What Theater Can Be

I know a lot of people think theater is a bad word. Kind of like liberal for a lot of people in the South and certain undeveloped parts of northern New England. But as the Barack Obamas of the political world have done with liberal, Stew and his band of merry gypsies are reclaiming theater and making it something that the masses can relate to and, dare I say, even enjoy.

It is not a usual occasion on which the audience in a Broadway house is moving in their seats, unprompted by the actors on stage. Sure, Mama Mia and Xanadu--for two current examples--invite the audience to dance. But Stew does no such thing. The audience can't help but move to the music, which is realer than anything Broadway's seen since before the dawn of jukebox musicals (how can you not say, for example, that Johnny Cash's music is not real, even if his musical was a joke?).

I took four friends to see Passing Strange at the Belasco Theater (44th between 6th and Broadway) on Wednesday. The best thing, for me, was listening to them talk about how directly the show had spoken to their lives. These were not all theater people by any means. It's just that the show's honesty is so raw, so unapologetically unrefined, that you can't help but see yourself in Stew's reflection.

Now, onto the music. There have been a few minor cuts since it ran off-Broadway last year. At intermission, my friend Scott ran into his friend on the street. His friend happens to be Stew's understudy, and he said that they've shaved 20-30 minutes off the show. The only cut I really noticed was that Stew no longer runs into the audience screaming "fuck the fourth wall," which killed me off-Broadway. But the show doesn't suffer for the cut. In fact, it feels more cohesive than it did off-Broadway. And the visual of seeing this incredible cast on a proscenium stage--from the first row!!--was surprisingly inviting. I thought it might feel less open to the audience, but that energy is unstoppable, no matter where they're performing.

Stew's brilliance as the narrator of his own life story is matched by the entire supporting cast, some of whom have improved tremendously since they played the Public. Daniel Breaker, who plays the younger Stew role--I don't know how to put this without sounding like I'm laying it on too thick. But this man is solid, a genuine event to behold. His transformation from the beginning of act one to the end of act two will leave you breathless. And that voice, whoa. So versatile, so beautiful.

Eisa Davis, who plays the youth's mother, is a) freaky beautiful and b) one helluva great actress. Heartbreaking, really, especially in act two. And Rebecca Naomi Jones pulls off one of the most stunning musical moments in the show (which is saying something). The song is Come Down Now, and her control and power--complemented by supreme acting--will melt your motherlovin face. You can listen to it on the Passing Strange website.

So, in addition to discounts for the show on Broadwaybox.com, you can get $26.50 tickets the day of the show at the theater if you are under 25 years old (and you can get KILLER seats doing this). Bring an ID. They're a sassy bunch at the Belasco box office. You must go, and you must bring as many friends with you as possible. And then you must, in your prayers or whatever, thank Stew for bringing the real to Broadway. To all of us. This is the future of theater. Be a part of it.