Singer-songwriter and performance artist Stew was commissioned by the Public Theater of New York to develop Passing Strange, a heartfelt and hilarious story of a young bohemian who charts a course for "the real" through sex, drugs, and rock and roll. Loaded with soulful lyrics and overflowing with passion, the story takes the audience from black, middle-class America to Amsterdam, Berlin, and beyond on a journey towards personal and artistic authenticity. After its move from the Public Theater to Broadway, director Spike Lee and cinematographer Matthew Libatique committed the musical to film, shooting a live production on high definition cameras from multiple angles.

Cosponsored by the University of Michigan Museum of Art, this screening is presented in conjunction with the University Musical Society appearance by Stew and the Negro Problem, November 18–20. Please see www.ums.org for more information about the show or contact umseducation@umich.edu for more information about the film screening.