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FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM

ARTS&ENTERTAINMENT

JUNE 3 – 9, 2021 | PAGE 3

Mason’s ‘Songs for a New World’ Takes the Stage Aft er Year-Long Delay

BY MARK DREISONSTOK

FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS

“Songs for a New World” was recently performed at George Mason High School in Falls Church in an impressive onenight-only virtual performance on May 27.

Written and composed by Jason Robert Brown, the show displays the changes between European musical forms and those of the New World, such as jazz and gospel.

The show, which consists mainly of short musical vignettes, straddles an unusual position between American musical theater and the European Song Cycle.

The latter is often associated with German verses of the Romantic Age by poets such as Heinrich Heine set to music by composers such as Robert Schumann in such works as “Love of a Poet” and the eponymous “Song Cycle.”

Shawn Northrip, the show’s director and Mason’s theater & film teacher, explained the choice to perform this work.

“The pandemic had everything to do with our choice: We wanted to do a show that we could give justice to presenting, even if the students all had to stand at microphones 10 feet apart for the whole show, which they do; and we wanted something that was uplifting,” Northrip said. “This show fits the bill perfectly. It’s a song cycle, mostly solos and ensembles of four, around the theme of new beginnings.”

Vignettes include Emily Ives presenting a “Christmas Lullaby” with a pleasing vocal. Initially seen by the audience as an otherworldly silhouette with a somber tone, a contrast is presented to the normally festive holiday season.

Masks were also used throughout the performance, which acted to heighten the mystery of the performances.

Pauline Bonner, too, shone in jazz riffs as an affluent but bored housewife, in which the character contemplates, in the song “Just One Step,” the ease

Conti nued on Page 14

THE STUDENT ENSEMBLE performs a song during George Mason High School’s “Songs for a New

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PAGE 4 | JUNE 3 – 9, 2021

LOCAL

FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM

McAuliffe Seen as Primary’s Frontrunner While Others Chip Away at His Standing

Continued from Page 1

took jabs at the former governor almost in succession after he had mentioned Virginia’s Republican nominee Glen Youngkin and Donald Trump several times. Foy argued that McAuliffe and Youngkin at the top of the ticket would just be “two wealthy out of touch millionaire politicians, who don’t understand the challenges Virginians face.” Carter argued that the campaign should be more focused on a more inward direction for the Commonwealth, rather than being “opposed to the other guys, we have to fight for something.”

With upwards of nearly $10 million raised, McAuliffe is the clear man to beat in the race. Following the former governor, Foy comes distant at $3,693, 838. McCLellan isn’t far behind at $1,700,030, followed by Fairfax at $300,391. Carter comes in last with $138,702. This is even less than Lt. Gov. hopeful Xavier Warren’s near $159,000.

With three African Americans on the stage, including Fairfax who is only the second to hold statewide office, timely questions were asked about the recent racial injustice, one week after the one year anniversary of George Floyd’s murder, as well as the tasing of US Army Lt. Caron Nazario, who is Black and Latino, in Windsor.

Fairfax was in favor of universal body cameras on police officers, making sure they are turned on consistently, in addition to ‘bias training.’

McClellan highlighted her actions as a legislator and proposed more options for investigations to take place to curb similar incidents, such as referring them immediately to citizen review panels or the AG’s office.

Foy also sounded off on independent investigations. Carter stressed a possible special session to address police reform.

McAuliffe also stressed the issue of training and brought up his administration’s efforts to restore rights of convicted felons.

Another factor that McAuliffe was able to put out at the debate, which other candidates lacked some, was figures. When asked about the poor conditions and lack of 85 million masks, gloves and gowns never replaced at the end of the swine flu outbreak, he commended his successor Northam, as 66 percent of Virginia’s population has had at least one dose to fight Covid-19.

McAuliffe was also questioned about outgoing Gov. Ralph Northam, who has endorsed his predecessor, if he “stifled an important debate as to whether the establishment wing of the party needs to give way to the progressive movement.”

The former governor responded he “doesn’t pay attention to labels,” and cited his administration’s accomplishments — on job creation as well as income and business growth.

Before a Covid-limited audience of no more than 50 people in the audience on May 25, all six of Virginia’s Democratic hopefuls for Lieutenant Governor had their first and only debate.

The lieutenant governor’s race usually doesn’t garner much attention in Virginia, since it’s usually ceremonial position that is used as a stepping stone to becoming governor. That was the path Gov. Ralph Northam took when he served as Lt. Gov. in 2013 and went on to become governor four years later. Current Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax is trying to replicate that formula with his own gubernatorial aspirations in this year’s election cycle.

Three candidates now serve in the House of Delegates, Dels. Sam Rasoul and Mark Levine are both running for re-election in addition to seeking statewide office while Del. Hala Ayala isn’t seeking re-election. Another candidate, Norfolk City Councilwoman Andria McClellan has served since 2016 and sits on a number of boards and commissions. The two other candidates, Xavier Warren a former NFL agent, and Sean Perryman, a former Fairfax NAACP president, spoke of personal achievements rather than elected policy they have helped sponsor.

McClellan said high speed internet for all Virginians was her top issue. Job growth and small businesses were the focus of Warren’s campaign. And Perryman zeroed in on equity as his primary cause.

Perryman also took a different approach on the issue of handling police reform. While Warren and Ayala both support all police officers in Virginia wearing body cameras, Perryman said he would fight to change the so-called qualified immunity protections for law enforcement so individual officers could be sued over their actions.

Levine, who represents Alexandria, addressed his actions on policy in a lot of his responses, particularly of the importance of addressing gun violence.

“Virginians are nervous, because it’s too easy for dangerous people to get guns,” said Del. Mark Levine.

Campaign finance reform and fundraising came up in the debate as well, with Virginia having one of the most relaxed campaign finance systems in the country.

The first question seemed to be aimed specifically at Rasoul’s strong lead at over $1.3 million which had some large donations from Muslim advocacy groups, according to data from The Washington Post. Moderators also asked Rasoul to address the issue of his faith representing Virginians if he was elected. Candidates as well as the Democratic Party Chair took to social media to show their disdain for the question after the debate, given that no other candidates were asked about their faith or had their fundraising numbers questioned.

The winner of the primary on June 8 will face Republican candidate for governor Glen Youngkin and former Del. Winsome Sears for lieutenant governor in this fall’s statewide election.

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LOCAL

JUNE 3 – 9, 2021 | PAGE 5

Weather Cooperated for Covid-Safe Outdoor Graduation on School Field

Continued from Page 1

Parents, relatives, family and friends mostly sat in the grandstand, though others stood behind the graduates on the field and there were over 200 who viewed the live video feed on YouTube.

The backdrop to the event, besides the veritably roaring buzz of the Brood X cicadas that arrive every 17 years, was the brand spanking new high school complex adjacent the field, where at a cost of $120 million, students had a brief taste this spring and will fully occupy this fall and beyond.

“I couldn’t be more proud today,” Superintendent Peter Noonan told the graduates. “You were 8th graders when I came here four years ago, and we’re now moving to a new high school, having survived the pandemic, a year of social unrest and new awakening of social justice, an ambiguous journey bringing you, the first graduates of the new high school,” Noonan said, referring to his commentary that is published in this edition of the News-Press on Page 7.

“It has been unprecedented, and you have shown a collective flexibility, kindness, care for others and a continually gracious spirit,” he told the students.

He noted that the set of principles behind the International Baccalaureate program have given everyone things to aspire to. He said “the watchword to navigate the aforementioned traits is ‘resilience.’”

“You’ve modelled behavior for others, showing strong lessons of resilience that all should aspire to have. Filled with hope, we all need the graciousness that makes the world a better place.”

The graduates included 50 who earned IB diplomas, 82 who won George Mason scholar awards (a cumulative grade point average of 3.85 or higher) and 69 who qualified as valedictory scholars.

Northam led off the program before stepping out early to get back to his day job in Richmond. While promising the students he’d adhere to “the 3 B’s,” to be “brief, brilliant and be gone,” he acknowledged “this is a wonderful time in your lives to graduate, and said that while he’d add arts and health care to the STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) curriculum, the jobs of the 21st century will focus a lot on cybersecurity.

“Aim high, the sky’s the limit, don’t let anyone tell you you can’t do something, don’t be afraid of making mistakes,” he advised. “The world needs you now, but along your climb to success, don’t forget where you came from. At the end of the day, family and friends are the most important things.”

He urged students going off to college to “call home once a week, ask for mom and tell her how much you love her.” Falls Church Mayor David Tarter hailed “the inaugural graduates of the City’s new high school that “cost more than the annual budget of the City” and demonstrates education as the cornerstone of the Falls Church community,” which he described as “close knit” and its schools as “intimate.”

Raised by his aunt himself, he urged the graduates to value their community, saying they should know their achievements “are not of their own doing, alone.”

“Little things matter,” he said. “Show up, follow the basics, follow what inspires you and makes you happy, refuse to surrender, and wherever you go, bring a little of Falls Church with you.”

SIGNS ARE POPPING UP around the City of Falls Church in support of F.C. schools teachers and administrators for their work navigating reopening during the pandemic. (Photo: News-Press)