Although tomorrow will be Friday the 13th , it looks to be a
lucky day for us here in Gilroy, with the opening of a fabulous new
show called
”
Songs for a New World.
”
It was originally written by the Tony Award-winning Jason Robert
Brown and produced in New York City.
Although tomorrow will be Friday the 13th , it looks to be a lucky day for us here in Gilroy, with the opening of a fabulous new show called “Songs for a New World.” It was originally written by the Tony Award-winning Jason Robert Brown and produced in New York City. Gilroy’s Odyssey Theatre Company is putting on its own version of this musical for the next two weekends only.
Odyssey Theatre Company is a non-profit organization whose mission is to provide arts education experiences for students and to serve as a resource for the teachers in the Gilroy Unified School District. It was created in 1995 to increase knowledge, encourage appreciation, develop talent, and provide educational theater experiences to local audiences.
Odyssey’s goal is to provide programs which can benefit everyone in the South County area. Their programs include an apprenticeship spring drama, a summer conservatory, and a main stage fall production.
From the emotionally charged “The Miracle Worker,” the stunning “Quilters,” the haunting “Yours, Anne,” to the bittersweet “Oliver!” Odyssey’s shows celebrate the rich literary and artistic heritage of the theater.
After a brief hiatus, the company has revived its offerings under the new artistic direction of Mr. Dennis Beasley, a returning Gilroy alumnus.
Last Sunday morning, I was fortunate enough to be treated to a preview of the new show along with a select group of Gilroyans.
Four featured singers (Dennis Beasley, Andrew Ceglio, Hilary Little, and Ruth E. Mullins) performed the opening sequence from “Songs for a New World,” which takes the listener on an emotional and breathtaking journey of everyday life with its ups and downs and struggles along the way.
The songs cover a wide spectrum with the romantic duet “I’d Give It All For You,” the already classic-sounding “Stars and the Moon,” the defiant and stubborn “King of the World,” and the fragile and naive “I’m Not Afraid of Anything.”
Then there’s the hysterically funny “Surabaya-Santa,” a song written from the point of view of a disillusioned Mrs. Claus who fell for the irresistible Santa as a young girl but who is now tired of sitting at home alone every Christmas. After 20 years of marriage to Santa, she’s fed up: “Now you never think of me, while I am pining by the tree …”
In “Flagmaker, 1775 Lyrics,” the point of view is that of a woman sewing a flag to keep her sanity during the long wait for her loved one to return home from war. “One more star, one more stripe to escape your lonely bed…”
The singers are accompanied by Sandra Marlowe on piano. To hear Marlowe play is to experience one of Gilroy’s musical treasures. She can play anything and make it sound good. Marlowe teaches at Candace Fazzio’s Music Academy and will be performing in the upcoming Bach to Blues Festival.
“I’ve had the great pleasure and a tremendous amount of fun in recent weeks working as the accompanist for this fine cast of singer/actors on some diverse and challenging music for Odyssey’s upcoming production,” Marlowe said.
Performances will be held at Gilroy High School Theater on Jan. 13, 14, 20, 21 at 8pm, Jan. 15 at 4pm, and Jan. 19 at 7:30pm.
Tickets are $14 for adults, $10 for students/seniors. Call (408) 333-9065 for reservations.
