Passing Strange Song Cut from Pre-Tony Special
By Andrew Gans
06 May 2008
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Daniel Breaker in Passing Strange.
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| photo by Carol Rosegg | As previously announced, the Visa Signature Tonys Preview Concert — featuring performances from all 12 Tony-eligible musicals — will be taped at Jazz at Lincoln Center May 11.
A Chorus Line's Mario Lopez will host the concert, which will air in the metropolitan area on WCBS-TV (Channel 2) on June 7. The program will also air across the country on O&O's and CBS affiliates between May 26 and June 7; check local listings.
The new musical Passing Strange, which transferred to Broadway after an acclaimed run at the Public Theater, had planned to perform "We Just Had Sex" on the telecast, but CBS' standards and practices ruled that the song is inappropriate for telecast, according to Variety.
A WCBS spokesman said in a statement that executives at the TV station felt "the lyrics in the song offered by the musical's producers are inappropriate for broadcast television, especially for a 7 PM audience, when children are watching."
The industry paper also reports that producers of the new musical starring and co-created by Stew feel they will be unable to prepare a new song in time for the Friday taping. At this point, Passing Strange will not be part of the Tonys Preview Concert, although that situation could change.
Should Passing Strange receive a Tony nomination for Best Musical, it is likely they would perform two other songs — "Amsterdam" and "Keys" — during the Tony broadcast.
Tony nominations will be announced May 13, and the annual Tony Awards telecast is scheduled for June 15.
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Passing Strange plays Broadway's Belasco Theatre.
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