CityBeat
Curtain Call
By Rick Pender
Sometimes good songs well sung can be enough. That's
the case with the IF THEATRE COLLECTIVE's simple but
effective production of Jason Robert Brown's SONGS FOR A
NEW WORLD. It's four singers, four musicians, a handful of
props ... and 16 glorious songs. They've wedged it into the
University YMCA (270 Calhoun, Clifton Heights) with
enough seats for about 70 people, and added some lighting
accents (the electronics designed by Joe Lovell, plus more
than 100 candles). The intimacy of this production means
that the actors don't need to use microphones. The rare
opportunity to hear non-amplified voices is a special treat,
particularly with Isaac B. Turner and Shannon Mullane
Kramer. Turner, a soulful baritone, has a couple of
evocative numbers ("The River Won't Rise" and "She
Cries"), while the expressive Kramer gets some especially
varied material, both poignant ("Stars and the Moon") and
comic ("Surabaya-Santa"). Melissa Manni and Eric Bricking
do fine jobs, too, although they have to work harder at
several moments to overcome enthusiastic percussionists
and challenging vocal ranges. The ensemble work by all
four, no matter who might be leading, is impeccable and
moving. A lot of musical theater fans crowded in last
weekend; that's likely to be the case again this weekend,
the show's final performances. Tickets: 513-961-7434. ...
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