Passing Strange on PBS - DVR ALERT!

Spike Lee’s documentary film version of Stew and Heidi Rodewald’s Tony Award-winning Broadway musical Passing Strange will premiere on Great Performances Wednesday, January 13th at 9:00 pm (EST). The documentary captures the Broadway production in its final two performances at the Belasco Theatre in July 2008.

Local Tampa/St. Pete readers, it will be broadcast on WEDU.

- Kari G.

Spike Lee didn't pass on "Passing Strange"

A couple years ago I was in NYC for an annual Broadway conference and the buzz of the week was a new show called "Passing Strange." Wow... that's definitely not a "traditional" Broadway show! Really unique staging with the musician playing in sunken boxes on the stage while all the action happened around them. It was theater mixed with rock concert.

Apparently Spike Lee thought it was pretty nifty because it's now a movie. It has been released nationwide via On Demand so check your local cable listings. To learn more, check out a movie review on NPR.com.

Tony nominees announced today

This just in:

"August: Osage County," "The Seafarer," "The 39 Steps" and "Rock 'n' Roll" have been nominated for Best Play.

For Best Musical: "Cry-Baby," "In the Heights," "Xanadu," "Passing Strange"

Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Play: Ben Daniels, "Les Liaison Dangereuses"; Laurence Fishburne, "Thurgood"; Mark Rylance, "Boeing-Boeing," Rufus Sewell, "Rock 'n' Roll"; Patrick Stewart, "Macbeth"

Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Play: Eve Best, "The Homecoming"; Deanna Dunagan, "August: Osage County"; Kate Fleetwood, "Macbeth"; S. Epatha Merkerson, "Come Back, Little Sheba"; Amy Morton, "August: Osage County"

Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Musical: Daniel Evans, "Sunday in the Park With George"; Lin-Manuel Miranda, "In the Heights"; Stew, "Passing Strange"; Paulo Szot, "South Pacific"; Tom Wopat, "A Catered Affair"

Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Musical: Kerry Butler, "Xanadu"; Patti Lupone, "Gypsy"; Kelli O'Hara, "South Pacific"; Faith Prince, "A Catered Affair; Jenna Russell, "Sunday in the Park With George" -- MichaelK

For a full list of nominees, go to the official Tony Awards site.

The awards show will air on Sunday, June 15, on CBS.

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We have a winner

Anonymous, you're the winner of our giveaway for the free CD carrying case from Passing Strange.

Trick is - who are you? And how would I know it's really you? :)

Comment to this entry to claim, and we'll work out mailing the schwag to you!

FREE Passing Strange CD carrier

I have a FREE Passing Strange CD carrier to give away to a randomly drawn commenter who tells me what the best thing they've seen here at TBPAC this year. It can just be the show name, or feel free to share your thoughts on why you thought the show was so great. Any genre, any hall.

Deadline to enter is tomorrow, May 8, at 4pm.

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Catch PASSING STRANGE on The View

On Monday, the cutting-edge new Broadway production, Passing Strange, was honored with 7 Drama Desk Awards nominations:

• Outstanding Musical
• Outstanding Actor in a Musical
• Outstanding Choreography
• Outstanding Music
• Outstanding Lyrics
• Outstanding Book of a Musical
• Outstanding Orchestrations

If you can't make it to the Big Apple but would like a sample - watch acclaimed rock musician & composer, Stew, and his buddies on ABC's The View, Monday, May 12. Check your listings!

Here are some other ways you can find out more about this innovative new musical:

See the TV Spot

See Videos and Photos

Hear the Music and download mp3

Download E-Card, Wallpaper, Buddy Icons, 2 sizes of Banners and links to MySpace and Facebook

Have a mobile moment right now: Text ROCK to 42903

“The exuberant new show Passing Strange is far richer in wit, feeling, and sheer personality than most of what is classified as musical theater these days.” – The New York Times

Out of my wife's last trip to NYC, only two shows made a major impression on her - Passing Strange and the straight play August: Osage County. She's not easily impressed, so praise as high as she was giving it is something to listen to.

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