Malden actor Davron Monroe to star in ‘Passing Strange’

  Malden actor Davron Monroe will be starring in Moonbox Productions’ upcoming production “Passing Strange,” the Tony and Drama Desk Award-winning musical by singer-songwriter-performance artist Stew and collaborator Heidi Rodewald. The production opens on December 10 and runs through January 1, 2022, at the Boston Center for the Arts Roberts Studio Theatre. Produced by Sharman Altshuler and directed by Arthur Gomez with music direction by Julius LaFlamme, “Passing Strange” is a toe-tapping, gut-wrenching, whirlwind theatrical pilgrimage through sex, politics, love and loss. Returning to Boston for the first time in nearly a decade, tickets for “Passing Strange” are $65 general admission/$55 seniors/$25 students (with valid student ID) and are available at https://bit.ly/PStrangeTktsor by calling 617-933-8600. Pay-What-You-Can tickets are available two hours prior to showtime at the Box Office (Box Office fees may apply).

  Rebel. Rockstar. Lover. Liar. Good boy, bad boy. Choirboy. Son. When a young black man flees his middle-class childhood in search of artistic freedom, he discovers a new, bohemian world. Passing from stage to stage, friend to friend and lover to lover, he thinks he’s found everything he’s looking for – only to realize, too late, that it might have passed him by. Which stories are real? Who is he? And where does he belong? Told through a kaleidoscope of musical and narrative styles blending gospel, punk, jazz, blues and rock, “Passing Strange” is one man’s compelling journey of self-discovery.

  The cast of Moonbox Productions’ presentation of “Passing Strange” features Davron Monroe (Narrator), Yewande Odetoyinbo (Marianna/Edwina Williams/Mr. Venus), Anthony Pires, Jr. (Reverend Jones/Mr. Franklin/Joop/Hugo), Ivan Cecil Walks (Youth), Maria Hendricks (Mother), Soneka Anderson (Desi/Renata Holiday/Sherry), Chantal Tribble (Sudabey/Terry/Christophe) and Errol Service (Swing) (Member of Actors’ Equity Association).

  “This is the show that almost never was,” said Producer Sharman Altshuler. “We were originally scheduled to produce this show in the spring of 2020, ‘Then,’ as Bo Burnham says ‘the strangest thing happened.’ Nearly two years later, here we are – and while we definitely can’t say that this season is ‘theater as usual’ – it is theater, perhaps, as we’ve never needed before. Passing Strange is a masterpiece: a fresh take on the universal search for meaning, with a score that is exciting, eclectic, and addicting – filled with melodies and lyrics that really stick with you,” said Altshuler. “It’s been a long 18 months, but this show will be worth the wait.”

  The creative and design team includes Sharman Altshuler (Producer), Arthur Gomez (Director), Regina Vital (Assistant Director), Julius LaFlamme (Music Director), Jo Williams (Production Manager), Michaela Slotin (Assistant Production Manager), Sarah MacIntyre (Stage Manager), Samantha Knox (Assistant Stage Manager), Elmer Martinez (Choreographer), Rachael Hasse (Technical Director), Aja Jackson (Lighting Designer), James Cannon (Sound Designer), Lindsay Fiori (Set Designer), Chelsea Kerl (Costume Designer), Michelle Sparks (Properties Designer), Gabe Goldman (Master Electrician), Lauren Sullivan (Wardrobe Supervisor), Olivia Dumaine (Intimacy Direction) and Charles Linshaw (Dialect Coach).
With each show, Moonbox Productions partners with a local nonprofit organization, sharing space on their website and in promotional materials. Moonbox also gives nonprofit partners access to their audiences, helping to raise awareness for their cause, create connections within their community and increase the reach and impact of their work. To produce “Passing Strange,” Moonbox will be partnering with Dunamis.

  “Dunamis ignites agency and transformative growth for emerging artists and arts-managers of color by serving as a nexus for professional development, community-building, consultation, production, advocacy and developing equitable pipelines for access and leadership in creative spaces. In short, we do a lot for a small amount of people. We give you the support you need to grow into a greater and more complete version of yourself.” (http://dunamisboston.org)