What a great show! Amazingly-strong singing!From Wikipedia:
A New Brain is a musical with music and lyrics by William Finn and book by Finn and James Lapine. Though many of Finn's previous musicals were to some extent autobiographical, A New Brain dealt directly with his own harrowing experience with arteriovenous malformation and the healing power of art.[1] The hero of the musical, Gordo, worries that he may not live to complete his work. Finn wrote many of the songs soon after his release from the hospital. The musical premiered Off-Broadway in 1998 and has been revived in the U.S., England and elsewhere.
...Synopsis
Gordo Schwinn, a talented young songwriter, works at his piano to meet a deadline. Gordo is irritated because he must write a song about Spring for a children's television entertainer who dresses as a frog. He takes a break from his writing and meets his agent Rhoda at a restaurant for pasta. During lunch, Gordo clutches his head and falls face first into his meal. Rhoda calls an ambulance, and Gordo is taken to the hospital. He learns that he has an arteriovenous malformation. Gordo needs an operation, and if he doesn't have it, he could die or never regain the use of his faculties.
While in the hospital, Gordo contemplates his situation. His greatest fear is dying with his greatest songs still inside of him; and so from his hospital bed, and while in a coma, and all throughout his ordeal, he begins writing the songs. He also has several hallucinations that involve various people whom he has encountered. In particular, a homeless lady that he met on his way to get pasta with Rhoda continually pops up.
Gordo eventually has the surgery and recovers completely. The creative block he was experiencing before his ordeal lifts, and he gains new insights. His near death experience encourages him to re-evaluate and better appreciate the people and relationships in his life.
Craig Howard takes a bow. Left to right in the arc: Owen Smith, Lizzy Poore, Scott Minor, Nephi Speer, Martha Kight, Eimi Taormina, Joelle Robertson, Mike Yee, Ryan Allen.I'm not familiar with this musical, but fortunately there is help on YouTube:
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