Advice on A New Brain

[chauvelin128]

Posted: 8/3/04 at 11:26am

OK, I'm looking for a show to direct at my university in the fall. I have two talented musical theatre boys who don't leave for work/school until the beginning of October, so they are begging me to do A New Brain (so they can play the leads.) The show is brilliant...funny, touching, awesome music, yadda yadda yadda, and I would love to do it, but I'm worried about the casting. It really is an ensemble piece, and the book is awesome, so everyone has to be great actors. And the music is not as simple as it sounds (vocal arrangements by Jason Robert Brown), so it requires ten fierce singers. Has anyone done the show and can share some of their experiences with it?

[FinnFanatic]

Posted: 8/3/04 at 11:35am

I played Gordon last summer in a production of "A NEW BRAIN". It was one of the most amazing theatre experiences I've had. It was an honor to be given the chance to perform that music night after night.

I say go for it. The music is challening, yes (including a few 8 or 9 part harmonies), but if you have a cast that is eager and really into it, they will be able to pull it off. When I did the show, half of the cast had seen an amazing production of it recently, and the other half had never heard anything about it. By the second or third week of rehearsals, the entire cast was completely in love with it and put 150% effort into everything that was done with it.

You are correct in saying that it is an ensemble piece. If you feel you won't have the type of actors that are willing to spend a LOT of time rehearsing and learning harmonies, I would consider choosing a different show.

Another thing to consider might be the type of audience you will have. Many people may not find this show to be very interesting (especially college-aged, non-musical theatre folk), but that is just a side comment. I wouldn't let that discourage you from doing it if you think you have the talent and the dedication of the cast. Hope this helped! Let me know what you decide to do!

[chauvelin128]

Posted: 8/3/04 at 11:47am

Thanks...you made some great points...how much choreography was was involved in your production numbers? It sounds like they need to be danced. And I haven't had a chance to look at the book yet, but what I hear from the CD, it sounds like there are a lot of very funny possibilities...a show with good heart that is funny and features some great voices seems like it should be well-received by the college-age crowd...we'd do it in a small space anyway. LOL.

[FinnFanatic]

Posted: 8/3/04 at 11:56am

The biggest choreography numbers were "Heart and Music", "Gordo's Law of Genetics", "And They're off" and the coma sequence ("Brain Dead", "Whenever I Dream", "Eating Myself Up Alive").

Almost the entire show is on the CD. I'm not sure if you're aware of this, but the show is 90 minutes with no intermission, pretty much entirely sung-through (there is a line here and line there). There are a few small musical moments omitted from the recording ("Roger Arrives", "Craniotomy", and then a few "extra" sections of some songs like "Mother's Gonna Make Things Fine" and "On The Street(Homeless Lady's Revenge)").

A lot of the numbers do lend themselves to the possibility of some hilarious choreography. That is one of my favorite aspects of the show. It is hilarious, yet extremely moving at the same time. Finn did an excellent job of juxtaposing some hilarious moments with some heart-wrenching moments. When I saw the show for the first time I found myself laughing hysterically at one point and close to tears the next. A prime example of this is the transition from "Eating Myself Up Alive" (hilarious), to "The Music Still Plays On" (there shouldn't be a dry eye in the house), and then to "Don't Give In", which is both uplifting and saddening at the same time.

Well I think I've rambled on for long enough. I hope I answered some of your questions. And doing it in a small space is an excellent idea. It is a very intimate show.

[chauvelin128]

Posted: 8/3/04 at 12:18pm

Check your PMs FinnFanatic. :)

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 8/3/04 at 4:20pm

I played The Minister and I never got tired of performing the show. We did have some dynamite singers. The Nice Nurse definitely needs to have some vocal stamina to get through Eating Myself Up Alive. Rhoda also needs to hit those top notes very securely in Whenever I Dream. The only parts that you can fudge a little in the acting would be the Waitress/Thin Nurse and the Doctor. The Minister is not too challenging for acting, but Gordo's Law of Genetics is not an easy song.

[meagan9848]

Posted: 8/3/04 at 9:52pm

If you end up doing this show before to post where! I'm DYING to see it!!!!

[boborunstheshow]

Posted: 8/4/04 at 1:30am

i like to answer the phone like the big black guy does in the Poor Unsuccesful and Fat song. Thats the best Hello ive ever heard.