As director Tim Backes so aptly notes in the program for Songs for a New World, “the unknown can be frightening.” Thankfully, those who braved the unknown to see this latest production by newish theater company All-In Production were in for a rare experience. Songs for a New World is somewhat of a revue by Jason Robert Brown. This was Brown’s first show; it debuted in 1995 at the Off-Broadway WPA Theater. The show is a loosely knit assemblage of about 15 songs that Brown had composed for other shows and projects. Brown is most noted for creating the music and lyrics for the Broadway musical, Parade. The original Off-Broadway production boasted a cast of actors who, like Brown himself, would go on to bigger things: Billy Porter (Kinky Boots,) Brooks Ashmanskas (Martin Short: Fame Becomes Me,) Andrea Burns (In the Heights), and Jessica Molaskey (Sunday In the Park with George.) Although New World never made it to Broadway, it did produce an original cast recording, and the show has been performed regionally and across the globe, including productions in the UK, Australia and Paris. The show’s title is an apt one for the relatively new All-In Productions, which launches its fourth season with Songs for a New World. In addition to the duration of the theater company, there are other hints of “newness” here—from the local actors (three of whom are making their professional debut with the company), to the venue—Redeemer Lutheran Church. Thanks to some excellent sound mixing, the actor’s strong voices soar above an excellent, four-piece orchestra (under the direction of Alison Belokay). Although there are no sets, the lighting conveys the mood of each song. Some minimal but nicely executed choreography can be credited to Stephanie Staszak. The show’s conceit is that it focuses on young people facing a precipice. Each “character” experiences a moment of hesitation and reflection before moving into what, for them, is unknown territory. Songs range from the historical (a Spanish ship’s captain who is about to enter strange waters in 1492) to the hysterical (an anxious and neglected Mrs. Claus who is at the end of her rope over being “abandoned” by her husband each year on December 24). Each actor has a chance to shine during a few solos, although the group numbers tend to have the richest impact. The pixyish Jamie Mercado (Woman 1) seems the most exuberant and energetic of the group, as she gives an excellent rendition of “I’m Not Afraid.” The song reveals her hesitation at moving in with her boyfriend. The other female cast member (Laura McDonald as Woman 2) demonstrates her well-honed comic skills in two numbers. The first is Mrs. Claus in “Surabaya-Santa” (see above). In another tune, she plays an overprivileged (but again, neglected) housewife in “Just One Step.” She threatens to jump off the ledge of her 57th-story New York apartment unless she gets some attention from her husband, Murray. The male cast members are equally diverting. Patrick Jones delivers a deep, rich baritone in numbers such as “I’d Give It all for You,” sung as a duet with Jamie Mercado, and “She Cries,” in which he complains that he is unable to escape the “spell” a woman seemingly has over him. Indalecio de Jesus Valentin completes the quartet. He is the only performer to have been seen in another of All-In Production’s shows. Valentin shines in “The Steam Train,” about a young man from a poor New York neighborhood who is pinning his hopes on basketball to lead him to a better life. The foursome moves smoothly through the music numbers, thanks to the tight direction of Tim Backes, who also is the company’s associate artistic director. Costume changes are made seemingly in the blink of an eye, allowing the audience to differentiate between the characters and the dilemmas they face. It is an evening well-worth checking out for musical theater fans and admirers of All-In Productions.
