Why Songs for a New World?

Now that you've met the cast, (with the production staff to be introduced as well), you may be wondering why we chose to produce "Songs".

The reason behind it stems from being introduced to the music early last year by our Musical Director Lisa Joe. We were working on the title song "A New World" which basically states that your life as you know it would change, and that the way in which you think things would turn out, wouldn't always happen. That there would be an "unexpected bend" that you would have to cross. The song really resonated with me, as a week or so later, my beloved grandmother of 91 years passed away peacefully in her sleep. I'm not sure if I read too much into the song, in that it foreshadowed how my life was going to change with her passing, but it made me realize that when things are going the way you think it should, life throws you a curve that you have to deal with.

With my Grandmother's passing, I decided to look into the possibility of producing "Songs" by contacting Musical Theater International in New York, which oversees the rights management of many of the most popular musicals ever created. Thankfully, "Songs" was available, and I jumped at the opportunity to get the rights for it and produce it with the sole intention of dedicating the production to my Grandmother.

Sure, it's no "Wicked" or perhaps even a "West Side Story", but if you really listen to the songs, and the characters singing them, they remind you that life is as quirky, enjoyable, uplifting, sad, and challenging, and that we should all cherish each experience we have however big or small. Our hope as producers, creatives, cast and crew is that you come out and watch our production, enjoy a night of fantastic talent and theater, experience JANM's Democracy Center, and leave with an appreciation of life as we know it.

Lastly, I want to share a photo with you of my Grandmother and me, taken on her 90th birthday a few years ago. Just like with your own Grandparents, mine was the best one I ever knew, and I dedicate my part of this terrific production to her :)