Stew (musician)
Encyclopedia
Mark Stewart known by his stage name Stew, is a singer/songwriter/playwright from Los Angeles
. In the early 1990s, he formed a band called The Negro Problem and later went on to release albums under his own name. His 2000 release Guest Host was named Album of the Year by Entertainment Weekly
and his 2002 album, The Naked Dutch Painter and Other Songs, repeated that feat. He toured in support of Love's Arthur Lee
in 2002 and in 2003 he was invited to take part in the Lincoln Center's American Songbook series of concerts.
Starting in 2004, he began writing the book, lyrics and music (the last item together with his now-former partner Heidi Rodewald) for his semi-autobiographical rock musical
Passing Strange
, produced with the support of the Sundance Institute
and The Public Theater, which won him the Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Lyrics
. In 2005, he wrote and performed "Gary's Song" for the SpongeBob SquarePants
episode "Have You Seen This Snail? (Where's Gary?)
". In 2006, he and Rodewald continued to produce Passing Strange as well as working on a film project with The Sundance Institute. Passing Strange had successful runs at the Berkeley Repertory Theatre
in Berkeley, California
, in the fall of 2006, and off-Broadway
at The Public Theatre in New York City
during the spring of 2007. It received critical praise from both the New York Times and Variety
and opened on Broadway
at the Belasco Theatre
in February 2008 under the aegis of producer Liz McCann and the Shubert Organization
. The play garnered seven Tony nominations in 2008, with Stew receiving four nominations and winning the award for Best Book. The play closed in July 2008, with Spike Lee filming the final performances for a feature film which screened at the Sundance Festival in January 2009.
Stew and Heidi debuted a new show, "Making It," at St. Ann's Warehouse
in Brooklyn in February 2010.
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
. In the early 1990s, he formed a band called The Negro Problem and later went on to release albums under his own name. His 2000 release Guest Host was named Album of the Year by Entertainment Weekly
Entertainment Weekly
Entertainment Weekly is an American magazine, published by the Time division of Time Warner, that covers film, television, music, broadway theatre, books and popular culture...
and his 2002 album, The Naked Dutch Painter and Other Songs, repeated that feat. He toured in support of Love's Arthur Lee
Arthur Lee (musician)
Arthur Lee was the frontman, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist of the Los Angeles rock band Love, best known for the critically acclaimed 1967 album, Forever Changes.-Early years:...
in 2002 and in 2003 he was invited to take part in the Lincoln Center's American Songbook series of concerts.
Starting in 2004, he began writing the book, lyrics and music (the last item together with his now-former partner Heidi Rodewald) for his semi-autobiographical rock musical
Rock musical
A rock musical is a musical theatre work with rock music. The genre of rock musical may overlap somewhat with album musicals, concept albums and song cycles, as they sometimes tell a story through the rock music, and some album musicals and concept albums become rock musicals...
Passing Strange
Passing Strange
Passing Strange is a rock musical about a young African American's artistic journey of self-discovery in Europe, drawing on heavy elements of existentialism, metafictional comedy, and the Künstlerroman. The musical's lyrics and book are by Stew with music and orchestrations by Heidi Rodewald and Stew...
, produced with the support of the Sundance Institute
Sundance Institute
Sundance Institute is a non-profit organization founded by Robert Redford in 1981 that actively advances the work of filmmakers and storytellers worldwide...
and The Public Theater, which won him the Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Lyrics
Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Lyrics
The Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Lyrics is an annual award presented by the Drama Desk, a committee of New York City theatre critics, writers, and editors...
. In 2005, he wrote and performed "Gary's Song" for the SpongeBob SquarePants
SpongeBob SquarePants
SpongeBob SquarePants is an American animated television series, created by marine biologist and animator Stephen Hillenburg. Much of the series centers on the exploits and adventures of the title character and his various friends in the underwater city of "Bikini Bottom"...
episode "Have You Seen This Snail? (Where's Gary?)
Have You Seen This Snail? (Where's Gary?)
"Have You Seen This Snail?" is an two-part television special of season 4 of SpongeBob SquarePants, originally aired on Nickelodeon on November 11, 2005...
". In 2006, he and Rodewald continued to produce Passing Strange as well as working on a film project with The Sundance Institute. Passing Strange had successful runs at the Berkeley Repertory Theatre
Berkeley Repertory Theatre
Berkeley Repertory Theatre is a regional theater company located in Berkeley, California. It was founded in 1968, as the East Bay’s first resident professional theatre. Michael Leibert was the founding artistic director, who was then succeeded by Sharon Ott in 1984. The company runs seven...
in Berkeley, California
Berkeley, California
Berkeley is a city on the east shore of the San Francisco Bay in Northern California, United States. Its neighbors to the south are the cities of Oakland and Emeryville. To the north is the city of Albany and the unincorporated community of Kensington...
, in the fall of 2006, and off-Broadway
Off-Broadway
Off-Broadway theater is a term for a professional venue in New York City with a seating capacity between 100 and 499, and for a specific production of a play, musical or revue that appears in such a venue, and which adheres to related trade union and other contracts...
at The Public Theatre in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
during the spring of 2007. It received critical praise from both the New York Times and Variety
Variety (magazine)
Variety is an American weekly entertainment-trade magazine founded in New York City, New York, in 1905 by Sime Silverman. With the rise of the importance of the motion-picture industry, Daily Variety, a daily edition based in Los Angeles, California, was founded by Silverman in 1933. In 1998, the...
and opened on Broadway
Broadway theatre
Broadway theatre, commonly called simply Broadway, refers to theatrical performances presented in one of the 40 professional theatres with 500 or more seats located in the Theatre District centered along Broadway, and in Lincoln Center, in Manhattan in New York City...
at the Belasco Theatre
Belasco Theatre
The Belasco Theatre is a legitimate Broadway theatre located at 111 West 44th Street in midtown-Manhattan.-History:Designed by architect George Keister for impresario David Belasco, the interior featured Tiffany lighting and ceiling panels, rich woodwork and expansive murals by American artist...
in February 2008 under the aegis of producer Liz McCann and the Shubert Organization
The Shubert Organization
The Shubert Organization is a theatrical producing organization and a major owner of legitimate theatres based in Manhattan, New York City. It was founded by the Shubert brothers, Sam S. Shubert, Lee Shubert, and Jacob J. Shubert of Syracuse, New York in the late 19th century in upstate New York,...
. The play garnered seven Tony nominations in 2008, with Stew receiving four nominations and winning the award for Best Book. The play closed in July 2008, with Spike Lee filming the final performances for a feature film which screened at the Sundance Festival in January 2009.
Stew and Heidi debuted a new show, "Making It," at St. Ann's Warehouse
St. Ann's Warehouse
St. Ann's Warehouse is a performing arts institution in Brooklyn, New York.History: 1980-2001The original home of Arts at St. Ann's was the National Historic Landmark Church of St. Ann and the Holy Trinity on Montague Street in Brooklyn Heights. For twenty-one years, St...
in Brooklyn in February 2010.
With The Negro Problem
- Post Minstrel Syndrome (1997)
- Joys and Concerns (1999)
- Welcome Black (2002)
- Blackboot (2003)
- Making It (2012)
As Stew
- Guest Host (2000)
- Sweetboot (2001)
- The Naked Dutch Painter . . . and Other Songs (2002)
- Something Deeper Than These Changes (2003)
As Producer
- At Apogee (2004) by Mr. Smolin
- The Crumbling Empire of White People (2007) by Mr. Smolin
External links
- Stew's official website
- Broadway Production of Passing Strange official website
- [ allmusic entry for The Negro Problem]
- [ allmusic entry for Stew]
- Passing Strange official website
- Los Angeles Times article on Passing Strange
- Stew sings "Black Men Ski" at TED2006
- Stew Sez (Stew's blog)
- Trouser Press Entry for The Negro Problem
- Tony nominations for 'Passing Strange,' Stew on SFGate
- Passing Strange wins Tony Award for best book on A+E Interactive
- Passing Strange on the Sundance Film Festival website