‘PASSING STRANGE’ & PRIDE NIGHT AT SIGNATURE THEATRE: A ROCKIN’ MUSICAL AND CELEBRATION
Michael J. Mainwaring, Kara-Tameika Watkins, Imani Branch, Deimoni Brewington, Tobias A. Young, and Alex De Bard in Passing Strange at Signature Theatre. Photo by Daniel Rader.
Review by Jim Diamondidis
Signature Theatre hosted Pride Night on June 9th, an opportunity for the LGBTQ Community to gather in celebration and watch the Tony Award-winning musical, Passing Strange, directed by Raymond O. Caldwell. With Passing Strange, Signature Theatre marks the end of their 2022/23 season, and boy are they going out with a bang! Written by punk rockers Stew and Heidi Rodewald, this high-energy show turns musical theater into a rock concert.
As you walk into the theater, you enter into an underground punk rock venue so real you can almost feel the humid crowd and the sticky floors. Set designer, Jonathan Dahm Robertson hit the nail on the head with his smoky interior and wall-to-wall graffiti. Signature’s ARK Theatre’s cozy 99 seats is the perfect venue for theatergoers to experience a rock band, intimately, on stage. As the actors confidently stride up and down the aisle, the distinction between stage and audience is blurred, and depending on your seat, you might just have one-on-one moments with the actors.
Michael J. Mainwaring (Hugo), Deimoni Brewington (Youth) and Imani Branch (Sherry) in Passing Strange at Signature Theatre. Photo by Daniel Rader.jpg
Passing Strange tells the story of a young counterculture Black musician who moves to Europe from the suburbs of Southern California in search of “the real.” This poignant work is more than just a journey across continents— it’s the hero’s trip beyond the principles of “Blackness” towards authentic life and selfhood. Passing Strange explores what it means to be Black in today’s world, and how the individual is forced to interact with Black stereotypes and expectations set within the Black community. The musical is a coming-of-age story about casting aside other’s expectations in search of who you really are, and it remains as relevant today as it was 15 years ago when it won the Tony Award.
At times, Passing Strange is hilarious, like in the song, “We Just Had Sex” sung by Deimoni Brewington, Alex De Bard… and Imani Branch. Other times, the musical is unsettling, or deeply moving, as in the finale, “Love Like That,” sung by Isaac “Deacon Izzy” Bell and the ensemble. The talented performers at Signature Theatre have you believing in it all.
Each actor gives a rock-solid performance, and there is no weak link in the entire cast. Of note is Deacon Izzy’s rendering of the Narrator, who guides the audience through the show. Deacon Izzy is a professional musician in the band DuPont Brass, and Passing Strange marks his theatrical debut. You would never guess it was Deacon Izzy’s first time in a professional musical; his performance at the end of the show brought me to tears.
Deimoni Brewington (Youth) in Passing Strange at Signature Theatre. Photo by Christopher Mueller.
After the show, a reception was held in the Signature Theatre lobby for Pride Night. There was a smorgasbord of food and drink sponsored by State Farm including a delectable baked brie, and sandwiches provided by Crazy Aunt Helen’s, a local D.C. restaurant serving American comfort food. Director Raymond O. Caldwell and the cast of Passing Strange came into the foyer for Pride Night and chatted with audience members about the show. It was a wonderful way for theater-loving members of the LGBTQ Community to meet and mingle, all by the rainbow neon lights lining the steps up to the theater.
On Friday, June 23rd, there will be another Pride Night at Signature Theatre, following a performance of Sweeney Todd, which is having a run in Signature’s MAX Theatre. I am assured the upcoming Pride Night will again feature a baked brie.
Passing Strange is an incredibly important work of contemporary musical theater, just as thought-provoking as it is entertaining. Signature Theatre’s production is one that is not to be missed—and for music lovers, it is an unforgettable experience.
Running time: Two and a half hours, with an intermission.
Passing Strange runs through June 18, 2023, at the Signature Theatre—4200 Campbell Ave, Arlington, VA 22206.
For tickets, call the box office at (703) 820-9771 or purchase them online.
Jim Diamondidis is a recent graduate of Harvard College. He works in musical theater and paints.