MBU News
Songs for a New Performer
September 20, 2007
By Whitney Shaw
On Sept. 13-16, the MBU theatre launched its 2007-2008 season with Songs for a New World, an unusual yet powerful musical featuring a mix of theatre veterans and newcomers to the stage. Sophomore Beckie Frey began her theatre career as a part of this small, eight-member cast.
As a freshman, Frey was reluctant to get too involved. “I didn’t want to try out for any musicals initially because I had no clue how busy I’d be and I didn’t want to get too much on my plate,” Frey said. Although she may have waited to get involved, she is not a complete stranger to performing. She participated in the orchestra pit for MBU’s Homecoming production of Fiddler on the Roof in November 2006, and she has auditioned for other musicals.
For someone who has not been a part of many productions, there are challenges she had to overcome. Frey had to learn how to physically handle keeping up with rehearsals. The stress at times can be overwhelming. Another challenge she had to overcome was “breaking out of my shell and really being expressive while on stage,” Frey explained. While it may feel awkward, being animated on stage is crucial to the life of the performance.
Songs for a New World is not a typical musical. In the absence of an elaborate set, costumes and a traditional plot there was a cast of characters that penetrated the audience with their individual messages. According to Frey, “it’s unlike anything MBU has ever done.” Instead of a clear plot, the musical consisted of several songs, each highlighting a different character in a different life situation. “I think that anyone on the face of the planet can relate to the characters…each of them was battling something in his or her life, going through a trial. The whole idea was that there’s a ‘new world,’ something better that is coming and we just need to hang on. I believe we can all relate to the characters in one way or another,” Frey said.
Frey felt that the message was communicated clearly to the audience and hoped that audiences got the message behind the songs. She said: “I hope they heard us when we sang to them about the better times ahead. Our last number, ‘Hear My Song,’ says it pretty well: ‘I know it’s dark right now/ But just believe somehow/ That soon there will be light/ That’s not enough for some/ But trust the light will come/ And we’ll get past.’”
Despite the struggles to communicate clearly through a non-traditional medium and coping with the stress of rehearsals, Frey enjoyed her time in this musical and plans on participating in MBU’s performance of School House Rock Live! in January.
# # #
