Songs For A New World - UTSA Lyric Theatre

Production Staff

Bill McCrary

Jordan Boyd

Michelle Pietri

Billie Whittaker

Ben Grabill

Nathan Thurman

Michelle Pietri

Ben Grabill

Ben Grabill

Events Manager

Band

Jordan Boyd

Billie Whittiker

John Coker

Kristi Tabersmith

Sean McCurtain

Dorian Speights

Music Director Choreography

Rehearsal Accompanist

Set Design

Lighting Design

Costumes

Technical Director

Sound Engineer

Wesley Penix

Rolando Ramon

Marketing Coordinator Director

Pit Vocalist

Pit Vocalist

Aiden Milliron Conductor Piano Bass Drums Percussion

Songs For A New World is presented through special arrangement with music theatre international (MTI)

All authorized performance materials are also supplied by MTI. www.mtishows.com

Video recording is strictly prohibited.

For more information on this or other MTI shows visit:

https://www.mtishows.com/a-little-night-music

Cast

Alexandra Sanchez *

Bernadette Fernandez +

Marlina Gamez *

Emma Martinez +

Nicolás Andrés Garza

Michael Reyes

Dylan Ramirez

*designates 4/4 and 4/6 performer

+designates 4/5 and 4/7 performer

Dancers

Kayleen Alvarado

Jackie Cardona

Jackie Flores

Kenya Johnson

Jordan Kraus

Madison Leistra

Sophia Richardson

Ashley Soto

Bianca Villareal

Thalia Vivens

Songs

ACTONE

OpeningSequenceI:TheNewWorld-Company

OpeningSequenceII:OntheDeckofaSpanishSailingShip,1492Nicolas/Company

JustOneStep-Marlina/Emma

I’mNotAfraid-AlexandraSanchez/BernadetteFernandez

TheRiverWon’tFlow-Nicolas/Michael/Company

Transition-Bernadette

StarsandtheMoon-Marlina/Emma

SheCries-Dylan

TheSteamTrain-Michael/Company

Therewillbea15minuteintermissionbetweenacts.

Concessionswillbesoldinthelobby.

ACTTWO

TheWorldWasDancing-Dylan/Bernadette/Alexandra

SurabayaSanta-Marlina/Emma

ChristmasLullaby-Alexandra/Bernadette

KingoftheWorld-Michael

I’dGiveItAllForYou-Dylan/Bernadette/Alexandra

Transition-Nicolas

TheFlagmaker,1775-Marlina/Emma

FlyingHome-Nicolas

FinalTransition:TheNewWorld-Company

HearMySong-Company

Synopsis

Songs for a New World is, according to Tony Award winning composer, Jason Robert Brown, “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.”

With a rousing score that blends elements of pop, gospel and jazz, featuring tight harmonies and darling vocals, Songs for a New World transports its audience from the deck of a Spanish sailing ship bound for a new land, to the ledge of a New York penthouse Characters range from a young man in the Bronx who dreams of becoming a famous basketball player, to a forlorn and neglected Mrs. Claus lamenting as Christmas approaches.

A small but powerful diverse cast and a supercharged, well-crafted score appeal to old and new generations alike as each character -- in their own way -- takes hold of that one moment and enters a new world.

ACT I

Opening Sequence: The New World – Company

The company sings of the evening's central theme: that even when everything seems stable and certain, there is "one moment" that can upend and change anyone's life.

On the Deck of a Spanish Sailing Ship, 1492 – Nic and Company

On the voyage to an undiscovered country, a ship's Captain prays for the safety of the souls aboard his ship.

Just One Step – Marlina/Emma

A wealthy wife climbs out onto the window ledge of her 57th-story apartment in an attempt to get her neglectful husband's attention.

I'm Not Afraid of Anything – Alex/Bernadette

A young woman reflects on the fears of the people she loves and comes to realize how they have held her back.

The River Won't Flow – Nic/Michael and Company

A pair of derelicts swap stories of woe and ill luck, concluding that for some, bad luck is just fate.

Transition I – Bernadette

Stars and the Moon – Marlina/Emma

Recounting the stories of two poor suitors and the rich man she eventually marries, a woman comes to realize what she has sacrificed in exchange for wealth and comfort.

She Cries – Dylan

A man describes the power the emotionally manipulative woman he is in love with holds over him.

The Steam Train – Michael and Company

A teenager from a poor neighborhood in New York boasts of his future as a basketball star His bravado is undercut with a spoken monologue revealing the disadvantages he is determined to overcome.

Act II

The World Was Dancing – Dylan, Alex/Bernadette and Company

A man tells the story of how his father bought, then lost, a store, and how the experience influenced his decision to leave his fiancée.

Surabaya Santa – Marlina/Emma

In a parody of the Kurt Weill torch song, Surabaya Johnny, Mrs Claus sings a scornful, teutonic kiss-off to her neglectful husband.

Christmas Lullaby – Alex/Bernadette

A woman reacts with wonder and joy to the discovery of her pregnancy.

King of the World – Michael

A man in some form of prison, either literal or metaphorical, demands that he be freed and returned to his rightful place as a leader of men.

I’d Give It All for You – Dylan and Alex/Bernadette

A pair of former lovers reunite after attempting to live without each other.

Transition II – Nic

The Flagmaker, 1775 – Marlina/Emma

A woman, whose husband and son are fighting in the Revolutionary War sews a flag while attempting to keep her hope alive and her house standing.

Flying Home – Nic and Company

A soldier, who has died in battle, sings as his body is flown home to his mother and he crosses over to another life.

Final Transition: The New World – Company

Hear My Song

The company, as if singing a lullaby to a child, express their hope and how they have gained strength from each other.

Jason Robert Brown

Jason Robert Brown has been hailed as “one of Broadway’s smartest and most sophisticated songwriters since Stephen Sondheim” (Philadelphia Inquirer), and his “extraordinary, jubilant theater music” (Chicago Tribune) has been heard all over the world, whether in one of the hundreds of productions of his musicals every year or in his own incendiary live performances. Jason’s score for “The Bridges of Madison County,” a musical adapted with Marsha Norman from the bestselling novel, received two Tony Awards (for Best Score and Orchestrations). “Honeymoon In Vegas,” based on Andrew Bergman’s film, opened on Broadway in 2015 following a triumphant production at Paper Mill Playhouse. A film version of his epochal Off-Broadway musical “The Last Five Years” was released in 2015, starring Anna Kendrick and Jeremy Jordan and directed by Richard LaGravenese. His major musicals as composer and lyricist include: “13,” written with Robert Horn and Dan Elish, which opened on Broadway on 2008 and became a celebrated Netflix musical in 2022; “The Last Five Years,” which was cited as one of Time Magazine’s 10 Best of 2001 and won Drama Desk Awards for Best Music and Best Lyrics (and was later directed by the composer in its record-breaking Off-Broadway run at Second Stage Theatre in 2013); “Parade,” written with Alfred Uhry and directed by Harold Prince, which won both the Drama Desk and New York Drama Critics’ Circle Awards for Best New Musical, as well as garnering Jason the Tony Award for Original Score; and “Songs for a New World,” a theatrical song cycle directed by Daisy Prince, which has since been seen in hundreds of productions around the world since its 1995 OffBroadway debut, including a celebrated revival at New York’s City Center in the summer of 2018. “Parade” was also the subject of two major revivals: the first, directed by Rob Ashford, at London’s Donmar Warehouse and then at the Mark Taper Forum in Los Angeles; and the second, Michael Arden’s Tony-winning 2023 Broadway production starring Ben Platt and Micaela Diamond. In 2022, Jason collaborated with comedy legend Billy Crystal on a Broadway musical of “Mr. Saturday Night” with lyrics by Amanda Green and a book by Lowell Ganz and Babaloo Mandel Jason conducted his orchestral adaptation of E B White’s novel “The Trumpet of the Swan” with the National Symphony Orchestra, and recorded the score for PS Classics. Visit him on the web at www.jasonrobertbrown.com.

Our Conductor

Dr. Jordan D. Boyd (he/him) is the Assistant Director of Choral Activities for the University of Texas at San Antonio where he conducts the Concert Choir and University Chorus, serves as musical director for UTSA Lyric Theatre productions, and teaches courses in choral literature and vocal techniques. Having conducted ensembles at virtually every level, his work emphasizes music literacy, healthy vocal production, and creating innovative performance experiences Ensembles under his direction have received national awards and earned consistent superior ratings at adjudicated festival. He led the University of North Texas Chorale to win First Place in the 2022 American Prize for Choral Performance From 2015–2020, Dr Boyd taught public school choirs from

grades 5–12 outside of Charleston, South Carolina. As the Director of Choral Activities for the Berkeley Center for the Arts at Goose Creek High School, he led a decorated choral program. The Goose Creek Chamber Choir were praised for their “incredible precision and musicianship” and lauded as “ambassadors of technique for high school singers”. They were invited to perform at the conventions of the South Carolina American Choral Directors Association and the South Carolina Music Educators Association along with invitations to perform on the Piccolo Spoleto Festival. In 2019, the Goose Creek Chamber Choir was a National Finalist for the American Prize in Choral Performance. Beyond academic ensembles, Dr. Boyd enjoys working with community and professional ensembles. From 2020–2022, he was the Assistant Conductor for the Dallas Symphony Chorus. He served the Charleston Symphony Orchestra Chorus as Associate Music Director where he directed the CSO Chamber Singers and prepared the ensemble for annual performances with the Charleston Symphony. Additionally, he was the Associate Conductor of the Taylor Festival Choir. As a choral artist, he has a passion for professional choral singing and is currently performing with IlluMen of San Antonio. Previous engagements include Orpheus Chamber Singers, Verdigris Ensemble of Dallas, Cincinnati Vocal Arts Ensemble, and the Taylor Festival Choir. As a soloist, he has performed with the Charleston Symphony Chamber Orchestra and taken to the stage in roles including Figaro in Mozart’s Le Nozze di Figaro, Ko-Ko in Gilbert and Sullivan’s The Mikado, and Marco in Puccini’s Gianni Schicchi. His experience on the stage has led him to regularly conduct opera and musical theatre productions. Recent and upcoming credits include Songs for a New World (UTSA 2024), Massenet’s Cendrillon (UTSA 2022), Amahl and the Night Visitors (Holy City Opera 2019), Les Misérables (BCA 2019), and Little Shop of Horrors (BCA 2018). He holds an undergraduate degree in vocal performance and music theory/composition from the College of Charleston, a Master of Music in choral conducting from the University of Cincinnati CollegeConservatory of Music, and a Doctor of Musical Arts in choral conducting from the University of North Texas.

Cast Bios

Bernadette Fernandez is a senior and currently studies voice with Professor Jarrell Johnson As a student at UTSA, she has performed in two Vocal Arts Series (VAS) recitals and participated in the National Association of Teachers of Singing (NATS) twice, the second time becoming a semifinalist in the 3rd year Treble Classical division She is also a member of the UTSA Chamber Singers

Previous theater experience includes ensemble roles in Bye Bye Birdie, Beauty and the Beast, and The Sound of Music at Brazosport Center Stage in Lake Jackson, TX, Scenes at the Overtime Theatre last spring. This is her first role with the UTSA Lyric Theatre.

Marlina Gamez is pursuing a Bachelor of Music degree in Voice Performance at The University of Texas at San Antonio Her favorite roles include Junie B Jones in the musical, Junie B Jones and Clarisse in The Lightning Thief While her focus at UTSA is classical music, she enjoys singing musical theatre and performs whenever she can She has competed at the Texoma virtual National Association of Teachers of Singing Auditions, and more recently in person for the Musical Theatre the Spiritual categories. Marlina is a voice student of Crystal Jarrell Johnson. Marlina is so excited to be a part of the UTSA Lyric Theatre production of Songs for a New World.

Nicolás Andrés Garza is currently a junior Voice Performance major at UTSA A native to Austin Texas, he has performed in productions around the Austin area and was a member of the Long Center’s Select Ensemble In March of 2022, Nicolás made his UTSA debut as Tamino in Mozart’s Die Zauberflote Some of his favorite roles include Martini in One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, Claudius in Fortinbras, and The Flight Attendant in Bright Ideas Nicolás is currently studying voice under Dr. Susan Olson

Emma Martinez is a freshman at UTSA. She currently sings in the UTSA Jazz Ensemble and Combo She also sings with the 210 Jazz Orchestra Emma graduated from Incarnate Word High School in 2023 where she sang with the Madrigals and performed in musical theatre productions She is an alumnus of the Children’s Choir of San Antonio This is her second performance with the UTSA Lyric Theatre

Dylan Ramirez is currently pursuing a Bachelor of Music Education degree at the University of Texas at San Antonio His favorite roles include Fredrick Egerman in Stephen Sondheim’s A Little Night Music with the UTSA Lyric Theatre, Lucas Beineke in Lippa's The Addams Family, and Madame Beurrefondu in Offenbach's Mesdames de la Halle, both with the Texas A&M University-Kingsville Opera and Musical Theater Workshop. Mr. Ramirez is an active participant in the National Association of Teachers of Singing (NATS) and has won first place in their competitions many times. He even had the chance to compete at the national level in the summer of 2023 for musical theater performance. Mr. Ramirez recently had the opportunity to participate in a master class with Christopher Bozeka in which he learned many things about classical and opera performance Mr Ramirez is currently studying under Dr Jourdan Laine Howell

Michael Reyes is a freshman, currently pursuing a Bachelor degree in Music Marketing at the University of Texas at San Antonio. Songs For A New World is his first main role in a UTSA Lyric Theatre production, and he is excited to participate in more in the future. Mr. Reyes comes from a small town just outside of Dallas called Little Elm, where he attended and graduated from Little Elm High School. Last semester, Mr. Reyes competed in the National Association of Teachers Singing (NATS) and was a finalist in the 1st year classical TBB category. He currently works for Cooker United Methodist Church as a Tenor in the choir and a member of the UTSA Chamber Singers Michael studies voice with Professor Crystal Jarrell Johnson

Alexandra Sanchez graduated from Del Rio High School and is now studying at the University of Texas at San Antonio working towards her B M in music education Ms Sanchez had the pleasure of singing several different roles during her high school career Her favorites include Maria from West Side Story and Molly from Annie She has also performed with the Del Rio Upstagers many times being cast as Ali from Mamma Mia! and Meredith O’Conner in First Night Her debut role with the UTSA Lyric Theatre was Fredrika in Sondheim’s, A Little Night Music Ms Sanchez placed first in the South Texas NATS musical theater competition in spring of 2022 and is currently a member of the UTSA Chamber Singers.

Aiden Milliron is a freshman pursuing a Bachelor degree in Vocal Performance at the University of Texas at San Antonio. Songs For A New World marks his first production with the UTSA Lyric Theatre Aiden comes from the small town of Brenham, between Austin and Houston, where he graduated from Brenham High School He is a member of the UTSA Chamber Singers and is currently studying voice under the guidance of Dr Susan Olson Aiden is looking forward to competing this spring at the National Association of Teachers Singing South Texas Chapter Auditions

Dorian Speights is a recent transfer student from San Antonio College and is pursuing a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Music Education Having been born and raised in California, he has found a new home in the welcoming community of Texas. As Songs for a New World will be his first show at UTSA, he is excited beyond words to continue participating in future Lyric Theatre productions.

Dancers

Kenya Johnson Sophia Richardson

Jackie Cardona Jordan Kraus Thalia Vivens Kayleen Alvarado

Ashley Soto Madison Leistra

Jackie Flores

Bianca Villareal

Director's Notes

Thank you for joining us here in the beautiful, new, Wonder Theatre! I do not have words to express how grateful the cast, orchestra, crew, and the School of Music are for the support of the Wonder Theatre. I can only imagine how stressful the past months have been to get to this place (literally), but here we are! I am forever indebted to Chris Rodriguez, Ben Grabill, and the Wonder Theatre staff for their friendship and trust.

There are several people that I would like to thank for their support and hard work. Thank you to the Opera Guild of San Antonio and their President, Orit Eylon, for their continued support. Thank you to my colleague, Jordan Boyd, for your patience with me, and for sharing your energy and musical talents with our cast of students. Thank you Stacey Davis, Naomy Ybarra, Steven Hill, Wesley Penix, and Rolando Ramon for your incredible support of this project. Lastly, thank you to my best friend and choreographer for/of life, Michelle.

Thank you for attending and I hope you enjoy the show.

The Wonder Theatre

Christopher Rodriguez, Artistic Director

Benjamin Grabill, Technical Director

The Opera Guild of San Antonio

Dr. Gary Mabry, President

UTSA College of LIberal and Fine Arts

Dr. Glenn Martinez, Dean

UTSA School of Music

Dr. Stacey Davis, Acting Director

Wesley Penix

Naomy Ybarra

Steven Hill

UTSA Arts

Dr. Tracy Cowden

Rolando Ramon

UTSA School of Music Voice Area

Jourdan Laine Howell

Crystal Jarrell Johnson

John Nix

Susan Olson