Living in New York City can really, really suck. A pint of beer sets you back six bucks, the traffic is hideous, and my rent is higher than my sister’s mortgage payments. But, despite the aggravation, I choose to live here, and every so often something happens that reminds me why I do.

Tuesday night I saw a musical called “Passing Strange” (that’s right, my hipster colleagues, I said “musical”), and, listen up: It’s fantastic. Hardly your typical theater piece, “Passing Strange” is an autobiographical story told through rock ‘n’ roll — and real rock ‘n’ roll, too, not some derivative imitation you merely tolerate. It’s the brainchild of singer/songwriter Stew, formerly of the L.A.-based band the Negro Problem, and his collaborator Heidi Rodewald.

Stew is the narrator of the evening, and with four other onstage musicians (including Heidi) and five actors, they take you on the journey of a young African-American teen as he becomes a man. And because this piece was written by and is fronted by an authentic, soulful musician, this theater actually rocks. You’ll be happy, you’ll be sad, and you’ll rock along with Stew. (If you’re the affable older couple next to me, you may cover your ears for all of Act Two, but still never stop smiling.) The music takes you to a place mere words cannot, which is what I’ve always understood that a musical was supposed to do.

I saw “Passing Strange” because of a piece I’m working on for MTV News (and because MTV writer/producer Jen Vineyard made me) about the changing musical. You see, there’s something great happening in music theater these days: It’s becoming musically interesting. From Duncan Sheik’s angsty indie-rock songs in “Spring Awakening,” to the Latin, Eminem fusion of “In the Heights,” and now some real, authentic rock in “Passing Strange,” the musical is evolving.

It’s not like using pop and rock music in musicals is new. “Hair” did it way back in ’60s, there’s the Who’s “Tommy,” and of course, “Rent.” But what was once an anomaly is becoming the norm, and we’re all the luckier for it. Don’t get me wrong, none of the shows I’ve mentioned — including “Passing Strange” — are masterpieces, but they work, and as someone who loves music and who loves stories, I’d say we’re gonna get that masterpiece soon enough, and I, for one, can’t wait.

(BTW, the bosses here love for us to use this blog to make our jobs seem really cool. Well, do you want to know what’s cool about my job? Because I wrote this blurb, someone will probably offer me tickets to see “Passing Strange” again. And thank God, because with my rent, I could never afford tickets.)

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