Critical Reaction

Critical Reaction

"Anyone interested in glimpsing the future of the American musical theater would do well to catch this new revue. ...The songs some of them close to miniature plays capture a wide variety of moods, from sweetly contemplative to sturdily inspirational."
– The Hollywood Reporter


"Brown is dizzily, unabashedly confident, and infuses his songs with optimism, as the hummable title song, The New World, suggests. ...The revue drifts through a series of gospel-driven ballads, funky R&B's, drolly funny set pieces and heart-twisting love songs, the lyrics shot through with wit, intelligence, and enthusiasm for life s crazy possibilities."
– Time Out New York


"[Jason Robert Brown] manages to combine the tuneful accessibility of Alan Mencken [sic] with the probing introspection of Stephen Sondheim, a combination that should prove irresistible in a full-fledged book musical.  Here the revue style tantalizes, giving several glimpses at Brown s gifts without placing them in any overarching context. ...He looms as a possible bridge between the old-style show-stoppers and the more recent character studies.  You tap your toes while thinking long and hard about what you re watching.  The kid is good."
– Backstage

"The show's best numbers are illuminated by character and wit."
– The New York Times

"The power [Brown] exhibits attacking the keyboard is similarly evident in his music which has a great sense of propulsion, a genuine sense of drama.  He is equally skillful at creating harmonies and using the four voices to good dramatic effect."
– New York Daily News