context of this new world. This is a very timely sentiment as we all struggle to adjust to the new normal created from the COVID-19 pandemic. The takeaway message of hope for the audience is to simply remember the adage: When one door closes, another opens.

Caleb Mitchell, dressed like a minister, gave a powerful performance as he belted out the song, “On the Deck of a Sailing Ship, 1492,” begging God for mercy and the strength to go on. Mr. Mitchell has an incredible voice and a commanding stage presence. The audience was visibly moved during his soulful rendition of the spiritually uplifting song, “Flying Home.”

Alyssa Wray, fresh off of her recent appearance on American Idol as one of the top ten finalists, is a natural on stage, with the most captivating of voices. Dressed in scrubs, wearing PPE, she left the audience in tears with her soulful delivery of “I’m Not Afraid of Anything.”  

Christian Douglas is an energetic, versatile performer, who can sing, dance, and act, and his acrobatic skills thrilled the audience. He stole the show with his drag queen rendition of “Surabaya-Santa,” which is a parody of Kurt Weill’s torch song, “Surabaya Johnny.” 

Jordan Goodsell gave a standout performance in one of my favorite musical numbers of the evening, “The River Won’t Flow.”  

Mary Kate Moore has an angelic voice and moved around the stage with lightness and grace as she delivered the breathtakingly beautiful song, “Christmas Lullaby.”

Morgan Billings Smith displayed her comedic talents and her strong vocals with the song, “Just One Step,” where a wealthy, neurotic woman threatens to jump off of a building in a futile attempt to get her husband’s attention.

The knockout performances from this talented cast, the expert staging, the live orchestra, and the riveting songs all came together to make this an unforgettable night of theatre. At times, you will feel like you’re in the middle of a gospel revival meeting, and other times you will feel like you’re sitting in an intimate jazz club or hanging out at a comedy club. These thought-provoking, heartrending, and often funny songs remind us that even in the midst of life’s tragedies and disasters, there are always moments of humor that lighten our load. With all that said, the bottom line is this: You will be thoroughly entertained.

Without powerful, charismatic singers, great direction, and a professional orchestra, this show would be a hard one to pull off, but Gateway’s performers did not disappoint, and the show was a smashing success. Tickets start at $49. Teen and youth prices are available for select shows. For more information, contact the Box Office at (631) 286-1133, or visit the website at TheGateway.org. 

Cindi Sansone-Braff is an award-winning playwright. She has a BFA in Theatre from UCONN and is a member of the Dramatist Guilds. She is the author of two self-help books, Grant Me a Higher Love and Why Good People Can’t Leave Bad Relationships.