Critical Acclaim for A New Brain:
"Stories of Passion, Stories of Friendship, and Tales of How Romance Survives"
From the Tony-winning Writers of FALSETTOS and SPELLING BEE!
A New Brain
Music & Lyrics by William Finn
Book by William Finn & James Lapine
Directed by Khanisha Foster
Musical Direction by Gregory Nabours
Choreography by Alli Miller-Fisher
Presented by Celebration Theatre
In association with the Los Angeles LGBT Center
A timely revival of the Finn & Lapine show about second chances and the urgency of art, Celebration Theatre brings us into the world of this queer musical of “captivating eccentricity” (New York Times) with an intimate experience of pathos, humor, and just a little bit of magic—to bring us back to life.
Composer Gordon Schwinn collapses into their lunch and awakes in the hospital, surrounded by their lover, mother, co-worker, doctor, and nurses. Coming face to face with their own mortality, Gordon sees their greatest fear: will they die with their greatest songs still unwritten? A New Brain reminds us that the power of music, love, and the creation of art can never be lost.
With a gender-expansive casting vision from Celebration and director Khanisha Foster, thoughtfully imbued into a buoyant score and “fascinating story” (New York Post) from the Tony Award-winning authors of Falsettos and The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, audiences have the unique opportunity to see A New Brain in Los Angeles as it has never been done before.
F E A T U R I N G: Amanda Kruger* (they/them), Yassi Noubahar* (she/her), Richardson Cisneros-Jones* (he/him), Gina Torrecilla* (she/her), Ryan O'Connor* (he/they), Whitney Avalon* (she/her), Sadé Ayodele (she/her), Mitchell Johnson (he/they), Jason Ryan* (he/him), and Gabi Van Horn* (she/her).
Performance Information
Runtime
95 minutes, no intermission
Suitability Suggestions
Appropriate for all audiences.
Health & Safety
Masks are currently required for all performances.
Parking
Available in the underground garage in the new Anita May Rosenstein campus.
Creative Team
Directed by Khanisha Foster** (she/her)
Musical Direction by Gregory Nabours (he/him)
Choreography by Alli Miller-Fisher (she/her)
Produced by Nathaniel Mathis (he/him)
Scenic Design by Stephen Gifford† (he/him)
Lighting Design by Matt Richter (he/him)
Costume Design by Allison Dillard (she/her)
Sound Design by M Glenn Schuster (they/them)
Properties Design by Michael O’Hara (he/him)
Stage Management by Ruthie Geronimo (she/her)
Casting by Jami Rudofsky, CSA (she/her)
Assistant Director: Nico Pang (they/them)
Assistant Choreographer: Camal Pugh (he/him)
Assistant Stage Manager: Nick Zephyrin (he/him)
Audio Engineer: Dennis Peraza (he/him)
Associate Producer: Mark Giberson (he/him)
Publicity: DEMAND PR, David Elzer (he/him)
Social Media Manager: Sarah Mullis (she/her)
Cast
Gordon Schwinn…………Amanda Kruger* (they/them)
Roger Delli-Bovi…………Yassi Noubahar* (she/her)
Mimi Schwinn:…………Gina Torrecilla* (she/her)
Rhoda…………Sadé Ayodele (she/her)
Mr. Bungee…………Richardson Cisneros-Jones* (he/him)
Lisa…………Whitney Avalon* (she/her)
The Minister…………Jason Ryan* (he/him)
Dr. Jafar Berensteiner…………Mitchell Johnson (he/they)
Nurse Nancy / Waitress…………Gabi Van Horn* (she/her)
Nurse Richard…………Ryan O'Connor* (he/they)
Cover/Swing: Hannah Crews (they/she/he), Tal Fox* (she/her), Emily King Brown* (she/her), Laura Obiorah (she/her), Jason Ryan* (he/him), and Sal Sabella (he/him); Dance Captain: Mitchell Johnson (he/they)
Band
Piano/Conductor…………Gregory Nabours (he/him)
Drums & Percussion…………Gianluca Palmieri (he/him)
Cello…………Alec Glass (he/him)
Reeds…………Michaell Bustamante (he/him)
A NEW BRAIN is presented by arrangement with Concord Theatricals. www.concordtheatricals.com
* Appearing through an Agreement between this theatre, Celebration Theatre, and Actors' Equity Association, the Union of Professional Actors and Stage Managers in the United States.
** The Director is a member of the Stage Directors and Choreographers Society, a national theatrical labor union
† The Scenic Designer is represented by United Scenic Artists - Local USA 829 of the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees
This production is supported in part by a grant from the David Lee Foundation.
Celebration Theatre acknowledges that we operate on the unceded lands of the Tongva, Kizh, Chumash, and other Indigenous peoples who made their homes in and around the area we now call Los Angeles. Naming the original caretakers of this land is one way to register our impact on the financial, emotional, and generational damage we may cause by using local spaces for our purposes of entertainment. We also understand that this acknowledgment will change as our commitment evolves and, importantly, that these statements are by no means a replacement for actual justice for Indigenous people.
Help Us Create a Bigger Impact
We cannot survive on ticket sales alone. Your generous, tax-deductible donations to our General Fund allow us to produce quality, award-winning theatre for our LGBTQIA+ and allied community. We welcome contributions of any amount, whether a single amount or recurring monthly donation.