PASSING STRANGE

There is phenomenal talent on display on the Pasadena Playhouse stage, and songwriter-playwright Stew’s semi-autobiographical coming-of-age story is one worth telling. That being said, this particular musical just isn’t for me.

Book-and-lyrics writer Stew and his co-music-writer Heidi Rodewald get things started in Los Angeles circa 1976 with the stifling middle-class life of a young African American known only as Youth (Britton Smith), whose by-the-Bible mother (Saycon Sengbloh) would much prefer her son to stick to gospel-style hymns than the punk rock that has him dreaming of a new life as far away from home as possible.

The faraway place he heads off for is Amsterdam, where freedom, romance, and a life among bohemians await him, then on to Berlin, where he becomes part of a radical, anti-establishment group of self-described artists, and finally back home to Kansas. (Sorry, make that Compton.)

All of this gets told by a ubiquitous, all-seeing, all-knowing Narrator (Ty Taylor), with triple threats Brittany Campbell, dance captain Johnny Laveie, Devere Rogers, and Tanerélle filling out the cast in a grand total of thirteen supporting roles.

I might have enjoyed Passing Strange more had it taken a more traditional book musical approach rather than moving from one vignette to another with little spoken dialog in between.

Also, while I salute Passing Strange for its innovative approach to the “sung-through” musical, hearing song after song after song (by Stew and Rodewald) in musical genres that don’t particularly resonate for me ended up alienating rather than engrossing me, nor did it help that the show’s specific cultural framework is one I’m not part of.

 All of this is to say that although I appreciate the tremendous talent that’s gone into creating a musical as unconventional as Passing Strange, I had trouble staying as engaged as most in the audience around me appeared to be.

On the plus side, Zhailon Levingson’s direction could not be more dynamic, or Tislarm Bouie’s choreography more eclectic, or Greg Nabours’ music direction and the production’s live onstage band (Dominic Anzalone, Nabours, Kaveh Rastegar, and Will Yanez) more electrifying, or the performances on the Pasadena Playhouse stage more powerful and emotionally committed.

The production looks sensational too. Lawrence E. Moten’s scenic design deliberately keeps us in suspense as to what he has in store for us and lighting designer extraordinaire Jared A. Sayeg really gets to go to town once surprises are revealed.

Add to that Devario D. Simmons’ array of multi-genre costumes, Shelia Dorn’s character-defining hair, wig, and makeup designs, and Andrea Almond’s rock-concert-ready sound design and you’ve got a production design that rivals Broadway’s best.

Sasha Nicolle Smith is intimacy coordinator. Sean Spann is dialect coach. Casting is by Ryan Bernard Tymensky, CSA. lark hackshaw is production stage manager and David S. Franklin and Alyssa Escalate are assistant stage managers. Davidson & Choy Publicity are press representatives.

If I were a betting man, I’d wager that Passing Strange will be a major hit for the ever-daring, ever-dazzling Pasadena Playhouse. I just wish I loved it as much as the opening night audience so obviously did.

Pasadena Playhouse, 39 South El Molino Ave., Pasadena. Through November 29. Wednesdays through Fridays at 8:00, Saturdays at 2:00 and 8:00, Sundays at 2:00 and 7:30.
www.pasadenaplayhouse.org

–Steven Stanley
November 8, 2026
Photos: Jeff Lorch

Visit www.theatreinla.com/nowplayingrs.php for a review roundup of what’s now playing in theaters around Los Angeles.

 

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