Broadway veterans to star in Vanguard’s February production of ‘Passing Strange’

MONTCLAIR, NJ — Broadway veterans Dwayne Clark, of South Orange, and Brandi Chavonne Massey, of Montclair, will play Narrator and Mother in Vanguard Theater’s upcoming production of “Passing Strange,” joining Jason Tyler Smith, Newark’s Lawrence Dandridge, Amanda Rose Gross, A’ja Desormeau and J’royce Jata. Clark, Massey, and Dandridge appear courtesy of Actors Equity Association. Clark has been featured in “Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark,” “Paradise Square,” “The Color Purple,” “In the Heights” and the upcoming “Shucked; and the Massey has been featured in “Wicked,” “Jekyll & Hyde,” “Caroline, or Change” and “The Lion King.

“Passing Strange,” with book and lyrics by Stew, music by Heidi Rodewald and Stew, direction by Janeece Freeman Clark, music directed by Susie Jolink, and choreography by Jasón Wells, will run from Feb. 16 through 26. Audiences should be prepared to take a wild, bohemian journey from 1970s middle-class California to Amsterdam and Berlin, in search of “the real,” as “Passing Strange” shines a light on the struggle of humans to know who we are and why we exist as we do.

Performed live in a limited run in Montclair, select performances will include talkbacks with the cast, creative team and special guests. Tickets can be purchased at bit.ly/ticketsVTC or by email at [email protected]. This hit rock musical, loaded with soulful lyrics and passion, debuted to critical acclaim on Broadway in 2008, winning both the Tony and Drama Desk awards, and went on to be a critically acclaimed motion picture filmed by Spike Lee in 2009. Due to the content, parental discretion is advised.

  Broadway, Vanguard Theater Company