Filmed during three live performances of Stew's and Heidi Rodewald's popular Broadway musical, director Spike Lee beautifully captures the play's vibrant music and energetic physicality to produce a priceless cinematic artifact.
In its picaresque narrative, a sensitive young black musician from '70s era South Central Los Angeles named Youth (well played by Daniel Breaker) escapes his discouraging environment when he travels to Amsterdam and later Berlin.
Along the way Youth is liberated by his experiences with sex, drugs, music, and freethinking.
A generous sonic dose of blues-inflected rock music places a driving rhythm under the play's humorous, yet heartfelt, themes of personal growth and artistic passion.
Stew famously work-shopped the play at the Sundance Theater Lab before taking it to Broadway where it received two Obie Awards and a Tony.
"Passing Strange" purely expresses the magic of a truly innovative Broadway musical as performed by a tremendously gifted cast.
It's a must-see for any fan of the musical genre, and a lot of fun for anyone else willing to give it a chance.
