Passing Strange

Passing Strange
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MusicStew
Heidi Rodewald
LyricsStew
BookStew
Productions2006 Berkeley
2007 Off-Broadway
2008 Broadway
2010 Washington
2011 St. Louis
2018 Philadelphia
2023 Arlington
AwardsTony Award for Best Book of a Musical

Passing Strange is a comedy-drama rock musical about a young African American's journey of self-discovery as an artist, while combining strong existentialist and meta-fictional elements (especially self-referential humor). The musical's lyrics and book are by Stew with music and orchestrations by Heidi Rodewald and Stew. It was created in collaboration with director Annie Dorsen.

The musical was developed at the Sundance Institute Theatre Lab in 2004 and 2005, one of the few works to be invited back for a second round of development.[1] It had productions in Berkeley, California and Off-Broadway before opening on Broadway in 2008, garnering strong reviews and several awards. Spike Lee filmed the musical on Broadway in July 2008, premiering the film in 2009.