DAVID BYRNE'S AMERICAN UTOPIA, PREMIERES ON HBO OCT 17 AT 8PM ET/PT AND TO STREAM ON HBO MAX. Fresh Broadway to You.

 By Laura Medina

DAVID BYRNE'S AMERICAN UTOPIA is one-of-a-kind, dynamic film that gives audiences access to Byrne's electrifying Broadway show that played to sold-out, record-breaking audiences during its run from October 2019 to February 2020 at Broadway's Hudson Theatre. In this unifying musical celebration that inspires audiences to connect to each other and to the global community, the former Talking Heads frontman and his band of 11 musical artists from around the world perform hits from across Byrne's career, including songs from his 2018 album of the same name and classics like "This Must Be the Place" and "Everybody's Coming To My House," as well as a cover of Janelle Monáe's "Hell You Talmbout." As Byrne and company sing, dance, and play their way across the glittering gray stage, they welcome audiences into a joyous dreamworld where openness, optimism, faith in humanity, and social justice are paramount. Peppering these musical numbers with brief monologues that help communicate his message, Byrne touches on various sociopolitical topics - police brutality, voter turnout, climate change, immigration - and challenges us to come together and grapple with these issues right here, right now. Finally, Byrne insists that we not only show up to the polls, but that we truly embrace the possibility of change. "Not just in the imperfect world out there," he says, but in ourselves, too.

Oscar®and Emmy®-winner Spike Lee directs the filmed version of the smash hitBroadway show “David Byrne’s American Utopia,” a unifying musical celebration thatinspires audiences to connect to each other and to the global community. The HBOspecial documents The critically acclaimed Broadway production featuring Academy®,Grammy®and GoldenGlobe®Award-winning musician Byrne (Talking Heads), togetherwith an ensemble of 11 musicians, singers, and dancers from around the globe, invitingaudiences into a joyous dreamworld where human connection, self-evolution, and socialjustice are paramount. DAVID BYRNE’S AMERICAN UTOPIA will premiere October 17on HBO and will be available to stream on HBO Max, and in Canada, on Bell Media’sCrave