"Life Is a Movie Too": Passing Strange Film to Premiere at Sundance

By Adam Hetrick
December 4, 2008

Academy Award-nominated director Spike Lee's documentary of the Broadway rock musical Passing Strange will debut as part of the 25th annual Sundance Film Festival.

Sundance announced the world-premiere screening of Passing Strange as part of its line-up of films that will be screened in the Spectrum Documentary Spotlight program from Jan. 15-Feb. 25, 2009. Spectrum is billed as a tribute to compelling and creative independent filmmaking – the non-competing selections are culled from promising filmmakers around the world.

Lee and his crew filmed Passing Strange live at the Belasco Theatre during its Broadway run on July 19, a day prior to the musical's final performance. Passing Strange features a Tony Award-winning book by Stew, lyrics by Stew and music by Stew and his longtime musical partner Heidi Rodewald of The Negro Problem.

The documentary of Passing Strange captures original cast members Stew and Rodewald, as well as de'Adre Aziza, Daniel Breaker, Eisa Davis, Colman Domingo, Chad Goodridge and Rebecca Naomi Jones. The on-stage band includes Jon Spurney, Christian Cassan and Christian Gibbs.

With the aid of director and collaborator Annie Dorsen, Passing Strange incorporates autobiographical elements of Stew's life to tell the story of a young black bohemian who leaves behind his middle-class, church-ruled upbringing in Los Angeles to travel abroad in search of his artistic and personal identity.

The Broadway production of Passing Strange featured choreography by Karole Armitage, scenic design by David Korins, costume design by Elizabeth Hope Clancy and lighting design by Kevin Adams.

For a complete list of Sundance 2009 films, visit SundanceFilmFestival.