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      *Passing Strange has been nominated for seven Tony Awards, including best musical of the Broadway season, while Laurence Fishburne and S. Epatha Merkerson each picked up a nod in the acting categories.

       Passing Strange tells the story of a young black bohemian who, in search for self and home, charts a course for "the real" through sex, drugs, and rock 'n' roll. He leaves his middle class home—and his mother—in Los Angeles to find out about life in Amsterdam and Berlin. The musical faces competition in the musical category from "In the Heights," "Cry-Baby" and "Xanadu."

       The play has also been named Best Musical of the 2007-08 season by the New York Drama Critics' Circle, which comprises 22 drama critics from daily newspapers, magazines, and wire services based in the New York metropolitan area. Those awards will be presented at a cocktail reception to be held on Monday, May 19.

       Passing Strange also has the distinction of being the first Broadway show to get a digital exclusive release, when the original cast album arrives on iTunes May 27. The actual CD will be available in stores sometime in July. The album was recorded on April 14 at the Belasco Theatre in front of a live audience.      

       Meanwhile, Fishburne received a Best Actor Tony nomination for his role as late Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall in Thurgood. He'll compete against Patrick Stewart, the title character in "Macbeth";  Mark Rylance, "Boeing-Boeing"; Ben Daniels, "Les Liaisons Dangereuses"; and Rufus Sewell, "Rock 'n' Roll."

       Merkerson, who starred in "Come Back, Little Sheba," was nominated for Best Actress, along with Deanna Dunagan and Amy Morton of "August: Osage County"; Eve Best in "The Homecoming"; and Kate Fleetwood, as the murderous wife in "Macbeth."

       A revival of Rodgers and Hammerstein's South Pacific took a leading 11 nominations, followed by Sunday in the Park With George with nine. Receiving seven nominations along with Passing Strange are August: Osage County and the revival of Gypsy.

       Nominations for the 62nd annual awards show were announced Tuesday morning in New York. The winners in 26 competitive categories will be announced June 15 in a three-hour CBS telecast from Radio City Music Hall.

   Here is the complete list of nominations for the 62nd annual Tony Awards:

• Play (and playwrights): "August: Osage County" (Tracy Letts), "Rock 'n' Roll" (Tom Stoppard), "The Seafarer" (Conor McPherson), "The 39 Steps" (Patrick Barlow)

• Musical: "Cry-Baby," "In the Heights," "Passing Strange," "Xanadu."

• Book-Musical: "Cry-Baby" (Mark O'Donnell and Thomas Meehan), "In the Heights" (Quiara Alegria Hudes), "Passing Strange" (Stew), "Xanadu" (Douglas Carter Beane).

• Original Score (music and/or lyrics): "Cry-Baby" (Music & Lyrics: David Javerbaum and Adam Schlesinger), "In the Heights" (Music & Lyrics: Lin-Manuel Miranda), "The Little Mermaid" (Music: Alan Menken, Lyrics: Howard Ashman and Glenn Slater), "Passing Strange" (Music: Stew and Heidi Rodewald, Lyrics: Stew).

• Revival-Play: "Boeing-Boeing," "The Homecoming," "Les Liaisons Dangereuses," "Macbeth."

• Revival-Musical: "Grease," "Gypsy," "South Pacific," "Sunday in the Park With George."

• Actor-Play: Ben Daniels, "Les Liaisons Dangereuses"; Laurence Fishburne, "Thurgood"; Mark Rylance, "Boeing-Boeing"; Rufus Sewell, "Rock 'n' Roll"; Patrick Stewart, "Macbeth."

• Actress-Play: Eve Best, "The Homecoming"; Deanna Dunagan, "August: Osage County"; Kate Fleetwood, "Macbeth"; S. Epatha Merkerson, "Come Back, Little Sheba"; Amy Morton, "August: Osage County."

• Actor-Musical: Daniel Evans, "Sunday in the Park With George"; Lin-Manuel Miranda, "In the Heights"; Stew, "Passing Strange"; Paulo Szot, "South Pacific"; Tom Wopat, "A Catered Affair."

• Actress-Musical: Kerry Butler, "Xanadu"; Patti LuPone, "Gypsy"; Kelli O'Hara, "South Pacific"; Faith Prince, "A Catered Affair"; Jenna Russell, "Sunday in the Park With George."

• Featured Actor-Play: Bobby Cannavale, "Mauritius"; Raul Esparza, "The Homecoming"; Conleth Hill, "The Seafarer"; Jim Norton, "The Seafarer"; David Pittu, "Is He Dead?"

• Featured Actress-Play: Sinead Cusack, "Rock 'n' Roll"; Mary McCormack, "Boeing-Boeing"; Laurie Metcalf, "November"; Martha Plimpton, "Top Girls"; Rondi Reed, "August: Osage County."

• Featured Actor-Musical: Daniel Breaker, "Passing Strange"; Danny Burstein, "South Pacific"; Robin De Jesus, "In the Heights"; Christopher Fitzgerald, "Young Frankenstein"; Boyd Gaines, "Gypsy."

• Featured Actress-Musical: Laura Benanti, "Gypsy"; de'Adre Aziza, "Passing Strange"; Andrea Martin, "Young Frankenstein"; Olga Merediz, "In the Heights"; Loretta Ables Sayre, "South Pacific."

• Direction-Play: Maria Aitken, "The 39 Steps"; Conor McPherson, "The Seafarer"; Anna D. Shapiro, "August: Osage County"; Matthew Warchus, "Boeing-Boeing."

• Direction-Musical: Sam Buntrock, "Sunday in the Park With George"; Thomas Kail, "In the Heights"; Arthur Laurents, "Gypsy"; Bartlett Sher, "South Pacific."

• Choreography: Rob Ashford, "Cry-Baby"; Andy Blankenbuehler, "In the Heights"; Christopher Gattelli, "South Pacific"; Dan Knechtges, "Xanadu."

• Orchestrations: Jason Carr, "Sunday in the Park With George"; Alex Lacamoire and Bill Sherman, "In the Heights"; Stew and Heidi Rodewald; "Passing Strange"; Jonathan Tunick, "A Catered Affair."

• Scenic Design-Play: Peter McKintosh, "The 39 Steps"; Scott Pask, "Les Liaisons Dangereuses"; Todd Rosenthal, "August: Osage County"; Anthony Ward, "Macbeth."

• Scenic Design-Musical: David Farley and Timothy Bird & The Knifedge Creative Network, "Sunday in the Park With George"; Anna Louizos, "In the Heights"; Robin Wagner, "Young Frankenstein"; Michael Yeargen, "South Pacific."

• Costume Design-Play: Gregory Gale, "Cyrano de Bergerac"; Rob Howell, "Boeing-Boeing"; Katrina Lindsay, "Les Liaisons Dangereuses"; Peter McKintosh, "The 39 Steps."

• Costume Design-Musical: David Farley, "Sunday in the Park With George"; Martin Pakledinaz, "Gypsy"; Paul Tazewell, "In the Heights"; Catherine Zuber, "South Pacific."

• Lighting Design-Play: Kevin Adams, "The 39 Steps"; Howard Harrison, "Macbeth"; Donald Holder, "Les Liaisons Dangereuses"; Ann G. Wrightson, "August: Osage County."

• Lighting Design-Musical: Ken Billington, "Sunday in the Park With George"; Howell Binkley, "In the Heights"; Donald Holder, "South Pacific," Natasha Katz, "The Little Mermaid."

• Sound Design-Play: Simon Baker, "Boeing-Boeing"; Adam Cork, "Macbeth"; Ian Dickson, "Rock 'n' Roll"; Mic Pool, "The 39 Steps."

• Sound Design-Musical: Acme Sound Partners, "In the Heights"; Sebastian Frost, "Sunday in the Park With George"; Scott Lehrer, "South Pacific"; Dan Moses Schreier, "Gypsy."