The book was written by stew rodewald with music and lyrics cowritten by stew and heidi rodewald in collaboration with director annie dorsen. Mar 10, 2017 the real revealed at theatre three, passing strange rocks and struts, revving the vibes to concert level in a sweeping comingofage story pulsing with life and wit. I quote the words because they apply so well to our current social and political situation. These are the words used by the author to describe the setting of her 2009 book, passing strange. Covering a century of american history, including geographical expansion, economic trends, and social values could have proved too plodding for one read.
Ayanna thompsons exciting book analyzes a wide variety of sites for performing, interrogating, and dismantling hakespeare and race in s contemporary american popular culture. She moves with grace, speaks without hitches, and is the envy of even the traditionallybiotic girls at school. Passing strange is a comedydrama rock musical about a young african american s artistic journey of selfdiscovery in europe, with strong elements of philosophical existentialism, metafiction especially selfreferential humor, and the artistic journey. The musicals lyrics and book are by stew with music. I love that this book deals with real issues that people of all ages are effected by. And yet she had, too, a strange capacity of trans forming warmth and passion, verging some times almost of theatrical heroics. A gilded age tale of love and deception across the color line martha a. A uniquely american story of selfinvention, love, deception, and race. Pdf downloads of all 1297 litcharts literature guides, and of every new one we publish. A gilded age tale of love and deception across the color line, examines why king chose to live a double. Passing strange tells the story of an important but side character named karen desonne. Told as an extended flashback, passing strange flirts at the edges of the genre.
Even from the very beginning of the novel, irene redfield was more concerned with her childhood friend, claire, than all she had in her life. Passing is a novel by american author nella larsen, first published in 1929. Apr 28, 2016 the two most apparent personality traits that can be rightfully attributed with one of the main characters, irene, in nella larsens passing are jealousy and envy. Passing was often used adverbially in the renaissance, which had a keen sense of. Passing strange meticulously sometimes too meticulously. Passing strange is not only a lesson in the intricacies of class, race, and gender relations. Inspired by the pulps, film noir, and screwball comedy, passing strange is a story as unusual and complex as san francisco itself from world fantasy award winning author ellen klages, and a finalist for the 2017 nebula award for best novella san francisco in 1940 is a haven for the unconventional. Rock musician stew makes a powerful debut as playwright and narrator, telling the story of a nameless youth who is on a quest to find the real. But the drawingbook, for which ted had so gravely and insistently given her precise directions, had sent her in and out of five shops without.
Passing is a unique novel about race, love and human nature. Passing strange and millions of other books are available for instant access. Being a teenager, he began searches for true reality. Passing strange al affiliation passing strange passing strange narrates a peculiarly american story of a blueeyed american, who cultivated the impression of a black man for thirteen years. It works as an excellent historical novella, capturing the sense of prewar san francisco pearl harbor wasnt bombed until 1941 with its glimpses of the world fair on treasure island and its loving depiction of the citys lgbtqia. How clarence king, a 19thcentury white geologist and explorer, passed for years as james todd, a black pullman porter. Not only that, but watching passing strange is a journey. Poems study guide contains a biography of walt whitman, literature essays, a complete etext, quiz questions, major themes, characters, and a full summary and analysis. Passing strange original, musical, broadway opened in new york city feb 28, 2008 and played through jul 20, 2008. Passing strange is a solid work which pieces together the exotic life of an eccentric man. The real revealed at theatre three, passing strange rocks and struts, revving the vibes to concert level in a sweeping comingofage story pulsing with life and wit. Co by nella larsen quicksand 1928 r pa ing x by u f part 1.
Jan 22, 2018 passing strange plays through sunday, february 18, 1018 at the wilma theater 265 south broad street, in philadelphia, pa. Set primarily in the harlem neighborhood of new york city in the 1920s, the story centers on the reunion of two childhood friendsclare kendry and irene redfieldand their increasing fascination with each others lives. Moving and exciting not only because of book, music and. Passing strange personal statement example topics and well. This is problematic considering how, in the late 1800s and early 1900s, science and particularly darwins ideas of adaptation and survival was often used to endorse racist ideas. Karens transformation from a cryptic, mysterious girl to a free and honest one made her an engaging and realistic character to read. Irene redfield is in chicago to visit her father while her children are away at summer camp. Brians belief that passing is a biological survival impulse attributes a complex social phenomenon to a simple biological rule. But as martha sandweiss shows in passing strange, king led a double life, passing as a black man in. Passing strange plays through sunday, february 18, 1018 at the wilma theater 265 south broad street, in philadelphia, pa. Her book takes place in the usa during the second half of the 1800s and especially the 1890s. The passing strange original cast album, the published script, and the vocal selections. Supersummary, a modern alternative to sparknotes and cliffsnotes, offers highquality study guides that feature detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, quotes, and essay topics.
May 02, 20 the book as a whole provides a fascinating and multilayered appraisal of the uses and misuses of race in american appropriations of shakespeare and his plays. A fresh, urbane history of the dramatic and melodramatic belle epoque. Bob fosses all that jazz, and stephen sondheims sunday in the park with george. Indeed, clarence rivers king married a black woman named ada copeland under the disguise that he is a black porter and steelworker named james todd. Start your 48hour free trial to unlock this passing strange study guide and get instant access to the following analysis. Check out our revolutionary sidebyside summary and analysis. The book as a whole provides a fascinating and multilayered appraisal of the uses and misuses of race in american appropriations of shakespeare and his plays. Feb 09, 2009 a fresh, urbane history of the dramatic and melodramatic belle epoque. The musical performance passing strange is the story of a journey. Passing strange is a queer historical novella with a healthy dose of magical realisma combination sure to enrapture a specific audience, of which. Director scott millers continually evolving background and analysis essay about passing strange. He lived an elaborate double life, and his story told by martha sandweiss in her book, passing strange. Karen is one of the most advancedhighfunctioning zombies anyone has ever seen.
A gilded age tale of love and deception across the color line. Passing strange deserves a place beside other great autobiographical works of art, like federico fellinis 8 12. Supersummary, a modern alternative to sparknotes and cliffsnotes, offers high quality study guides that feature detailed chapter summaries and analysis of. A gilded tale of love and deception across the color line is a.
Passing study guide contains a biography of nella larsen, literature essays, quiz questions, major themes, characters, and a full summary and analysis. Haskel, emily, helen, franny, and all the rest the cast do not come across as vehicles of their narrative, but genuine people. Sandweiss tells the dramatic, distinctively american tale of a family built along the fault lines of celebrity, class, and race a story that spans the long century from civil war to civil rights. A gilded age tale of love and deception across the color line presents one mans story in an effort to crystallize the state of u. The entire story revolves around the youths search for the real. Moving and exciting not only because of book, music and performances. Passing strange is an ache, a pang in my chest, a queer story so ferociously loving of its characters that the simplest interactions feel almost like a real family. Apr, 2018 passing strange focuses on the story of haskel, the pulp artist, and her romance with a newcomer to town. Overwhelmed by the intense heat, irene hails a cab and allows the driver to take her to drayton hotel where she hopes to enjoy a cool wind along with her iced tea. The passing strangeness of othellos tales of hairbreadth scapes i th imminent deadly breach line 6 conjures up, like tragedy, pity and fear, and also desire. For tickets, call the box office at 215 24799, or purchase them. Nella larsen was a transient literary star in the harlem renaissance of the 1920s and 30s. The university of connecticut libraries, storrs hbl, stx pz 3.
In the present day, an elderly chinese lady helen sells a precious, carefullyguarded relic to a predatory antiquarian bookseller. It is indeed a story about passing, in every sense of the term, and historian martha sandweiss tells it with a scholars rigor and a storytellers verve. He was the representative of the midclass of america. Passing strange is ultimately a book about a couple, and sandweiss has used her formidable skills as a researcher to reconstruct as much of their lives as possible. Passing strange is one of those books with precisely the right title. Sandweiss penguin press, feb 05, 2009 african american literature book club celebrating our literary legacy since 1997 black literature is for everyone african american literature book club. A gilded age tale of love and deception across the color. Tender, sexy, funny, moving and profound, passing strange bears comparison not just to the great works of the american musical theatre but to literary landmarks like james baldwins another. Passing strange is a fable and audiences can take away from this show what they need, maybe something different for each person, depending on where they are in their own lifes journey, in their own personal, lifelong hero myth. Passing strange summary supersummary, a modern alternative to sparknotes and cliffsnotes, offers highquality study guides that feature detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, quotes, and essay topics.
The first two books focus on phoebe and her struggles as she braves the world of high school in a world where some teens are coming back from the dead. One of the most notable aspects of thompsons book is her ability to work with conflicting statements and oppositional ideas, which she often presents, at least initially, as epigraphs. To see what your friends thought of this book, please sign up. Or read millers other show essays by clicking here. Passing strange is a comedydrama rock musical about a young african americans artistic journey of selfdiscovery in europe, with strong elements of philosophical existentialism, metafiction especially selfreferential humor, and the artistic journey. Larsen continues to develop this question over the course of the book. It was passing strange, a musical that won a tony award for best book of a musical in 2008 and was nominated for six others and won several drama desk awards that year. This onepage guide includes a plot summary and brief analysis of passing strange by martha a. It also demonstrates how to write a particular kind of history how, that is, to reconstruct lives in the absence of historical records. Need help with part 1, chapter 4 in nella larsens passing. Aug 18, 2010 clarence king was a geologist, a bestselling author and a liar. Samuel pozzihandsome, virile, yet slender, dressed in a sumptuous scarlet coathe was intrigued by a figure he had not yet encountered in his readings. The musicals lyrics and book are by stew with music and orchestrations by heidi rodewald. Passing strange synopsis broadway musical storyteller told viewers about a life story of the search, which was carried out by afroamerican adolescent in the late 1970s named youth.
The chicago tribune passing strange is a passing subtle, detailed intergenerational fantasy with a pulp influenced story and a literary sensibility full of the past and the artefacts it leaves behind. Sandweiss delivers her material with a cool, even hand, allowing the reader to step back from the fury of prejudice and interpret the material relevant to the times. Clarence king was a geologist, a bestselling author and a liar. The musicals lyrics and book are by stew with music and orchestrations by heidi rodewald and stew. This book is destined for awards, and it will deserve every one of them. The author, daniel waters, takes a different approach with passing strange. Dec 15, 2019 it was passing strange, a musical that won a tony award for best book of a musical in 2008 and was nominated for six others and won several drama desk awards that year. Queer history, san francisco history and a pinch of weird tales. Mar 08, 2009 passing strange meticulously sometimes too meticulously. Sandweiss takes a mountain of information and transforms it into a smooth, captivating narrative. Her heart is pulled in two different directions she is fascinated with tommy. Jan 24, 2017 passing strange is a queer historical novella with a healthy dose of magical realisma combination sure to enrapture a specific audience, of which i am certainly one. Like the others, passing strange traffics in surrealism and symbolism, but unlike the others, its author and narrator.