Passing Strange Cast to Celebrate Show CD with Concert at Joe's Pub

By Adam Hetrick
June 27, 2008

On July 13 the cast of Passing Strange will return to Joe's Pub – where it all began – to celebrate the in-store release of the rock musical's original Broadway cast album.

Passing Strange's Tony-winning co-creator Stew and collaborator Heidi Rodewald will participate in the 11:30 PM concert and release party that also features performances by members of the Broadway cast. The Ghostlight Records cast album of Passing Strange officially hits stores July 15.

Inspired by their numerous appearances at the popular downtown venue, it was former Joe's Pub director Bill Bragin who initially approached Stew and Rodewald to create their new musical. A few years later, Passing Strange would arrive Off-Broadway at the Public Theater prior to making the transfer uptown to the Belasco Theatre.

The original Broadway cast album was recorded on April 14 in a live session held on the stage of the Belasco Theatre. The recording captures 24 songs from the musical as well as the applause and reactions from the live audience of friends and fans in attendance.

Sh-K-Boom/Ghostlight Records president Kurt Deutsch and Bill Rosenfield serve as executive producers for the original cast recording, with Passing Strange songwriters Stew and Rodewald as the CD's producers.

The track list for Passing Strange follows:

"Prologue (We Might Play All Night)"
"Baptist Fashion Show"
"Church Blues Revelation/Freight Train"
"Arlington Hill"
"Sole Brother"
"Must Have Been High"
"Mom Song"
"Merci Beacoup, M. Godard"
"Amsterdam"
"Keys (Marianna)"
"Keys (It's Alright)"
"We Just Had Sex"
"Stoned"
"Berlin: A Bloke Hole With Taxis"
"May Day (There's A Riot Goin' Down)"
"What's Inside Is Just A Lie/And Now I'm Ready to Explode"
"Identity"
"The Black One"
"Come Down Now"
"Youth's Unfinished Song"
"Work the Wound"
"Passing Phase"
"Cue Music"
"Love Like That"

Tickets for the July 13 concert, priced $25, are available by calling (212) 967-7555 or by visiting www.joespub.com.

Joe's Pub is located within the Public Theater at 425 Lafayette Street.

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Passing Strange features a Tony Award-winning book and lyrics by Stew and music by Stew and his longtime musical partner Heidi Rodewald of The Negro Problem.

The musical – which opened on Broadway Feb. 28 following a critically lauded run at the Public Theater last summer – features the original Public cast, including Stew, de'Adre Aziza, Daniel Breaker, Eisa Davis, Colman Domingo, Chad Goodridge and Rebecca Naomi Jones.

Passing Strange co-author Rodewald heads an onstage band that features Stew as well as Jon Spurney, Christian Cassan and Christian Gibbs.

The semi-autobiographical musical incorporates elements of Stew's life to tell the story of a young black bohemian who leaves behind his middle-class, church-ruled upbringing in Los Angeles to travel abroad in search of his artistic and personal identity.

Passing Strange features choreography by Karole Armitage, scenic design by David Korins, costume design by Elizabeth Hope Clancy and lighting design by Kevin Adams.

Passing Strange's Broadway venture is produced by the Shubert Organization, Inc., Elizabeth Ireland McCann, the Public Theater and Berkeley Rep.

Tickets are available by calling (212) 239-6200 or by visiting www.TeleCharge.com. The Belasco Theatre is located at 111 West 44th Street in Manhattan.