Passing Strange Sets 7/20 Closing Date

The Broadway musical Passing Strange will end its run at the Belasco Theatre following the matinee performance on July 20. The show will have played 20 previews and 165 performances upon closing.

The closing date is one day after Spike Lee shoots two performances before a live audience for a forthcoming film version of the musical, which received 2008 Best Musical Awards from the New York Drama Critics Circle, Drama Desk and Village Voice Obie Awards. Stew also received the Tony Award for Best Book of a Musical.

With book and lyrics by Stew, music by Stew and Heidi Rodewald, directed by and created in collaboration with Annie Dorsen, Passing Strange began previews on Broadway on February 8 and opened on February 28 after a successful 2007 run at the Public Theater. In spite of near-unanimous rave reviews, the musical struggled at the box office throughout its six-month Broadway run. For the week ending July 6, it dipped below 40% of capacity and grossed $176,068.

Producer Gerald Schoenfeld of the Shubert Organization said in a statement, "We are extremely proud of Passing Strange and its many accomplishments on Broadway. That Spike Lee will film the show is a crowning achievement and represents a milestone in the American musical theater. We appreciate the support of the show's many ardent fans that have helped keep it running."

Producer Elizabeth Ireland McCann added, "Passing Strange has been an unparalleled experience for me as a lifelong theater lover. I cannot express how genuinely proud I am of the show, the brilliant creators, the fantastic cast, the band and every member of the Passing Strange family. We brought a show to Broadway and, at the very least, shook things up a bit."