The Acting Loft Academy of the Performing Arts is pleased to continue its long tradition of presenting undiscovered and rarely performed productions by presenting, Jason Robert Brown's musical masterpiece, Songs For A New World as part of their 2008/2009 Mainstage season.  Performances will be held at their studios located at 516 Pine Street in Manchester, NH.  Opening night is Friday, February 20^th at 7:30pm with additional performances on Saturday, February 21^st at 7:30pm and Sunday, February 22^nd at 2pm.   

Songs For A New World was written and composed by Jason Robert Brown.  Its original off-Broadway production opened in 1995 and was hailed by critics as the future of modern musical theatre.  A series of songs connected by theme rather than narrative, the show combines nineteen different songs and musical styles to tell the individual stories of its character.  Composer Jason Robert Brown has said of the show, "It's about one moment.  It's about hitting the wall and having to make a choice, or take a stand, or turn around and go back."

Songs For A New World was Brown's first show and he has since gone on to write the critically successful musicals, Parade, The Last Five Years and his most recent work, 13.  The music of Songs For A New World is heavily influenced by a broad range of musical genres including pop, gospel, jazz and classical music.

Audiences will be invigorated and touched by the heartfelt stories that take place on the deck of a Spanish sailing ship, the ledge of a building 57 stories above Fifth Avenue. They will meet 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 a rich man nabs her a soulless marriage.  These are the of people today and Songs For A New World provides a look into the worlds of the people living around us that we often take for granted.

Songs For A New World features an eleven person cast of favorite area performers including, Sue Bechard, Nathan Barnes, Katie Goodman, Kirstin Kennedy, Craig McKerley, Nina Weinstein, Emily Ellet, Jacob Zentis, Mario Arruda, Mary Reilly, and Mackenzie Robert.

Songs For A new World is part of the Acting Loft's Mainstage performance series which stages full-scale musical productions using live musicians as well as complete sets and costumes. 

Seating is reserved and tickets to Songs For A New World can be purchased in advance by call The Acting Loft box office at 666-5999. 

The Acting Loft Academy of the Performing Arts is a not-for-profit performing arts organization dedicated t offering the highest quality theatre arts education and entertainment to children and adults of all ages from the Southern New Hampshire region.