Passing Strange, as in beyond strange. Stranger than strange. Stranger than fiction, in fact. It’s a play within a rock show flaunting philosophy, performance art, an acid trip and a heavy touch of the Holy Spirit. This is a play constructed of music, spit, tears and tries – but I would hesitate to call it a “musical” in the traditional sense of the word.
Which is exactly why it is such a good fit for B’DAT’s 10th Anniversary Season. Lilli and I selected Passing Strange while eating nachos at the Mexican joint on my corner. But let’s be honest, Lilli and I make most major decisions about our program at the Mexican joint on my corner. But don’t let our sass fool you. We know this art making is some serious business. In our second summer teaching together at the Berklee College of Music we test drove parts of Passing Strange on our unsuspecting musical theatre intensive students. The rabid passion with which kids from Virginia, Colorado, Alaska and beyond, threw themselves into the “Church Blues” was indeed a revelation. We knew we’d made the right choice to bring Stew and Heidi home to Beacon because any young person who’s ever considered themselves an artist – even for a hot fleeting second – could clearly see themselves in the undulating rock and roll of this play.
So The fact that we would be able to teach so much European and musical theatre history in tandem with this classic coming of age story was just the fun part. We were lucky enough to share time and space with the creative team and had the chance to dig into the who, what, where and why THIS story had to be told. In our Q & A, Stew revealed that Passing Strange was an attempt to write the musical a young Mark Stewart wanted to see as a kid in California years ago. So Passing Strange is like Pippin on steroids? The funny part; Stew didn’t see Pippin until after Passing Stage came to be and this speaks to the universality of the Pilgrim’s journey and the timelessness of the story.
Beacon students never cease to amaze when they have opportunities to really “step up” and the cast and crew of Passing Strange are no exception. I’m simply floored by Dazay, Justin, Merlixse, Julia, Caleb and each member of the company that reveal layers and layers of their own depth in every choice they make on stage. And don’t even get me started on Jennie and Sonia. Lilli and I very much could have handed them the materials and let them roll with it and I’m fairly certain this production would be virtually the same. Jennie and Sonia have been passing for Josie and Lilli for months now.
We’re all passing for something. Passing for the majority. Passing for the minority. Passing for content. Passing for safe. Passing for American. Passing for free. Passing for faithful. Passing for stable. Passing for real. But one thing that I’m certain of is that none of the students involved in this production are passing as creators. They’ve more than earned their stripes this time.
“Day-um Pretzel Man”
Big Love,
Josie
