The Offical Passing Strange Love Thread (Scaryotypes Unite)- Page 19

[coolkid11776]

Posted: 4/22/08 at 1:52pm

Where have the 26.50 seats been recently

[verynewyorkcurious]

Posted: 4/22/08 at 1:53pm

No more questions

[thetinymagic2]

Posted: 4/22/08 at 4:21pm

Scaryotypes: Just because 2 people on ATC don't like PS, WTF? Who cares? All I know is, that most shows are dipping this week, and probably will soar, in the next month, due to tourists, after school's out, Award Noms., etc.
PS has a spontaneous standing Ovation every night, even with smaller audiences. The word of mouth is still excellent and I believe there will be tons of ads expounding the gifts of "our" show in the coming weeks!
Timing in the newspapers is everything. I suspect the producers will probably spend most of their ad dollars after the Drama Desk and Tony Noms.
Keep on supporting our wonderful show!
Where else can you get excellent 26.50 tix with relative ease?

[blaxx]

Posted: 4/22/08 at 4:27pm

Just keep spreading the word, fellow Scaryotypes. Best form of publicity.

My sister is going to NYC for the first time next month. She really wanted to see Phantom and another show, so she asked me to get her tickets for something good, so I got her tickets for PS. Maybe she'll be a new member of the fan club.

[thetinymagic2]

Posted: 4/22/08 at 4:33pm

Here's a RAVE from an ATCer, no less!


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PASSING STRANGE Thoughts! aka Oh. My. God! (spoilers within)

Posted by: HairBeat86 ([e-mail]) 03:15 pm EDT 04/22/08
I’ve never been a religious person, but color me converted, because I’m subscribing to a new religion: Stewism. All memories of those other one-name musical wonders went out the door the moment Stew took center stage in the mesmerizing new musical "Passing Strange," currently playing at the Belasco Theater.

Even after rave reviews by some of the most prestigious press, I was more than a little skeptical to journey to the forgotten theater that lies east of Times Square. Perhaps it was the ad campaign, or just musical overload after the past few months, but I had every intention of letting it fall by the wayside. Fortunately, my friend persuaded me to see it.

From the moment I entered the theater and saw a square of instruments set up on stage, facing center, I knew things were going to be different. A curly haired man strutted out, gave a rock-star nod to the audience and sat down at his keyboard to initiate the journey. Seven actors and four musicians soon followed and my mind was blown.

Stew, a heavyset man with chunky frame glasses and a head as smooth as his guitar, situated himself behind a podium and opened up a red book to tell us a story. It's not often that a narrator makes an appearance in a Broadway musical, and as Stew introduced us to a slew of characters (who we can only assume make up his own real-life history) it became clear that it was just the first of what would be many unique devices.

After a short introduction, that pumped guitars and drums through the speaker system with the ferocity of a U2 concert, we are dropped into Los Angeles, as a stubborn boy (known only as "Youth") argues with his mother about going to church. She finally convinces him and initiates his journey to find the ever-elusive being: himself.

As the seven actors rotate in and out of different characters, the bare-bones set (consisting only of chairs, a few tables, and a back wall with as many lights as Times Square) transports us from Los Angeles, to Amsterdam, to Berlin, and back again. The actors, who immerse themselves (using a variety of accents, but more importantly, emotions) more fully than I've ever seen on a Broadway stage, construct a world around the "Youth" that further helps (and muddies) his quest for his place in the grand scheme of things.

Stripped away of all Broadway razzle-dazzle, the focus is left on human emotions and interactions that define who we are. As the Youth journeys across continents, we watch as he passes himself off as one thing or another, trying on different cultures like they are shirts at the Gap.

A constant refrain pokes its head into each section of the show, "Is it alright?" The question, one that is almost impossible to answer with assurance, pushes the Youth away from those he loves; afraid of comfort and stagnation, as he immerses himself in his songwriting. He seeks catharsis through art, but ultimately misses out on true connections with those around him because of it.

To pinpoint the moments of brilliance in this show is almost as difficult as the boy's journey to find himself. Stew has written a score that brings true rock music to Broadway, filled with metaphoric lyrics that give insight into human interactions as well as push the plot forward. Stew has talent as a writer for cutting directly to the core of emotion. He builds layers in songs that often have a more conventionally musical theater narrative existing with an abstract rock lyric delivered by the narrator; the affect is euphoric. More amazingly, as the book writer he presents a series of vignettes that never seem choppy, but instead capture the uncertainty of life and the questions of existence that consume so many youths.

He is fortunate to have a cast that redefines musical theater acting. Led by the brilliant Daniel Breaker as "Youth," all of the actors have been directed to straddle the line of classical acting and musical theater projection with finesse. They deliver Stew's words in a way that is poignant but never preachy.

"Passing Strange" has the incentive of being taken in three forms. There are those in the audience, so taken with the visceral experience of the music that they can't resist moving their head in response to the beat. Then there are those who may find the music too loud, but the emotional chords just right. Last, there are those like me, who combine the two and leave feeling as if they've witnessed something truly unique.

I don't mean to imply that the show redefines perfection. Stretches in the second act (while the "Youth" lives in Berlin) can meander a little, but it's a small price to pay for the brilliance that pads the lag. Ideally the creators would condense the show to one-act and not interrupt the characters' journey for an intermission. Yet these are minor qualms for a show that is as thought provoking as it is loud.

It's not often that Broadway musicals leave you with much to discuss these days. Even for that reason alone, "Passing Strange" is worth seeing. First rule of Stewism? To not buy a ticket is a sin.

URL: RANTING DETAILS!!!

[scaryclowns223]

Posted: 4/22/08 at 4:41pm

Wow!

So happy that people are enjoying this wonderful show!

I just hope ticket sales pick up...

[thetinymagic2]

Posted: 4/22/08 at 8:55pm

Pretty good house tonight (Tues), SCARYCL...hope the rest of the week continues.....

[joe5]

Posted: 4/23/08 at 8:59am

Tiny, I have lots of hope for this show. And I can't wait till Memorial Day WE. So I can bring the troops from Boston to see it. It's just so sad that people would love to see it's failure. And I shouldn't get caught up in there drama. Proud SCARYOTYPE!!!!! JOE

[thetinymagic2]

Posted: 4/23/08 at 7:37pm

Joe5, biz is way up this week, so far.
Yay.

[joe5]

Posted: 4/24/08 at 7:42am

Thanks Tiny, Glad to hear things are improving. And for keeping me in check. joe

[thetinymagic2]

Posted: 4/24/08 at 2:56pm

PASSING STRANGE blew me away!

Posted by: lordofspeech 09:13 am EDT 04/24/08
Wow. Why this didn't win the Pulitzer is beyond me (and, yes, AUGUST: OSAGE COUNTY was a nice bellyful so I can't begrudge that win). Brilliant set design, phenomenal direction, and a script/score of such power and, well, majesty, (with each lyric clear as a bell) that I was not only screaming with laughter but sobbing and whooping. Thanks to the posters here that let me know there were "rush" tickets (not just for students) available on day of show for $26.50. But this show, of all, would certainly be worth even the Mel Brooks rates on Broadway. Wow.

[BenKaye]

Posted: 4/24/08 at 3:05pm

I saw that too Tiny. Pretty awesome.

Great to hear that business is up, and all of the positive response from people who have seen it.

SCARYOTYPES UNITE!!!

[scaryclowns223]

Posted: 4/25/08 at 12:03am

Stumbled across this today when I decided to randomly google Daniel Breaker...

Pictures from the Berkeley Rep production...where they used COSTUMES.

And MAN am I glad they scrapped that idea.

Long live PASSING STRANGE!
http://broadwayworld.com/viewcolumn.cfm?colid=13130

[BenKaye]

Posted: 4/25/08 at 12:18am

The John Doyle Method always works.

The less you use, the better it is.

Not always true, but in many instances, it is.

[aliciag]

Posted: 4/25/08 at 12:20am

Yeah, I am definitely a fan of the lack of costumes, it really works for this piecs... with the exception being Eisa Davis at the end when she rocks that dress. Gorgeous!!!

[verynewyorkcurious]

Posted: 4/25/08 at 12:24am

This is what I'm talking about! 3, 4 posts in like 20 minutes!

I agree, although I totally get Lalalalala, lalalalala from this picture:



Welcome to Air Amsterdam FLIGHT 00. Was it Air Amsterdam? Was it flight 00? Damn it I should know this

[WaltSummersPI]

Posted: 4/25/08 at 12:26am

Air Amsterdam, Flight Zero.

[thetinymagic2]

Posted: 4/25/08 at 12:30am

Agree, AliciaG and VeryC-
The Bway "costuming" works so much better in it's more timeless tone and color, and further accentuates the amazing talents of the cast, who play multiple roles WITHOUT exaggerated or otherwise color saturated costumes. The material shines thru without glitz.

[thetinymagic2]

Posted: 4/25/08 at 12:34am

Walt, your memory for lines is amazing!

[WaltSummersPI]

Posted: 4/25/08 at 12:36am

Thanks

[joe5]

Posted: 4/25/08 at 8:02am

Got this in my e-mail today from Broadway Across Amercia. Some national exposure for the show.





Home > News
News

‘PASSING STRANGE’ GETS BROADWAY ROCKING; Singer-Songwriter Stew Does It His Way - 4/24/2008


Having very little exposure to Broadway musicals may have helped Stew (real name: Mark Stewart) write his own. With a background in the rock ‘n’ roll world and decidedly not the theatre world, his loosely autobiographical show PASSING STRANGE, now playing at the Belasco Theatre on Broadway, is something of an anomaly. It’s a peculiar hybrid of rock concert, cabaret show, performance art and musical theatre. And it’s unlike anything else you’ve seen before.

“I actually had preconceived notions of what a musical should be even though I hadn’t really seen them,” said Stew. “I just had this idea of what they’re probably like and I knew I didn’t want to do that. But I also knew that I wouldn’t be able to do that. So that was the cool part. They always say you should know the rules before you break them but I’ve always thought that was kind of b#llsh!t. Sometimes you don’t need the rules. You just need the urge to do something.”

The idea for PASSING STRANGE was spurred partly from the rock concert experience Stew was intimately familiar with as the singer & songwriter for “The Negro Problem,” his alternative rock band that attained a cult-like following and critical acclaim. Using a rock show setting as the foundation, Stew wrote the book and lyrics. His fellow bandmate and longtime collaborator Heidi Rodewald composed the music along with him. The storyline somewhat resembles his own personal journey but he’s quick to set the record straight.

“It was purely autobiographical for about the first two weeks, somewhere in 2004,” he said. “It wasn’t until I started sort of lying to tell the truth that I really started having fun. There were larger points that I wanted to make that I couldn’t make if I just stuck to the truth. You have to lie to tell the truth, a little bit.”

Originally from Los Angeles where his middle-class life was, by his account, rather ordinary, he became bored and disillusioned as a teenager and had a yearning for self-discovery. He was particularly influenced at that time by a lot of foreign films so he sought out a bohemian lifestyle that he had only known on the big screen and that had escaped him at home. He wound up in Berlin. He first visited the German capital in 1984, lived there off and on over the ensuing years and now calls it home.

Within PASSING STRANGE, Stew is fittingly cast as the narrator. A guitar around his neck and a microphone in hand, he acts as the guide, moving the story along while delivering witty commentary from center stage. He leads a small band (including Rodewald on bass) that surrounds him in pit-like stage positions on every side. A talented and versatile six-member ensemble cast led by Daniel Breaker as Youth – Stew’s alter ego - brings the bitingly-funny coming-of-age story to life.

Stew recalled the parallels between his upbringing and Youth’s quest as a rebelling black man in search of his real self. “What I was looking for was something very similar to what the kid in the play was looking for,” he said. “I had this idea that I wanted a certain kind of freedom that was a political freedom, a sexual freedom, an artistic freedom and a freedom with my identity as well. I didn’t want to be defined by my little neighborhood in Los Angeles.”

It’s hard to classify exactly what PASSING STRANGE is because it is a fairly radical departure from everything else currently playing on Broadway. Regardless of that fact, theatre critics have been welcoming the show’s recent arrival with a hearty embrace. Charles Isherwood of the New York Times said, “Call it whatever you want, really. I’ll just call it wonderful.” Jacques le Sourd of The Journal News exclaimed, “I love this show, which is so different from the standard Broadway musical that it demands its own category.”

“It’s a weird show, let’s face it,” said Stew. “It’s not your typical show and I think a lot of people come to theatre expecting to kick back and be entertained and our show tries to engage you. We break the fourth wall constantly. We deal with the fact that the audience is there and we never let them off the hook. We never let them passively enjoy the show.”

Stew equated the concert experience to “a sort of visceral call and response kind of world.” He added, “Our show endeavors to do a combination of rock ‘n’ roll and theatre. It tries to get people to at least sing along or tap their feet if they want to. It’s an interesting challenge for us. It’s a completely different world.”

For more information on PASSING STRANGE, visit www.PassingStrangeOnBroadway.com.

By: Kirk Wingerson

THE WORLD IS A TOY, TO A BOY. stew



Updated On: 4/25/08 at 08:02 AM

[thetinymagic2]

Posted: 4/26/08 at 12:16am

Scaryotypes and others: Anybody at the show tonight? Thoughts?
I thought that kid on the far right orch., Row b or c had the right idea! Stew and Crew were unbelievably on fire tonight. The aud. was brilliant, and for those old enough to remember, Angela Davis and Toni Morrison were there (again for Ms. Morrison). There's history for you! Visit Wiki.

[verynewyorkcurious]

Posted: 4/26/08 at 12:17am

What did the kid do?

[thetinymagic2]

Posted: 4/26/08 at 12:27am

Well, VERYC, during an extra long rendition of Amsterdam, the mostly New York Timesy audience was leaning forward, totally enjoying, and this college kid sitting house right, really close, just GOT UP out of his seat, started rockin', STEW caught him in peripheral vision, strutted over, then totally played to this ONE kid, singing to each other, the entire audience's eyes on them! MAGIC! Stew is so in tune with the moment lately, new bits of improv, both in vocals, instrumentation and acting elevate the goings on immensely. That guy is so relaxed on stage, anything can happen, and does.

[verynewyorkcurious]

Posted: 4/26/08 at 12:28am

WOW! Sounds amazing!