By Debbie L. Hochberg / Correspondent
MILLBURN, NJ — “The Paper Mill is back!” These words from the producing artistic director of the Paper Mill Playhouse, Mark S. Hoebee, were music to our ears as a new season began on Sunday night, Oct. 17 — the theater’s first opening night in 616 days. It was a moment filled with emotion and not to be forgotten; the thunderous applause after his words said it all. We stood in line to get in, as we usually do — but this time, instead of just showing tickets, we also presented our proof of vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test result and photo ID. And everyone seemed more than happy to do it. On opening night there is always a festive atmosphere, but this time it was opening night on steroids. You could feel the joy in everyone’s hearts to be back in the theater, and it felt like the world might finally be returning to some degree of normalcy. Maybe a new normal, with everyone all masked up, but a kind of normal nonetheless. Going to a show! It is always a privilege, but none of us could have ever imagined what a grand privilege it is prior to the pandemic. Let’s hope we never take these moments for granted again.
Ironically, the last show to be performed at the Paper Mill before the coronavirus pandemic shut everything down was titled “Unmasked.” And the first show of the new season, fittingly, is titled “Songs for a New World,” a theatrical song cycle with music and lyrics by Tony Award winner Jason Robert Brown and directed by Hoebee, whose leadership earned the Paper Mill the Regional Theatre Tony Award in 2016, among many other accomplishments.
As always, the Paper Mill brings us superb, accomplished actors with stellar performances under their belts. The four actors in this show are Roman Banks, who made his Broadway debut as the first person of color to play Evan Hansen in “Dear Evan Hansen”; Carolee Carmello and Andrew Kober, who have both appeared in many Broadway shows; and Mia Pinero, whose concert credits include performances at Lincoln Center and who has appeared in regional shows. All said and done, these four actors are all outstanding artists.
The four actors, through their songs, tell the audience about a major change happening in their lives; whether their stories are funny, poignant, sad or hopeful, they are all memorable and beautifully told. In “Stars and the Moon,” Carmello, a standout actress, sings with humor and pathos of suitors who promise her a beautiful life filled with love, adventure and passion, but are lacking in material riches. She winds up with a man who can provide the most opulent material pleasures but after many years realizes she’d rather have the moon — the moon and the stars in this song being a metaphor for meaning and authenticity. The backdrop for this song is stunning: a very large, alluring moon against a dazzling starry black night.
Kober sings to us of love and betrayal time and again in his solid storytelling voice, and Banks’ physical acting and storytelling are nice to see as he jumps and glides around the stage — even doing a perfect moonwalk! He also tells us stories through his emotion-filled voice and leads his co-actors in “The Steam Train,” which is nicely choreographed by Kenny Ingram.
Pinero has an angelic voice, which reminds me, having raised a daughter, of the quintessential Disney princess voice. Her songs are a treat to listen to, and she has a sweetness about her as she sings her stories. In “I’m Not Afraid of Anything,” she talks about all the things she is not afraid of, but at the end of the song we learn why she is not afraid — maybe, the song suggests, it is because she has put up a wall and does not let anything or anyone get past that wall.
The set by Kelly James Tighe is quite simple but clever. The orchestra is on stage in a dimly lit background, and, except for a few small props, such as a chair or a cigarette holder, the show relies on its ever-changing backdrop to set the scene. This allows the focus to be on the actors and their stories. The lighting by Charlie Morrison also complements the stories and is in parts playful and fun and other times dramatic.
Sinai Tabak amazingly plays the piano while conducting the orchestra. He is onstage with the rest of the orchestra and he is incredible. We loved watching him, too!
“Songs for a New World” runs through Nov. 7 at the Paper Mill Playhouse. If you want to go back to the theater, I suggest you start here, in your own backyard. For ticket information, visit www.papermill.org.
Photos Courtesy of Evan Zimmerman
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