40 | JUNE 10 • 2021 

ARTS&LIFE
THEATER

J

ason Briggs has main-
tained a theater career 
during the constraints of 
the pandemic. 
As the development officer 
of the Flint Repertory Theatre, 
Briggs continued his admin-
istrative responsibilities. As 
an independent actor, he was 
able to secure a role in A New 
Brain, a play produced in film 
format by Theatre Nova in 
Ann Arbor, working with the 
Ringwald Theatre in Ferndale.
The production features 
music and lyrics by William 
Finn and book by William 
Finn and James Lapine, the 
Tony Award-winning creators 
of Falsettos. It was filmed in 
April, edited in May and will 
be available this month for 
home viewing as released via 
Broadway On Demand.
Throughout the filming, 
cast and crew observed intense 
COVID protocols. 
“This is a beautiful show,” 
said Briggs, 44, who appeared 
in the pre-pandemic run of 
Ain’t Misbehavin’ at the Jewish 
Ensemble Theatre (JET) in 

Walled Lake and won the 
Wilde Award for Best Featured 
Actor in a Musical. 
“A New Brain centers around 
a character named Gordon, a 
composer who writes music 
for a children’s television pro-
gram, and he absolutely hates 
doing that,” Briggs said.
Gordon, coping with 
brain surgery options, thinks 
through his life, and most of 
the play is set in the hospital 
as significant incidents are 
recalled.
“I play Richard, one of 
Gordon’s two nurses,” Briggs 
explained. “I’m known as the 
nice nurse. My character is 
very flamboyant, overly dra-
matic and really caring. He 
has a great connection with 
Gordon, Gordon’s mother and 
Gordon’s partner. He’s also 
extremely hilarious and deliv-
ers a lot of comedy into the 
show.”
The cast includes director 
Richard Payton as Gordon, 
Diane Hills as Gordon’s moth-
er, Steve DeBruyne as the doc-
tor and Vince Kelley as Roger, 

Gordon’s partner. 
Just as the creators of the 
show are from Jewish fam-
ilies, so is the character of 
Gordon, who rejects the visit 
of a minister, also played by 
Briggs. Gordon explains that 
he is Jewish and doesn’t want 
to hear what the minister is 
saying.
“There are other implied 
references to him being Jewish, 

Theatre Nova 
presents on-
demand play that 
explores second 
chances.
A New Brain

SUZANNE CHESSLER
CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Details A New Brain
is available on demand on 
June 12, 13, 19 and 20. $25. 
TheatreNOVA.org.

Top and right: 
Scenes from the play.

COURTESY OF THEATRE NOVA

COURTESY OF THEATRE NOVA

Jason Briggs

