SONGS FOR A NEW WORLD Will Premiere at WaterTower Theatre

WaterTower Theatre begins a new chapter as Season 31 gets underway, newly elected board officers take office and JC Schuster officially becomes Producing Artistic Director as of Oct. 1. The new leadership team's first production, Broadway by North Texas: Songs for a New World, by three-time Tony Award winner Jason Robert Brown, runs Oct. 20 through Nov. 1 at the Addison Performing Arts Centre.

WaterTower Theatre's board of directors has elected Kelly Kirkendoll as President, Omid Rahmani as VP and Secretary, and Phil Longacre, who most recently served as Board President, as Treasurer. The board also welcomed new member Stefan Prisacaru, MD.

Kirkendoll is the Founder and CEO of Thrive PR, a marketing and public relations agency, and is an Addison resident. Rahmani is Associate Director: Public Finance Cyber Risk Lead at Fitch Ratings. Longacre is a retired CIO and lifelong arts supporter. Prisacaru is Vice President of AI Transformation at Qualified Health.

'As we embark upon WaterTower Theatre's 31st season, I'm honored and energized by this new role and what lies ahead. With JC's leadership and the board eager to work, I look forward to ensuring more people in North Texas experience the magic of professional theatre in Addison. Our season's first show – Songs for a New World – is full of that magic,' said Kirkendoll.

Songs for a New World, the celebrated musical that launched the career of Jason Robert Brown, the Tony-winning composer of The Last Five Years and Bridges of Madison County, follows people facing the moment that changes everything, the choice to take a leap into the unknown. The production is part of WaterTower's Broadway by North Texas concert series, which celebrates the musical storytelling of Broadway and musical theatre while showcasing the talent of the North Texas theatre community.

'In Songs for a New World, we meet characters who are each standing at the edge of something new, and that's exactly where WaterTower Theatre is right now. Whether someone has lived in Addison for years or recently relocated to North Texas, we welcome them and look forward to a new season full of beautiful, impactful work,' said Schuster.

Directed by JC Schuster with music direction by Bruce Greer, the cast includes Laila Jalil, Laura Lites, Esteban Vilchez, Zachary J. Willis and understudies Megan Lageman and Jonathan McInnis. The show's presenting sponsor is Mikey Abrams Texas Pride Realty Group.

TICKETS

Performances run Tuesdays through Saturdays at 7:30 p.m. and Saturdays and Sundays at 2:00 p.m., with no performance on Thursday, Oct. 22. Tickets are available at watertowertheatre.org or by calling 972-450-6232.

WaterTower's 31st season continues with Neil Simon's Biloxi Blues (Feb. 2–14, 2027), the U.S. premiere of Jeeves Takes Charge (March 23–April 4, 2027) and Honky Tonk Angels (Aug. 3–15, 2027). Season subscriptions and show tickets are available at watertowertheatre.org or by calling 972-450-6232.