Lives told through 16 songs

There’s no question that the Jason Robert Brown revue “Songs for a New World” showcases the compositional talents of an important emerging musical theater artist. Nevertheless, director Jon Lawrence Rivera’s inspired environmental staging for Ventura’s Rubicon Theatre warrants equal credit in transforming the material -- and the venue -- into a far more cohesive experience than we have any right to expect from an anthology of 16 existing, unrelated songs.

Drawing on a range of styles -- jazz, pop, gospel, funk -- Brown’s impeccably crafted character-based musical portraits touch on contemporary themes of loneliness, self-discovery, life crises and turning points, and finding our way through a scary, unfamiliar world.

While there’s an emotional progression in the show’s original concept, there were no recurring characters or plot. To add continuity and depth, Rivera and his four-member cast have framed the songs in a story about four regulars in an arty coffeehouse called (in a sly nod to Columbus’ New World voyage) the Santa Maria Cafe. Seated at small tables or on shabby chic sofas, the audience becomes part of the scene as the performers deliver their numbers from various locations in the space.

Rivera followed the same approach in his 2003 staging at Los Angeles Theatre Center, but this all-new cast has created fresh characters and histories. The barista is an aspiring photographer named Manough (Anthony Manough), a hard-luck case from the wrong side of the tracks trying to turn his life around. Cindy (Cindy Benson) is a middle-aged woman trapped in an unfulfilling marriage. Joan (Joan Almedilla) is a fearless expectant mother having problems with her commitment-phobic boyfriend, Kevin (Kevin Odekirk). The performers have taken some of the character details from their assigned songs; others are their own invention.

The quality of the singing and performances is never less than excellent, but the standout moments belong to Benson’s varied takes on failed marriages.

Imposing unifying character arcs on the songs is not without its trade-offs. The stakes are lowered in “King of the World” -- originally the ruminations of an imprisoned ruler awaiting martyrdom but here repurposed as Manough’s former jailbird rationalizations of his criminal life. And “Flying Home,” a metaphorical summing up and leave-taking of life sung by a soul heading heavenward, plays more like a spring break getaway, thanks to the fortuitous arrival of a plane ticket via overnight delivery (deus ex machina is a familiar device, but Fed Ex machina may be a first).

Overall, the benefits of adding context far outweigh the limitations, as we come to care for these characters. The second act reconciliation between Joan and Kevin gains effect from their painful earlier separation, and the finale’s plea for community healing has tangible consequences when Cindy becomes a mother figure to Manough.

Trefoni Michael Rizzi’s design is a complete transformation of the Rubicon -- even the table lamps are synced to the lighting controls. Handsome original paintings by Gerd Koch and Dana Battaglia are offered for sale; for those on more austere budgets, the coffee is excellent.

*

“Songs for a New World”

Where: Rubicon Theatre,

1006 E. Main St., Ventura

When: 2 and 7 p.m. Wednesdays,

8 p.m. Thursdays and Fridays,

2 and 8 p.m. Saturdays,

2 p.m. Sundays

Ends: April 3

Price: $27 to $48

Contact: (805) 667-2900; www.rubicontheatre.org

Running time: 2 hours