In its fifth year onstage, Olney Theatre Center’s annual summertime series, Olney Outdoors, brings a late-summer treat to concert goers and musical theatre lovers alike with their recital-performance of Jason Robert Brown’s (JRB) “Songs for a New World.” Celebrating its 30th anniversary this year, “Songs for a New World” is a song-cycle pulled together of pieces JRB couldn’t or didn’t work into some of his other works. It has since become somewhat of a cult-classic in the community and regional theatre scenes for its low budget production value and intimate and accommodating four to ten-person cast, despite the difficult nature of JRB’s music. Curated by Kevin S. McAllister, and featuring some of the region’s Olney and Broadway veterans, soloist performers included Adelina Mitchell (“Wicked”), Rayshun LaMarr (NBC’s “The Voice”), Florrie Bagel (“Parade”), Michael J. Mainwaring (“Swept Away”), and Katie Mariko Murray (“Frozen”), along with backup vocalists Crystal Freeman, Alex De Bard, Dylan Arredondo, and Ryan Kieft.
…beautifully soared into the hearts of its audience…
Known for its complex harmonies and orchestrations, and bolstered by the cozy atmosphere and intimate setting of Olney’s Root Family Stage at Omi’s Pavilion, “Songs for a New World” beautifully soared into the hearts of its audience with the wonderful eight-piece orchestra that easily kept up with the challenging score, under the extremely capable direction of Olney’s Associate Artistic Director of Music Theatre, Christopher Youstra, who also tackled the intricate piano solos. While the sound balance of an outdoor theatre wasn’t ideal, there wasn’t an issue with hearing both the music and the performers. Their tight harmonies burst forth gracefully, complimented nicely by the backup vocalists, with a deserved shoutout to Ryan Kieft for his gorgeously rich baritone solo in “The River Won’t Flow.”
While each soloist served as a powerhouse in their own right, there were a few noteworthy performances that keenly captured the audience’s attention. “On the Deck of a Spanish Sailing Ship, 1492” was an early crowd favorite, honing the audience’s energy from the start, especially when smoothly navigating the a capella grouping at the song’s end. Florrie Bagel was riveting in “The Flagmaker, 1775,” gripping audience members with her emotional performance and rising vocals. Katie Mariko Murray also shone with her bright voice and tender performance, taking the first line of the concert. She also brought color and warmth to “The World Was Dancing” with duet partner Michael J. Mainwaring, with a soaring voice of his own. She was able to flaunt her comedic chops in “Just One Step.”
While there were some small musical or vocal hiccups here and there, the lightly unpolished nature of the concert clearly did little to hinder the audience’s enjoyment and arguably, succeeded more in making it a genuinely intimate and unique performance. It is rare to see such high caliber productions of this score due to its musical difficulty and rarer still to enjoy it under the “Stars and the Moon,” as the song goes. With one week left of performances, Olney Outdoors’ song-filled night under the stars may just be the perfect way to end your summer.
“Songs for a New World” ran August 14-15, 2025. Olney Outdoors runs through August 24, 2025 at Olney Theatre Center, 2001 Olney Sandy Spring Rd, Olney, MD 20832. For more information and to purchase tickets, please go online.
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