The Public Theater has announced that Stew and Heidi Rodewald will perform live onstage in their musical The Total Bent, playing the guitar and bass, respectively. The duo, who wrote the Tony-winning Passing Strange, will be joined by a band for the world-premiere production about a young black musical prodigy who is the son of a gospel star.
Performances of The Total Bent are scheduled to begin May 10 and continue through June 12, with an official press opening May 25. The new work features music by Stew and Rodewald and text by Stew. Direction is by Joanna Settle.
The Total Bent is billed by The Public as a show about “the passions that divide a father and son as they make their music and make their choice between salvation and selling out.” It follows the tumultuous upbringing and life of Marty Roy, who spent his childhood writing the songs that made his father famous.
The cast also includes Marty Beller, Ato Blankson-Wood, John Blevins, Kenny Brawner, David Cale, Vondie Curtis-Hall, Damian Lemar Hudson, Jahi Kearse, Brad Mulholland and Curtis Wiley.
The production will feature scenic design by Andrew Lieberman, costume design by Gabriel Berry, lighting design by Thom Weaver, sound design by Obadiah Eaves and Sten Severson and choreography by David Neumann.
Tickets can be purchased by calling (212) 967-7555, online at publictheater.org, or in person at the Taub Box Office at The Public Theater at 425 Lafayette Street.
