Directed by New World School of the Arts’ Dean of Theater Alan Patrick Kenny, the NWSA college musical theatre students will present the Tony Award-winning musical Passion, with book by James Lapine, music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim. Set in 1860s Italy, this gorgeous musical ignites a fiery love triangle when a handsome army captain is transferred to a remote military outpost and into the blinding infatuation of Fosca, the ailing cousin of his superior. Fosca’s fervent longing draws him in as it threatens to upend his career in an exhilarating tangle of obsession, desire, madness, and above all, passion.
Fosca, in the story known in the story for her obsessive pursuit of Giorgio, often elicits strong reactions from audiences. “For me, the intensity of the connection between the characters and the questions that the story asks are too essential to avoid. The original production’s beautiful if staid, proscenium staging put a protective barrier between the audience and Fosca, creating a liminal space from which to judge her. But when someone is trapped in a room with a person behaving badly, we act far differently. Perhaps Giorgio’s tragic flaw is that he is too polite when confronted with a person who pursues him so shamelessly,” explained director Kenny in his notes which will be shared with the audience during the performances.
Portraying Giorgio in Passion presents a compelling opportunity to delve into intricate emotional truths, vulnerability, and psychological complexity, said Hany Bennamane, a sophomore in the BFA musical theatre program. Giorgio’s journey from rational restraint to overwhelming passion requires nuanced acting, musical sensitivity, and emotional honesty. “The role demands a deep connection to Sondheim’s emotional musical score, which highlights vocal control and storytelling through song. It also pushes me to excavate the human contradiction of love as both a destructive and redemptive force. By navigating Giorgio’s moral and emotional transformation, I’m growing not just technically as an actor and singer, but as an artist.”
“Just as Fosca transfixes Giorgio, I am fascinated by Passion and have wanted to stage it for fifteen years,” said director Kenny. “Many colleagues in my life have found the show mystifying, and I’m so grateful to our season selection committee, the cast, and my collaborators here, for getting it. In our interpretation, I’ve sought to bring the values of the scapigliatura [the Italian bohemian literary movement behind the musical’s source material novel] out of the shadows and render the story in a more supernatural, physical, and sensual form that connects to [novelist] Tarchetti’s short-lived vision of the world.”
Rayhana Parris, a BFA senior in the musical theatre program and an NWSA high school aluma playing Fosca, highlighted the director’s emphasis on the significance of observing accomplished artists’ approaches to acting through song. This led to an in-depth study of Sondheim’s works, where students analyzed how actors convey character and storytelling through music. Parris also noted that these experiences have reignited her passion in ways she hasn’t felt since her high school days. “This show is demanding and requires intense concentration. This production requires me to stay focused and always be mentally present. Even a small distraction can throw me off balance, so I strive to fully embody my character, keeping myself grounded and committed throughout the process.
Content Advisory: This production contains theatrical haze, flashing lights, prop firearms, simulated firearm sound effects, and mature themes, including physical intimacy, illness, and death. Ages 12 and up.
Acting and musical theatre students at NWSA hone their craft through acting technique, movement, and speech classes, focusing on fundamentals of physical and emotional preparation. With performance at its core, training is based on the classical texts and the principles of drama as well as practical incursions into the contemporary and experimental edges of theatre. Consequently, alumni are found performing onstage nationally and internationally and their talent and vision are recognized and highly regarded in the industry. Information about the NWSA theater division at 305-237-3260. 2025-2026 Theatre Season Scheduled Events.
A Florida center of excellence in the visual and performing arts, New World School of the Arts is an educational partnership of Miami-Dade County Public Schools, Miami Dade College, and University of Florida. NWSA provides a comprehensive program of artistic, creative, and academic development through a curriculum that reflects our community and the rich multicultural state of Florida. Through our partners NWSA confers the high school diploma, Associate of Arts degree, and Bachelor of Fine Arts and Bachelor of Music degrees in programs accredited by the National Association of Schools of Dance, Music, Theater and Art & Design. NWSA’s rigorous eight-year curriculum and conservatory-style teaching has empowered students in our community and our nation to become leaders in the arts for more three decades. Information about New World School of the Arts at 305-237-3135 or nwsa.mdc.edu.
PASSION
November 7 & 14; 7:30 PM
March 8 & 15; 2 PM; 7:30 PM
Louise O. Gerrits Theater
25 NE 2 Street, 8th Floor, Miami
General admission $15. Students and seniors $10