The first image of Olivier Award winner Giles Terera (Hamilton, Clyde’s, Blues for an Alabama Sky) and Keenan Munn-Francis (Black Dog, The Lion King, Thriller Live) in the European premiere of the Tony Award-winning rock musical Passing Strange is released today.
Directed by international film, TV and theatre director Liesl Tommy (Aretha Franklin biopic Respect, Tony nominated Eclipsed), this new production of the hit Broadway show follows a young musician as he sets out on a musical odyssey, through 80s L.A, Amsterdam and Berlin. It features book and lyrics by Stew, music by Stew Stewart and Heidi Rodewald. Previews begin at the Young Vic Theatre from 14 May with opening night for press on 21 May and it runs until 6 July.
Giles Terera will perform in his first musical since his Olivier Award-winning role as Aaron Burr in the original London cast of Hamilton, as Narrator; Keenan Munn-Francis, recently recognised in 2023 British Independent Film Awards Breakthrough Performance longlist for Black Dog, plays Youth and Rachel Adedeji, seen in the leading role of Funmi in the BAFTA winning series Dreaming Whilst Black plays Mother. The cast is completed by Renée Lamb (Six the Musical) as Desi/Sherry/Renata, David Albury (Get Up Stand Up! The Bob Marley Musical) as Rev Jones/Terry/Christophe/Hugo, Caleb Roberts (Tina: The Tina Turner Musical) as Mr Franklin/Joop/Mr Venus, and Nadia Violet Johnson (School of Rock) as Edwina/Marianna/Sudabey.
The band is Ikechukwu Onwuagbu (Bass), JT Taylor (Drums) and Pete Billington (Keyboards/Guitar).
You know, it’s weird when you wake up in the morning and realize that your entire adult life was based on a decision made by a teenager. A stoned teenager.
A young musician sets out on an electrifying musical odyssey to find himself and his place in the world, swapping his middle-class L.A. upbringing for punk rock and protest in 1980s Amsterdam and Berlin.
“A thrilling score in which rock, punk, funk and gospel conduct a revival meeting that blows the roof off.” (Rolling Stone – Broadway, 2008)
The creative team brings together Set and Costume Designer Ben Stones, Lighting Designer Richard Howell, Sound Designer Tom Gibbons, Video Designer Will Duke, Musical Supervisor Brandon Michael Nase, Choreographer Dickson Mbi, Voice and Dialect Coach Hazel Holder, Casting Director Heather Basten CDG, Jerwood Assistant Director Tian Brown-Sampson, Jerwood Trainee Assistant Director Nathanael Campbell and Jerwood Assistant Choreographer Robia Brown.
This marks the European premiere of Passing Strange which took Broadway by storm in 2008, receiving seven Tony Award nominations, winning for Best Book of a Musical; seven Drama Desk Award nominations, winning for Outstanding Musical, Outstanding Lyrics and Outstanding Music; and it was named winner of the Drama Critics Circle Award for Best Musical.
