The Offical Passing Strange Love Thread (Scaryotypes Unite)- Page 45

[thetinymagic2]

Posted: 6/19/08 at 3:32am

because they don't GET....IT. It requires too much from the brain.

[StateOfJade]

Posted: 6/19/08 at 3:38am

Sadly, people don't necessarily see shows to see something 'brilliant'. I think Passing Strange requires THINKING on the audience's part. 'Call & response,' you might call it :-p.

I think lots of people are drawn to campy shows where you don't HAVE to think, you can just be mindlessly entertained. But my point may disproven by the fact that Cry Baby just put up its notice.

Oh no I DIDn't...sorry, I had to. Couldn't resist.

[thetinymagic2]

Posted: 6/19/08 at 3:47am

Ah, The Real Scaryotypes are up late tonight!
Jade, you're totally correct..I like mindless shows, every once in a while, but have to admit I actually like "difficult" stuff. I like crazy poetry ! I like controversy! I like misunderstood people! It's like a brain massage.

[verynewyorkcurious]

Posted: 6/19/08 at 3:48am

Tiny, I just read some of Stew's blog. Parts of "i should be sleeping..." can easily be turned into a song. It seems to come so effortlessly and organically.

It'd be such a shame to lose this show. It's weird though, all the times I've seen PS, there have been such great audience response.. more so lately than ever before.

I do agree with TDH. It's not mainstream enough for the great white way. It does requite a lot of thought and concentration, but the music helps out a great deal. That great great music. It might take a small detour to enjoying the show, but once you're there, it is such a high. A lot of other shows, everything is right there on stage, and you go, "Oh that's nice.. Meh."

[StateOfJade]

Posted: 6/19/08 at 3:48am

I say 'mindless' for lack of a better word...there must be some word that is less insulting...campy, maybe?

'Scaryotypes' don't sleep. They wait.

[thetinymagic2]

Posted: 6/19/08 at 3:51am

Ha Ha! Good one, Jade!
Mindless! Don't be politically correct! It's a "good" word.
I'm sure Stew would approve.

[Secret Man]

Posted: 6/19/08 at 3:42pm

I heard from a very reliable source that Passing Strange will stay on Brodway as long as it sells alot of tickets. So, if you want Passing Strange to stay on brodway, you should tell alot of your freinds to buy tickets for the show as soon as you can. This week is a big week because the producers are going to decide if Passing Strange should stay on broadway based on the ticket sales this week. If Passing Strange keeps on selling alot of tickets, it could stay on brodway for years.
Updated On: 6/19/08 at 03:42 PM

[BroadwayChica]

Posted: 6/19/08 at 3:49pm

ugh, I'm so not ready to lose Passing Strange. I'm glad I was able to see it again right before I left, but I had hoped to catch it at least once more. Every single viewing is a new experience (and how many shows can you say that about?). If it closes while I'm away from NYC I will be devastated.

[blaxx]

Posted: 6/19/08 at 3:49pm

And you just joined to tell us this - truly a Secret Man!

[aliciag]

Posted: 6/19/08 at 3:52pm

"Every single viewing is a new experience (and how many shows can you say that about?)."

Exactly!!! That fact in and of itself makes it so easy to come back for repeated viewings and really fosters a great appreciation for the show and its creators and cast members. I so wish I wasn't on the other side of the country right now...

[thetinymagic2]

Posted: 6/19/08 at 3:53pm

Dear SecretMan:
That's why this LOVE THREAD started 4 months ago. We Scaryotypes don't just say "See this Show", we discuss ad nauseum it's attributes, and why the book and lyrics and music mean so much to us.
So, read through some of the 40+ pages, and get an idea.
Also, the performances at this point in time are even BETTER than 2 months ago...1,000%. Give it an open minded try!

[verynewyorkcurious]

Posted: 6/19/08 at 4:25pm

Secret Man

I love it.

[Renthead#1]

Posted: 6/20/08 at 3:01am

I just bought the Passing Strange cd from iTunes today and still havent seen the show. Are there any songs I should ignore in case they give away spoilers?

[StateOfJade]

Posted: 6/20/08 at 4:18am

'Cue Music'.

[B3TA07]

Posted: 6/20/08 at 5:31am

""Every single viewing is a new experience (and how many shows can you say that about?).""


One of the mindless ones: Xanadu. And really every Elphaba in Wicked likes to put her own spin on the melody (shouldn't their paychecks be docked for that?).

"Are there any songs I should ignore in case they give away spoilers? "

Nothing on the CD gave away plot to me when I listened to it. But then again, there really isn't anything drastic to give away (and I already knew that his mother dies). Posts like this further the assumption and rumor that any of Stew's "experiences," specifically the Amsterdam part, were perpetually unique nor exponentially more influential because of his race. I know white guys who did the exact same things in Amsterdam, but they aren't all self-righteous about it because they are aware it wasn't such an idiosyncratic experience.

Congrats to the cast on their Tony win! My regards to Mr. Beane, who wholeheartedly deserved it moreso.

Updated On: 6/20/08 at 05:31 AM

[NYCboy2]

Posted: 6/20/08 at 8:52am

B3TA07, this is a love thread dude! If you have nothing good to say... STFU!
You're not welcome here! Jeez. these kids are out of school again!

[mikem]

Posted: 6/20/08 at 9:09am

B3TA07, even if the plot point you mention wasn't news to you, I think that's a spoiler, which you might want to label as such (or just remove from your post).

[scaryclowns223]

Posted: 6/20/08 at 11:42am

Hey guys

Just thought I'd check in, I haven't been through this thread for a while now.

I'm really hoping they can hold on over there at the Belasco, I would hate to see our beloved Passing Strange go the way of A Catered Affair or CryBaby.

And B3TA07,

First of all, NYCBOY was right, this is a a love thread, and you shouldn't post insults here.

Second of all, it is quite apparent that you haven't seen the show and thus don't understand it.

Stew never says that his experiences are unique. In fact, he sort of mocks it. Part of the conceit of the show is that this is Stew looking back on his past foolishness and his immaturity. Now certainly there are elements of his story that ARE unique (which you would know if you saw the show. Berlin AND Amsterdam? How many of your friends went to BOTH of those and fell in love in both places?) but Stew isn't trying to tell a new story. He's telling an old story with a different point of view and a different mode of storytelling. Sure, its typical for a rebellious youth to move to Amsterdam, but those stories are rarely told in the way this story is told- in hindsight, with a combination of elder wisdom and genuine understanding.

Also, Stew never tries to make a point out of being black. EVER. In fact, he rarely ever discusses it. When he DOES, he makes fun of Youth's decision to exploit his race in order to earn sympathy. (With a VERY clever book line and the song "The Black One.") This show is about a black man, but it never claims to be "more influential" because the main character in black. One could say just the opposite.

Now please, be nice in the Passing Strange love thread.

[DottieD'Luscia]

Posted: 6/20/08 at 11:47am

Interesting article from today's NY Times:


When Brush With Broadway Ends....

[scaryclowns223]

Posted: 6/20/08 at 12:06pm

That article was great...but it ended way too abruptly.

I want a part two!

[musicalmaster703]

Posted: 6/20/08 at 12:13pm

kind of odd article...

[verynewyorkcurious]

Posted: 6/20/08 at 12:22pm

It was kinda sad. They seem to have a real Love/Hate relationship, one that will probably never end. Man, I wish they had won too. Thanks for the link.

What the **** is up with all that PS bashing now? That should have been over after the Tony Awards. B3TA07 is a douche bag.

[DottieD'Luscia]

Posted: 6/20/08 at 12:29pm

Oddly enough, the article appeared in the NY Section as opposed to the Theatre Section.

It definitely had a melancholy feel to it.

[TTL]

Posted: 6/20/08 at 1:23pm

PASSING STRANGE is a show anyone can relate too. I didn't watch the TONYS due to being at a dance concert but if you want to see good footage of it... I feel the medley the cast performed on "The View" is good, and the performance at the OBIE Awards. (Both can be found on Youtube) Out of the 7 TONY Nominations I had hope it'd win BEST Book of A Musical (Which it did!) and Best Musical Score. It was really well written... or else I don't think the people who have seen the show wouldn't be moved so much. I would love to see the show again and checking Playbill.com constantly hoping there's no closing notice - more times imaginable. I'd like to see the show run throughout the summer... if not for a good year or two. (or more?)

[thetinymagic2]

Posted: 6/20/08 at 3:18pm

Hey Scary, Very nice "analysis". And please, people, don't give feedback to the TROLLS, who may post stupid stuff here. Just ignore them.
PS is actually UP in biz this week, so stop saying it's closing. There's no closing notice up. Come and see the show. There are still great discounts, like the 26.50 thing!!