At a glance
Alfred State College will stage the play, A New Brain, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, Nov. 14-16, in the Orvis Activities Auditorium. Curtain time is 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday, with a 2:30 p.m. matinee on Sunday. Cost of admission is $3 for students and $5 for the general public.
Alfred State College will stage the play, A New Brain, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, Nov. 14-16, in the Orvis Activities Auditorium. Curtain time is 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday, with a 2:30 p.m. matinee on Sunday. Cost of admission is $3 for students and $5 for the general public.
A New Brain is a musical with music and lyrics by William Finn and book by Finn and James Lapine.
A New Brain is a show about making the most out of life in the face of tragedy. When a neurotic, frustrated composer is confronted with a terminal illness, he finds comfort in the healing power of art. The show is in fact the William Finn's autobiographical account of his own battle for life when he was afflicted with a seemingly terminal illness. As the central character, Gordon Michael Schwinn struggles to survive, he finds salvation in the healing power of art.
Characters in the play include the protagonist Gordon Schwinn (a lovable but sarcastic composer), Mr. Bungee (the slightly tyrannical director/producer/star of his own children's television show), Mimi Schwinn (Gordon's loving yet unstable mother), Rhoda (Gordon's agent and best friend), Roger Delli-Bovi (Gordon's charming and affectionate lover), Richard (a kind and compassionate nurse), Lisa (a homeless lady), waitress/Nancy D. (the waitress is overbearing; Nancy is a mean nurse), Dr. Jafar Berensteiner (an unsympathetic doctor), and the minister (a somewhat clueless man of the cloth at the hospital).