‘Passing Strange’ Comes to Pasadena Playhouse: Creators Stew and Heidi Rodewald on the Rock Musical Reaching L.A. Almost Two Decades After Tony-Winning Broadway Run

Nov 8, 2026 12:43pm PT ‘Passing Strange’ Comes to Pasadena Playhouse: Creators Stew and Heidi Rodewald on the Rock Musical Reaching L.A. Almost Two Decades After Tony-Winning Broadway Run

By Chris Willman

Plus Icon

Chris Willman

Senior Music Writer and Chief Music Critic

ChrisWillman

Latest

• ‘Passing Strange’ Comes to Pasadena Playhouse: Creators Stew and Heidi Rodewald on the Rock Musical Reaching L.A. Almost Two Decades After Tony-Winning Broadway Run 17 minutes ago
• Olivia Rodrigo’s ‘Take Me Home (4 Christmas)’ Effusively Endorsed by Writer of the Waitresses’ ‘Christmas Wrapping,’ Who Praises Her for Picking Up the ‘Vibe’ 45 Years Later 2 days ago
• Nick Cave Returning to North America for 25-Date ‘Evening of Talk and Music’ in Spring 2 days ago

See All Add us as a Google Preferred Source Jeff Lorch (cast photo)

• Comments

“Passing Strange” will seem just a little less strange to theatergoers now than it might have when it opened on Broadway in 2007 and scored big wins at the Tonys, the Drama Desk Awards and the New York Drama Critics’ Circle Awards. Without naming any names, there are plenty of successful shows since then that have taken cues from the rock musical, from how it put social and racial issues up front for its fouth-wall-breaking protagonist to having a live band on stage.

Related Stories

Sanjay Gupta, Indian Director of 'Kaante' and 'Zinda,' Dies at 59