Riedel: "Passing Strange" revival for Spring 2018?
Riedel: "Passing Strange" revival for Spring 2018?
jacobsnchz14
Broadway Legend Joined: 12/13/06
#1Riedel: "Passing Strange" revival for Spring 2018?
Posted: 7/13/17 at 7:17pm
https://nypost.com/2017/07/13/passing-strange-the-best-musical-to-not-win-a-tony-is-back/
High on my list of the best musicals of the past 10 years is “Passing Strange,” by songwriters Stew and Heidi Rodewald.
It opened on Broadway in 2008, won plenty of critics’ awards and received seven Tony nominations. But despite all the praise, the show never really caught on at the Belasco, running just 165 performances. Its closing night was thrilling — and heartbreaking. Everybody felt “Passing Strange” should have run a lot longer.
Which is why I’m pleased to report that a revival is in the works.
Philadelphia’s Wilma Theater is producing the show from Jan. 10 to Feb. 18. Stew, now 55, won’t be in this revival but he and Rodewald plan to oversee it.
The director is Tea Alagic, who has an excellent reputation for her work off-Broadway and in regional theater; her production of “Constellations” at the Wilma earlier this year got rave reviews.
Broadway producer John Hart (“Once,” “A Bronx Tale&rdquo
is reportedly hovering around the production with an eye to bringing it to Broadway next spring, though he told me these were early days. But he added: “When I saw the original production, it took my breath away. I’m very excited about seeing it in Philadelphia.”
“Passing Strange” is based in part on Stew’s experience as a young musician traveling through Europe in the 1980s. Stew played the Narrator, an older version of himself, reflecting on his youthful angst, family rebellion, drug use, sexual exploration and spiritual awakening. A fine Daniel Breaker played the young and nervy “Youth.” (Breaker’s now playing Aaron Burr in the Chicago production of “Hamilton.&rdquo
“Passing Strange” has a loose but fluid structure and a score brimming with terrific songs: “Amsterdam,” “May Day” and (my favorite) “Work the Wound.”
It was a hard show to characterize, which may have been one reason why it failed to take off. Some critics called it a rock musical, which in 2008 may have turned off traditional theatergoers. (There were complaints that it was too loud.) Since it was on Broadway, it may have seemed square for a younger crowd that would have embraced it had it played, say, BAM.
It also had a formidable competitor in “In the Heights,” the debut musical of Lin-Manuel Miranda. The Tonys were tense that year, with “Passing Strange” and “In the Heights” running neck and neck for Best Musical right up until the last minute.
In the end, “In the Heights” won the big prize, leaving “Passing Strange” with just one Tony, for Stew’s book.
While “In the Heights” recouped it’s $10 million investment in 10 months, “Passing Strange” lost most of its $5 million investment.
Its failure was a bitter blow to Gerald Schoenfeld, the then-chairman of the Shubert Organization.
“I’ll never know how close the [Tony] vote was, or wasn’t,” he wrote in his posthumously published 2012 memoir. “But it will take me a long time to get over the loss.”
Broadway’s changed a lot in the nine years since “Passing Strange” closed. “The Book of Mormon,” “Kinky Boots,” “Hamilton,” “Dear Evan Hansen” — all attract a younger crowd of theatergoers and have scores that blend traditional elements of traditional musical theater with rock, pop and hip hop.
Maybe “Passing Strange” was ahead of its time.
The score holds up — and this time around, the show should, too.
GeorgeandDot
Broadway Legend Joined: 12/13/16
#4Riedel:
Posted: 7/13/17 at 8:12pm
Love the show, but it would be a terrible idea to move another revival (especially with no stars) to Broadway in the spring where it will be in direct competition with MFL and Carousel, two extremely high profile revivals. I highly doubt this will happen, since Riedel is a complete moron, however, and is almost never correct in his reporting.
Sondheimite
Broadway Legend Joined: 12/5/14
GeorgeandDot
Broadway Legend Joined: 12/13/16
BroadwayRox3588
Broadway Legend Joined: 10/5/16
AEA AGMA SM
Broadway Legend Joined: 8/13/09
#10Riedel:
Posted: 7/13/17 at 9:19pm
BroadwayRox3588 said: "WHY do people continue to excitedly start threads based on what Riedel says? He has no idea what he's talking about 95% of the time (and that may be being generous).
Not trying to hate or anything, you do you. But it doesn't make much sense to me.
"
I much rather have a discussion sparked from a Riedel article than read the umpteenth "choose my shows" thread. This is a message board, we are here to discuss theater. I see nothing wrong with discussing Riedel's articles, regardless of their validity.
#11Riedel:
Posted: 7/13/17 at 9:39pm
Personally, I can't make it through this show. Am I missing something? Someone care to explain? Is it better to read the libretto, and not watch the PBS broadcast? I don't know if clogging up a theatre is worth it.
"Ok ok ok ok ok ok ok. Have you guys heard about fidget spinners!?" ~Patti LuPone
dramamama611
Broadway Legend Joined: 12/4/07
#12Riedel:
Posted: 7/13/17 at 9:54pm
I had front row tickets for 10 days after it closed. So, I was bummed. However, I've never been able to listen to the recording.
If we're not having fun, then why are we doing it?
These are DISCUSSION boards, not mutual admiration boards. Discussion only occurs when we are willing to hear what others are thinking, regardless of whether it is alignment to our own thoughts.
#14Riedel:
Posted: 7/13/17 at 10:30pm
It bombed the first time, why bring it back? Especially considering how crowded this season is with revivals?
A Chorus Line revival played its final Broadway performance on August 17, 2008. The tour played its final performance on August 21, 2011. A new non-equity tour started in October 2012 played its final performance on March 23, 2013. Another non-equity tour launched on January 20, 2018. The tour ended its US run in Kansas City and then toured throughout Japan August & September 2018.
#15Riedel:
Posted: 7/13/17 at 11:06pm
fashionguru_23 said: "Personally, I can't make it through this show. Am I missing something? Someone care to explain? Is it better to read the libretto, and not watch the PBS broadcast? I don't know if clogging up a theatre is worth it.
No, I hated this show. I had no idea what the "hype" was.
Broadway Legend Joined: 12/31/69
#17Riedel:
Posted: 7/14/17 at 12:28am
I loved the show....but it was definitely in the wrong venue on B'way....it's not a great proscenium show. It might work well at Circle in the Square; however.
If it does get a revival -- I would love to see Ato Blankson-Wood take the Youth role. And please let Coleman Domingo in as well -- he is irreplaceable.
Jarethan
Broadway Legend Joined: 2/10/11
#18Riedel:
Posted: 7/14/17 at 1:30am
Sondheimite said: "I don't care if it's a terrible idea, I don't care if it loses all it's money, I don't care that this is a bad producing decision... I'm so happy this is happening.
Because Reidel said it? Get a grip. I can't imagine why anyone would revive it yet. It was a major flop the first time around and it hasn't been gone for very long. It's not like a show that has a great score, but was ruined by a bad book or staging concept. There was nothing that wasn't at least very good...audiences just weren't interested and the Tony performance won no converts. The only way I could conceive this for revival so soon is if is Passing Through and opens for a 8 week limited run engagement between engagements elsewhere...or Off-Broadway, where it is probably better suited in a more intimate theatre with a lower break-even.
RippedMan
Broadway Legend Joined: 8/14/05
evic
Broadway Star Joined: 3/5/04
A Director
Broadway Legend Joined: 12/18/07
froote
Broadway Star Joined: 2/14/17
#23Riedel:
Posted: 7/14/17 at 6:09am
I don't get his opinion that it lost because of it being a rock musical and then him going onto say that in recent years theatre and popular music have mixed, giving Hamilton and DEH as examples. Erm...it lost to another hip-hop musical and the year before a rock musical won.
#24Riedel:
Posted: 7/14/17 at 8:23am
Delightfully idiotic notion.
I couldn't say why the show flopped - it had a lowbrow/braindead book which was little more than a pseudo-hip and dumbed-down version of Candide, it had a juvenile lite-pop score that mistook high volume for "serious rock," it had a squeaky-clean orgy scene that was as titillating as an episode of Leave It To Beaver - all things that you would think the tourists would enthusiastically embrace.
But they didn't, it flopped, and Lord love the adorable fools who invest in a commercial revival. Without them, there would be so much less to talk about on Broadway.
LarryD2
Broadway Legend Joined: 9/1/14
#25Riedel:
Posted: 7/14/17 at 8:25am
RippedMan said: "I mean I'd be curious to see the new designs/staging, but I can't imagine Wilma Theatre in PA is going to transfer a Broadway show. That's a huge deal.
"
The Wilma is one of the most highly respected regional theaters in the US. Any regional theater can bring a show to New York if the right producers are involved. Your comment makes no sense.
