[NEohioPAL] SONGS FOR A NEW WORLD TO TAKE ASHLAND STAGE

[Tricia Applegate]

SONGS FOR A NEW WORLD* to Take Ashland Stage*

Ashland University Department of Theatre continues their 2013-2014 season
"Exploring World and Self” with the Smash-Hit, Off-Broadway musical *Songs
for a New World* by Jason Robert Brown. Co-directed by Dr. Teresa
Durbin-Ames, Associate Professor of Theatre, and senior musical theatre
major Emily Jeppesen (Jefferson, Ohio), evening performances begin at 7:30
PM in Hugo Young Theatre on February 14, 15, 21 and 22, along with a 2:00
PM matinee on Sunday, February 16.


Billed as a series of songs connected by the theme "It's about one moment,"
this Pop, Gospel, Jazz musical revue transports audiences through time and
across the world from the deck of a 1492 Spanish ship to a ledge 57 stories
above Fifth Avenue. Cast members introduce us to a startling array of
characters ranging from a young man who has determined that basketball is
his ticket out of the ghetto, to a woman whose dream of marrying rich nabs
her the man of her dreams and a soulless marriage. As explained by Miss
Jeppesen, "Each one [character] is somewhere in the midst of a major
upheaval where they must make a choice; some make that choice during or
immediately after the song, while others reflect on the decisions they have
made in their lives and where those decisions have taken them.  All of
these people are on the edge of the cliff about to throw themselves off,
and some turn to God for strength while others look within themselves for
the power to take that step into the unknown."


The driving, exquisitely crafted score by Brown runs the gamut of today's
popular music.  Dr. Durbin-Ames emphasizes, "He was only 25 when the show
opened [in 1995], yet the structure and content of the songs show a
maturity beyond his years. The score was recorded by RCA in January of 1996
allowing another generation of musical theatre artists the opportunity to
listen over and over again to the songs as Brown himself did as a
child. Since *Songs for a New World*, Brown has worked not only as a
composer and lyricist, but as a rehearsal accompanist, keyboard player,
music director and orchestrator. A few years later, Brown would have the
chance to write the music and lyrics for *Parade* directed by Harold
Prince. The show won a Tony Award for Best Score gaining Brown recognition
of his work."

The five cast members who portray multiple characters in the show include
senior musical theatre majors Katie Mounts (Ashland), Kelsey Bowens
(Willoughby), Jacob Poiner (Wellington) and Christian Neely (Amherst),
along with junior theatre major De'Andre Peterson (Garfield Heights).

In addition to co-directing the production, Dr. Durbin-Ames and Miss
Jeppesen are choreographers for the show while Dr. Rowland Blackley,
Professor of Music and Director of Choral Activities, is the music
director. The production crew includes senior theatre major Kelli Lennox
(Gahanna) as the set designer, lighting design by Jason Coale, Assistant
Professor of Theatre and Resident Scenic Designer; costume design by Sarah
Russell, Assistant Professor of Theatre and Resident Costume Designer; and
Technical Director J. Michael Desper is the sound designer. Sophomore
theatre major Natalyn Baisden (Wooster) and junior theatre major Taylor
Stepp (Atwater) are the show's stage manager and assistant stage manager,
respectively.
New for the 2013-2014 theatre season is "Inside the Season" pre-show talks
which are offered before the second Friday performance of each production.
The "Inside the Season" pre-show talk for *Songs for a New World *will be
held Friday, February 21, 6:45 p.m.  Patrons will have an opportunity to
discuss the show with the directors who will lead the pre-show talk. They
will give audience members the inside story as they learn more about the
production and its creators.

Tickets for the performances are: $10 for adults; $9 for senior citizens,
students, University faculty/staff; $8 for groups of 10 or more; and $2 for
Ashland University students.

To purchase tickets, call the Ashland University Box Office at 419-289-5125,
Monday through Friday, 12:00 PM to 6:00 PM; or purchase online 24/7 at
www.ashland.edu/tickets. For more information about the department of
theatre, visit www.ashland.edu/theatre, find us on Facebook at
www.facebook.com/AshlandUniversityTheatre or contact Tricia Applegate,
coordinator of performing arts publicity and events, at 419-289-5950 or
tapplega at ashland.ed <tapplega at ashland.edu>u.
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