Forum to educate local audiences on music of Tony-winning composer Jason Robert Brown

You really have to be a theater person, either a performer or a fan, to know Jason Robert Brown.

A Tony Award-winner for best score for 1999’s “Parade” (one of his three Tonys), about a Jewish factory owner in 1913 Atlanta falsely accused of murdering a young girl, Brown has a cult following for his two-person musical “The Last Five Years” and his song cycle “Songs for a New World.” He has also provided the scores for movies-turned-musicals such as “The Bridges of Madison County,” “Honeymoon in Vegas” and “Urban Cowboy.”

But since the Forum Theatre Company is moving its “Words & Music” concert saluting Brown to an online format, artistic director Kathryn Page-Hauptman said she thinks it is a great way to introduce new audiences to the work.

“I thought since we were going to be doing something different with this with streaming that it would be more interesting for me and for the audience to introduce them to new composers they might not know anything about,” she said. “The artists and actors know about Jason Robert Brown, but I think the general public in Wichita doesn’t know as much.

“We’re not so dependent on building an audience as much as live because there’s not as much cost as doing it live, and it would be a part of our educational mission,” Page-Hauptman added.

That spirit continues next month with a salute to Marci Heisler and Zina Goldrich, whose credits include musical comedies for children and adults.

Buying a ticket to any of the dozen listed performances will give online audience members a link that is good for 48 hours from the time selected.

Performances were recorded earlier this month at the Forum’s home, the Wilke Center at First United Methodist Church.

Three cameras recorded the performance, Page-Hauptman said, which was all done in one take.

The performers are Ted Dvorak, Steve Hitchcock Jr., Chelsey Ehresman, Alexander Ogburn and Forum newcomer Timeri Herrington.

“I just love the story that (Brown) can tell in such a short amount of time,” Hitchcock said. “His melodies and his lyrics just match so perfectly, and I think he can convey the inner feelings of what the character is going through so wonderfully.”

Page-Hauptman praised Brown’s ability to structure a song.

“Every song tells a story in a very unique, tight way,” she said. “You have a beginning, middle and end, and you see an arc throughout the song. They’re interesting to listen to and interesting to perform.”

WORDS & MUSIC: JASON ROBERT BROWN

When: Through March 7; streaming available for 48 hours after announced showtime

Tickets: $20 per download, from forumwichita.com