Passing Strange

June 9 – July 30, 2023

Previews June 9-16
Fridays-Saturdays 7:30pm and Sundays at 6:00pm

Run June 18-July 30
Fridays-Saturdays 7:30pm and Sundays at 6:00pm

Book, Music, Lyrics by Stew
Music by Heidi Rodewald
Created in Collaboration with Annie Dorsen

Production Team: Properties Designer Lonnae Hickman (she/her), sound designer Stefanie Senior (she/her), scenic designer Sydney Lynne (she/her), David Goodman-Edberg (he/him), costumer designer Austin Winter, production electrician Josiah Croegaert (he/him), director of production Matthew R. Chase (he/him), and stage manager Payton Shearn (she/her,they/them).

Featuring: Jordan DeBose (they/them) as the Narrator, Michael Jones (he/him) as Youth, and Jenece Upton (she/her) as Mother. Also making their Theo debut performing in the ensemble will be Elliot Sagay (he/him) and Caitlin Dobbins (she/her), Michael Mejia (they/them) and Chamaya Moody (she/her) with Pit Singers Marquise De’Jahn (he/she/they), Makenzy Jenkins (he/she/they), and Cynthia Hindmon (she/her).

Passing Strange show art
“…Who decides what is Black enough? That is a Gordian knot that has no solution. Is Blackness in the eye of the beholder or is it an accumulation of cultural influences that solve the puzzle for some and not for others? Theo Ubique gifts us with a beautifully acted, sung, and directed Passing Strange that doesn’t untie the Gordian knot on the question of Blackness as a quantifiable measure. Director Tim Rhoze deftly has the actors present degrees of Black authenticity in a seamless and wonderfully outrageous cabaret version of the Broadway hit.”

(Kathy Hey, Third Coast Review)

“Passing Strange is a touching and sensitive rock musical that explodes with energy.”

(Cissy Lacks, Evanston RoundTable)

“…even if you’ve never heard of this show, you should buy tickets and head up to Howard Street. You won’t be disappointed.””

(Karen Topham, Chicago OnStage)

Passing Strange is a comedy-drama rock musical about a young African American’s journey of self-discovery as an artist that was nominated for 7 Tony Awards, including Best Musical and a Best Book of a Musical win.