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Performers dazzle in Village Theatre's production of 'Songs For A New World'

Village Theatre offers a fresh take on a classic musical to inspire hope amidst life's unexpected changes. #k5evening

"Songs For A New World" goes back 30 years to Tony Award-winner Jason Robert Brown ("Parade," "Bridges of Madison County").

It is a beloved classic in the musical theatre world; and despite its label as "classic", the version produced by Village Theatre in Issaquah and Everett feels modern and relevant. 

The show is typically performed as a song cycle, which means its singers perform a series of songs that center around one theme.

But New York-based Director Devanand Janki wanted to switch things up and infused some staged dramatic scenes.

"It's pretty much a series of short stories," Janki shared. "It's like 15 little vignettes of different people and their journeys through relationships, through struggles, through joys... they are basically getting 15 mini-musicals in 90 minutes." 

While each story is different, they all center around pivotal moments in life.

"That moment where you think your life is going in one direction, something happens, then the ground shifts and you have to change course, which I think we can really identify with the last few years," Janki said. 

The cast includes Alexandria J. Henderson of Tacoma, who has performed in a variety of theatres throughout the Pacific Northwest. 

She says preparing for this show during the pandemic has been challenging, but she's also excited to be back. 

Henderson is hoping audiences will return as well.  

"Through the pandemic, we had some really tough times and we leaned on TV shows and binged them and remember that," Henderson shared. "Remember how you leaned on actors during the pandemic and come out and support."

Songs For A New World is running in Issaquah through Feb. 13th and then moves to its theatre in Everett from Feb. 18th-March 13th. 

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