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      *On the heels of its recent Tony nominations and Drama Desk Awards, the hot musical Passing Strange has just earned kudos for new theater piece and for ensemble acting at the 53rd annual Village Voice Obie Awards, which honor Off Broadway fare.

      Passing Strange has been playing in Broadway's Rialto since February, but it originally bowed last year at Off Broadway's Public Theater.

       The Obie "Strange" received for theater piece, including a $1,000 cash prize for co-creators Stew and Heidi Rodewald and director Annie Dorsen, adds to the recent awards momentum for the Tony contender. The Drama Desk presented the rock production with its new musical prize Sunday night, as did the New York Drama Critics Circle last week.

      Other Obie winners included actress LisaGay Hamilton, who picked up a performance award for her role in "The Ohio State Murders."

       Award selections, for which there are no publicly announced nominations, were made by a committee chaired by Voice critic Michael Feingold.  The ceremony, hosted by married Off Broadway vets Elizabeth Marvel and Bill Camp, was held Monday night at New York's Webster Hall.