MBU News

Songs as a Tool

September 13, 2007

By Kasey Bartley

Sept. 13 marks the beginning of Songs for a New World’s four-day run in the recital hall at MBU. The show features a talented eight-person cast and consists of 15 songs designed to stand alone as their own stories or “worlds.” But with themes ranging from love to hopelessness to unanswered prayer, some worry that the show may not be well-received in a Baptist university.

Joy Powell, instructor of theater arts, defended the decision to produce this musical both from an educational and a Christian standpoint.

“Technically, this is some of the hardest music out there in musical theater, and it’s a new style than what you would normally see on Missouri Baptist University’s stage,” said Powell. She points out that the show is about the human condition, but there’s also an overlying theme of faith.

Jordan Cox portrays one of the homeless men in the song “The River Won’t Flow,” a song about the condition of homeless individuals. Although he admits that one of the lines reads, “It’s not about God and the master plan,” he has a different take on what the song means.

“At first it was a struggle because it’s not what I believe and it’s a profound statement. But if you look at my character, who’s lost, it makes sense. I have to keep reminding myself that I am portraying a character who does exist in our world,” said Cox.

Proposing a challenge to students who may have issues with the characters not having a “salvation experience” during the show, Luke McAnally said, “There’s a good possibility that no one will get saved from this show, but anything that generates conversation is good. I think that this show talks about real life and we should talk about real life as it is. Christians should take their non-Christian friends to the musical and discuss it with them.”

The entire cast and crew hope that the audience will leave the recital hall feeling challenged and inspired, even though the songs sometimes reflect less-than-favorable life circumstances.

“Life is just a big mess, but we are up there with a ‘song’ and our song is that when you look to Him, He can make a new world for you,” said Cox.

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