Why all the "Passing Strange" Love?

[Holbee]

Posted: 6/13/08 at 11:20pm

I don't get it. It has a cliched story (which one would take from the first person meta-narrative as the truth, but actually a lot of it is fiction--in real life Stew actually made it home before his mother died! ) The score is mediocre (well, it could have been great, but every time it feels like its going to break out into a real live melody it goes aborted or nowhere--its worse than a LaChuisa musical! ) I liked the set. But the drama in the piece is a whole lot tinier than Stew's ego. I was so pumped to see this show, love a good rock/modern musical. Viva la "Spring Awakening" and "In the Heights" and their parents "Rent" and "Hair". Plus, I'm very forgiving. Believe me. I make excuses for shows that probably don't deserve it (can you hear me "Legally Blonde"?) But "Passing Strange"'s near-bland score, emotionally confusing book, mixed in with the show's "We-are-just-too-cool-for-conventional-musical-theatre" attitude, the whole enterprise left a bad taste in my mouth. But the critics, who sent me there, loved the show. LOVED IT! If they're not predicting a Best Musical Tony win, they all say it "should" win. Huh? I say HUH??? I hear John Simon gave it a bad review. Yay John! Keepin' it real! Unlike the show that purports to do just that. A hypocritical musical. More bang for my Tony dollar!! Please God let it not win.

Updated On: 6/13/08 at 11:20 PM

[NYCboy2]

Posted: 6/13/08 at 11:23pm

because youre stupid!
Updated On: 6/13/08 at 11:23 PM

[blaxx]

Posted: 6/13/08 at 11:26pm

How convenient to post this two days before the Tonys.

It was the best reviewed new musical of this season, should I keep going?

[winter_sky]

Posted: 6/13/08 at 11:27pm

I'm confused because in the show Youth is clearly at his mother's funeral as he is giving her eulogy. He didn't make it home to see her before she died.

As for the rest of your review...that's purely opinion. Many loved the score and found the message to be affecting.

[D2]

Posted: 6/13/08 at 11:29pm

Bravo, Holbee. I agree 100%.

If the show has its adherents, that's great, and I don't wish it any ill will. But after those reviews, and great word of mouth (from actual, live people, not message board fanatics) I was expecting to be blown away, and sadly I wasn't. For most of the same reasons you mentioned.

[jaystarr]

Posted: 6/13/08 at 11:40pm

Fyi- John Simon is 83 yrs old!

J*

[jaystarr]

Posted: 6/13/08 at 11:42pm

Updated On: 6/13/08 at 11:42 PM

[Mealz1042]

Posted: 6/13/08 at 11:46pm

wow holbee, thank you! You took the thoughts right out of my head.

On the other hand I actually agree with winter_sky on something (then again that's because it's a fact, but never the less its worht celebrating) I'm not sure what you missed, but youth (which by the way, I find a very pretentious charactor name, unless you're edward albee, but i'll let that one slide) DOES go to the mother's funeral in the show.

[BenKaye]

Posted: 6/13/08 at 11:55pm

The fact that you said the show is worse than a LaChiusa Musical just makes me even more annoyed. I really shouldn't be, because it is just your opinion, but still, that is an unfair and unjust opinion.

Either way, Michael John LaChiusa is a genius, as is Stew.

[blaxx]

Posted: 6/13/08 at 11:57pm

That is ok - PS can soon join Grey Gardens, Piazza, Urinetown, Caroline or Change, etc. in the DESERVING list.

[frogs_fan85]

Posted: 6/14/08 at 12:04am

The score is bland!? ::shakes head and walks away::

[Mealz1042]

Posted: 6/14/08 at 12:12am

hahah blaxx, im in the minority of people here who thought that grey gardens was also incredibly boring and INCREDIBLY overrated. The only thing that wasn't overrated (and if anything was UNDERRATED) about that show was Ebersole's outstanding performance.

[blaxx]

Posted: 6/14/08 at 12:14am

There you go, love, that explains a lot.

[LimelightMike]

Posted: 6/14/08 at 12:20am

To the Original Poster:

The reason why you don't 'get' the love for PASSING STRANGE was answered in your own damn post. No need to pose a question like that. Seriously? You (defend) a show LEGALLY BLONDE and RENT and SPRING AWAKENING ... All the while, PASSING STRANGE has been pullin' himself up by his bootstraps since Day 1 - From Berkley, to Papp's Pub, to Broadway - It DESERVES to be here, and I'll be damned if I'm not the only one who believes it. What you have to do is open your eyes, open your heart, and your mind to a new breed of musical theatre - with a freshness and splendor that hasn't been exprienced... It's time.

It's rock 'n' roll at the very core, the essenece isn't just 'presented' - it's FELT throughout the Belasco night-after-night; young, old, black, white, green, purple, straight, gay, bi, short, tall. We are the masses that have seemingly embraced a show with substance, with heart and with a bee.yoo.tee.full message of acceptance and just how to go about reclaiming that creative spark within you, how to reclaim that love that your heart once lost, that itty-bitty space in the bowels of your being that you only turned to in your darkest of moments - when you felt confused, out-of-place, out-of-touch with the rest of the world. It's ain't Shakespeare, it's STEW, baby!

Spread the Buzz,
Feel the Love,
Find the Real!

One Love.

Best,
- Mike
Updated On: 6/14/08 at 12:20 AM

[ljay889]

Posted: 6/14/08 at 12:25am

I haven't seen the show, but have heard the cast recording.

And I LOVE how it feels like I am listening to REAL rock music, not wannabe-rock pop crap like Rent or Spring Awakening.

PS is the real deal. Updated On: 6/14/08 at 12:25 AM

[wonderfulwizard11]

Posted: 6/14/08 at 12:32am

I haven't seen the show, nor have I heard the cast album (I've been broke for a while), but I have heard some of the songs and I love them. My sentiments are similar to ljay's, it feels like real rock music. I think it's great and from what I've heard, I would be happy if PASSING STRANGE or IN THE HEIGHTS won best score. They're both pretty great (and I have heard the whole score of IN THE HEIGHTS).

[thetinymagic2]

Posted: 6/14/08 at 12:33am

Don't care what this person thinks. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion. So, this poster hated it. Big deal. We all LOVE it. Do we post that we hate OTHER shows? A big, emphatic NO! That's why we are proud Scaryotypes!

[Mealz1042]

Posted: 6/14/08 at 12:49am

wow, tinymagic, there is someone on this board who actually accepts that people have different opinions and that it is OKAY!!! kudos, and thank you for being rational!!

[StateOfJade]

Posted: 6/14/08 at 12:51am

Bada bing, bada boom!

Updated On: 6/14/08 at 12:51 AM

[thetinymagic2]

Posted: 6/14/08 at 12:54am

Thank you Mealz.

[StateOfJade]

Posted: 6/14/08 at 12:56am

I've edited my posts because I think it's sad that people need to continually restate their contempt for a show when so many love it. Especially now that it's Tony time...we should be spreading the love! Let's all hide the claws, shall we?

Updated On: 6/14/08 at 12:56 AM

[Mealz1042]

Posted: 6/14/08 at 1:01am

i still don't get how you can say they are stereotyped when they are based on real people in lin's life...

and why must everything related to passing strange be compared to ITH? They really have nothign to do with eachother except that they are both original shows up for the tony...

But anyway, even though we disagree about pretty much everything, (except most things rent) i still respect your opinions, and think you're hilarious (in a good way, like a laughing with you way)

[blaxx]

Posted: 6/14/08 at 1:05am

Sorry, Mealz, but the need for the OP to start this thread goes beyond an opinion, it is a hateful statement.

[SirNotAppearing]

Posted: 6/14/08 at 1:05am

They're constantly compared because they're hotly competing in multiple Tony categories.

[StateOfJade]

Posted: 6/14/08 at 1:08am

Hahah ok I'm done. To quote the lovely Priscilla Lopez, 'ENOUGH!"

Updated On: 6/14/08 at 01:08 AM