Theatre for a New World - The SAAS Upper School Musical Goes Virtual

Seattle Academy drama teacher and director, Michael Cimino, and Upper School students have taken our Culture of Performance to a new level. They have transformed the Upper School musical into a production for these socially distanced times bringing Songs for a New World to the virtual stage on November 4.

Whether remote or in person, theatre is a collaborative art. This production is essentially seventeen little musicals. Student actors are learning all the music virtually under the direction of music teacher, K.C. Helmeid. They are rehearsing every day and filming vignettes independently in their separate spaces. In addition to the cast, Clayton Wiley  ’21 and Zola Morris ’22 are stage managers helping coordinate the pieces, and Henry Roseman ’22 is sound editing the entire production. “We’re putting together basically a movie,” explains Michael. “We’re going to make something really, really, really, really of the moment…Every time I put something together I’m amazed and surprised at it. And it just touches my heart to see the students moving freely and being creative in their own spaces.”

Songs for a New World is a review of songs by musical theatre composer, lyricist, and playwright Jason Robert Brown. The songs share a theme of change in the moment of decision when you move from something old into something new. While written in the late 1990s, this beautiful show speaks to the transient nature of life and to the unusual times we are all in.

Tune in on Zoom on November 4 at 7 PM for the Upper School musical opening night performance of Songs for a New World, including an introduction with cast and crew. On-Demand Live Stream will also be available November 5 through December 31.

RESERVE YOUR DIGITAL SHOW TICKETS HERE