Passing Strange @ Bailiwick Chicago: Part I

Passing Strange @ Bailiwick Chicago

 opened by the exquisite Phillip Morris

The setting: A fresh & refreshing atmosphere. A theatre with a bar where you can take the drinks into the theatre. I can't say enough nice things about the Front-of-House staff, especially one female bartender whose name I didn't catch.

This production: fit well into its' physical setting. They used simple & smart styling choices & production shone with the clean sheen of professionalism

The themes: dealt with working through the demons that come with approaching adulthood. It was a self-actualized performance piece that shifted forms & matured throughout the course of it's production.

The Players
A small company of serious skill & comedic ability.

IT IS A RARE FIND:
Here we find skilled, smart, seasoned, & talented professionals
doing what God created them to do:
this was a company of actors where
the parts & the sum
had to compete for top billing,
which is exactly how ensemble pieces should roll.



This production felt like a hybrid, a musical LoveChild;
almost a tribute to the best part of great musicals:

The sick, smart, & tight direction of Bat Boy, 

meets fresh artistic staging vision of Cabaret, 

meets the coming-of-age dynamic of Spring Awakening,
meets the quirky but rooted view-point of Hairspray,
meets the articulate nostalgia of The Buddy Holly Story,

meets the sassy musical-theatrical-indulgence of The Full Monty, 

meets the sad & straight-forward subtleties of Hedwig, 

meets the dream factor of Requiem for a Dream,
meets the intrinsic vibe of Chicago, 

meets trippy second act of Hair.

All strong & solid musical theatre associations.
A great musical for today that incorporates
the strong factors of yesterday.
I can't say enough good things.

MORE TO COME...