Photo Flash: Obsidian Theater Presents PASSING STRANGE

Obsidian Theater in association with SRO Productions is proud to present PASSING STRANGE a contemporary musical with book and lyrics by Stew and music by Heidi Rodewald and Stew.

The story focuses on the uneasy relationship of a young black man (Youth) with his life. Raised in a midclass neighbor in Los Angeles, our hero, a would-be songwriter, stews in a sea of conflicted cultural signals. He chafes under his mother's fixation on family ties and church and her bourgeois aspirations. So he sets out on his own-like pioneers Josephine Baker and James Baldwin-to Europe, seeking something "real." Picaresque misadventures with sex, drugs, politics and art await Youth in far-out Amsterdam and hyper-militant Berlin. His eyes are opened ever wider, even revealing what he left behind.

STRANGE is directed by Vance Johnson and produced by Rachel Landon and Tom Stell, with musical direction by Faith Fossett and choreography by Eric Dano. This beautifully written and fierce musical, complete with on-stage rock band, features the talented Rodrick Randall as Narrator, David Allen III as Youth, RaMina Mirmortazavi as Mother, Cantrell Williams as Mr. Franklin/Ensemble, Estee Burks as Marianna/Ensemble, James Phillips as Desi/Ensemble and Orlanders Jones as Rev. Jones/Ensemble.

Performances run February 9 thru March 4 at Obsidian Theater, 3522 White Oak Drive, Houston, TX 77007. Thursday, Friday and Saturday shows begin at 8 p.m. The Sunday February 26 show starts at 3 p.m. The Monday Feb 20 show starts at 8 p.m. Tickets are $27.50 to $37.50 and are available at www.obsidiantheater.org.

Photos courtesy of Wayne Landon

David Allen III and RaMina Mirmortazavi

David Allen III and James Phillips

Estee Burks, David Allen III, Cantrell Williams, James Phillips and Orlanders Jones

Roderick Randall and David Allen III

Estee Burks and David Allen III