Songs For A New World
In Songs for a New World is the first work by the American Jason Robert Brown . Sixteen Brown songs are staged in this musical revue (or theatrical song cycle ). It shows people who are at the dramatic and (traumatic) turning point in their life, confronted with having to decide for or against a next step, to venture into an uncertain future or to remain in the now, in standstill, in death .
The span ranges from refugees on a Spanish sailing ship in 1492 ( A new World ) to an inmate in his cell ( King of the world ) to Santa Claus's wife , who is the daily monotony, the eternal praise of “Rudolf the reindeer “And above all, she can no longer endure her husband's love affairs with the angels and packs her bags. ( Surabaya Santa )
The style ranges from swing to gospel and funk to rhythm and blues .
Performances
The world premiere took place on October 11, 1995 at the WPA (Workshop of the Players Art) Theater ( Off-Broadway ) in New York . Directed by Daisy Prince, the daughter of Broadway director and producer Harold Prince . The play ran there until November 5, 1995.
The German premiere took place on the five-year anniversary of the New York attacks on September 11, 2001 in Hamburg , where the play was shown from September 11 to 13, 2006. The former loading hatch 3 of the museum ship “ Cap San Diego ” at the Überseebrücke in the port of Hamburg was chosen as the performance location . Hundreds of leaflets with photos of the victims of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks fell down on the audience to the pensive sounds of "The Flagmaker", a US soldier's wife during the American Revolutionary War .
Cast in Hamburg
2 German texts by Wolfgang Adenberg Direction, equipment and production: Daniel Witzke
Actors: Charlotte Heinke, Femke Soetenga , Marc Seitz, Volkan Baydar
Band: Carsten Paap (musical director), Christoph Buskies (bass), Heinz Lichius (drums), Yogi Jokusch (percussion), Oliver Lüdecke (keyboard)
Cast in Vienna
Austrian premiere, December 7th, 2013 Off Theater Wien Complete translation by Wolfgang Adenberg, director: Caroline Stranka-Frank, musical director: Ronald Sedlaczek
Actors: Ulrike Figgener, Lisa Maria Greslehner, Philipp Dürnberger, Konstantin Zander
Band: Ronald Sedlaczek (piano), Sebastian Küberl (bass), Alex Kerbl (drums & percussion), Sandra Schennach (keyboard)
translation
The German translation comes from Wolfgang Adenberg and was premiered on March 6, 2010 as part of the Kurt Weill Festival in Dessau.
The pieces
| 1st act | 2nd act |
| 1. Opening: The New World | 9. The World Was Dancing |
| 2. On Deck of a Spanish Sailing Ship, 1492 | 10. Surabaya Santa |
| 3. Just one step | 11. Christmas Lullaby |
| 4. I'm Not Afraid | 12. King of the World |
| 5. The River Won't Flow | 13. I'd give it all for you |
| Transition I | Transition II |
| 6. Stars and the Moon | 14. The Flagmaker, 1775 |
| 7. She Cries | 15. Flying Home |
| 8. The Steam Train | Final transition |
| 16. Hear My Song |