The Total Bent: musical by Stew & Heidi Rodewald

AS part of their ublic Lab productions the Public Theater will present the world premiere of The Total Bent, with book and lyrics by Stew and music by Stew and Heidi Rodewald, playing at the Public's Anspacher Theater from 14 Feb - 4 Mar 2012.

Stew and Heidi Rodewald, creators of the Tony Award-winning 'Passing Strange,' team up with director Joanna Settle and return to The Public with a new musical about a black gospel prodigy from down South and a white music producer from South London who meet in a recording studio just south of the Twilight Zone, as they both desperately seek their own versions of transcendence, salvation, and a hit record.

The Total Bent features scenic design by Andrew Lieberman, costume design by Gabriel Berry, lighting design by Adam Silverman and sound design by Obadiah Eaves.

Bios:

Stew (Book, Lyrics, Music). His work for The Public includes 'Passing Strange,' for which he received the 2008 Tony award for Best Book of a Musical, and four other Tony nominations including Best Musical. He is also a two-time Obie award winner for 'Passing Strange' (Best New Theater Piece/Best Ensemble). Stew leads a band called 'The Negro Problem (TNP). Jan 2012 will see the release of the music from "Making It" by The Negro Problem on their new label "Tight Natural Productions."

Heidi Rodewald, (Music) was co-composer of the musical 'Passing Strange,' which transferred from The Public Theater to Broadway in 2008 where it was nominated for seven Tony Awards, including Best Musical, Best Original Score, and Best Orchestrations. Passing Strange won the 2008 Obie Award for Best New American Theater Piece and Best Ensemble and was made into a film by Spike Lee. Rodewald composed music for Karen Kandel's 'Portraits: Night and Day' (2004); 'Brides of the Moon' by The Five Lesbian Brothers (2010); and co-composed with Stew music for Shakespeare's 'Othello' and 'Much Ado About Nothing' (2010-11). Rodewald joined The Negro Problem in 1997 and since then has worked alongside Stew, performing, producing, arranging, and composing. She is currently working on a new musical, 'Against You,' a free adaptation of Antigone set in the 1960's with librettist, Donna Di Novelli.

Joanna Settle (Director) directed Winter Miller's 'In Darfur' for The Public in 2007. She has also directed Heather Raffo's 'Nine Parts of Desire' at Manhattan Ensemble Theater, and restaged the production for the Geffen Playhouse, Berkeley Repertory Theatre, Seattle Repertory Theatre and D.C.'s Arena Stage.