Jim Lewis News

The 2010 Tony Awards are fast approaching, and the performers have been taken to the stage to practice for Sunday's big night. GLEE's Lea Michele & Matthew Morrison were at Radio City Music Hall to rehearse their performances, and photos of the pair have been released!

BroadwayWorld.com has confirmed with multiple production sources many of the online reports and rumors surrounding the performances for Sunday nights Tony Awards. We're told that nothing is set in stone and that performances (which are already being rehearsed) may change as the week goes on.

Fela! the new Broadway musical, will record its cast album today, March 8. The recording will be made at Clinton Recording studies. The cast album is set to be released on June 8.

Audiences around the world will be able to experience FELA!, the new hit Broadway musical about the life and music of legendary Nigerian performer and political activist Fela Anikulapo-Kuti, when it is broadcast in January 2011 on movie screens around the globe as part of NT Live, the initiative by London's National Theatre to broadcast live performances of plays to a world audience.

Last night, May 20, the producers of FELA! hosted a post-theater reception at The Palm in midtown for Broadway national tour presenters from across the country who are in town for the Spring League Conference and for members of the FELA! company in celebration of thier 11 Tony Award nominations - the most of any show this season. In attendence were Tony nominated producers Jay-Z, Will Smith, Jada Pinkett-Smith, Stephen & Ruth Hendel, Tony-nominated director & choreographer Bill T. Jones, and Tony-nominated stars Sahr Ngaujah and Lillias White. BroadwayWorld was also on hand to celebrate.

Today, with a BWW Exclusive First Listen is a critique of Broadway's most highly-praised and most Tony-nominated new show of the year, the smash-hit Afrobeat musical by Bill T. Jones and Jim Lewis, FELA! So, is it as electrifying and exciting as the critics found the show to be onstage? Let's find out...

The Village Voice announced today that the hit Broadway musical FELA! will perform at the 55th Annual Village Voice OBIE Awards on Monday, May 17, 2010, at Webster Hall. FELA!-which is produced by Shawn 'Jay-Z' Carter and Will & Jada Pinkett Smith, among others-is a musical based on the life and music of the iconic African composer and performer Fela Anikulapo-Kuti.

Jay-Z, rapper and producer of the Broadway musical FELA! will be the musical guest on Saturday Night Live's May 8th episode, according to reports.

Chiwetel Ejiofor will play Nigerian musician and activist Fela Kuti in the upcoming biopic to be directed by Steve McQueen.

Nominations in 26 competitive categories for the American Theatre Wing's 64th Annual Antoinette Perry 'Tony' Awards were announced May 4, 2010 by Broadway Star Lea Michele and Tony Award Nominee Jeff Daniels.

The Tony Awards Nominations were announced this morning on Tuesday, May 4th. The Tony Awards will be broadcast in a live three-hour ceremony from Radio City Music Hall on the CBS television network on Sunday, June 13, 2010.

Nominations for the American Theatre Wing's 64th Annual Antoinette Perry 'Tony' Awards were announced May 4, 2010 by Broadway Star Lea Michele and Tony Award Nominee Jeff Daniels.

St. Ann's Warehouse has announced the attendees for its upcoming Gala to celebrate its 30 year anniversary. The event will include FELA! star Sahr Ngaujah, who plays the title role in the hit Broadway musical, alongside the FELA! band.

The Village Voice announced today that the hit Broadway musical FELA! will perform at the 55th Annual Village Voice OBIE Awards on Monday, May 17, 2010, at Webster Hall. FELA!-which is produced by Shawn 'Jay-Z' Carter and Will & Jada Pinkett Smith, among others-is a musical based on the life and music of the iconic African composer and performer Fela Anikulapo-Kuti.

Fela!, the critically acclaimed new musical based on the life and music of groundbreaking African composer, performer and activist Fela Anikulapo-Kuti, is directed and choreographed by Tony® Award-winner Bill T. Jones (Spring Awakening), with a book by Jim Lewis and Bill T. Jones. Sahr Ngaujah and Kevin Mambo play the title character at alternate performances, while the world renowned Antibalas and other members of the NYC Afrobeat community, under the direction of Aaron Johnson, perform Kuti's rousing music live onstage.

Jay-Z, rapper and producer of the Broadway musical FELA! will be the musical guest on Saturday Night Live's May 8th episode, according to reports.

The National Theatre will be bringing Broadway's Fela! to London's Olivier Theatre for a November 6 premiere. The show will be joined by Michael Grandage's Danton's Death and new plays by Moira Buffini and Mike Bartlett. Also announced by the National, Desmond Barrit and Malcom Sinclair will be joining the cast of The Habit of the Art beginning July 14.

It was announced today that in November 2010, The National Theatre, one of the world's most prestigious venues, will produce FELA!, this season's most heralded new musical on Broadway. Performances at The National's Olivier Theatre are slated to begin Saturday, November 6, with an official Opening Night set for Tuesday, November 16, 2010.

The acclaimed Broadway sensation Fela! will play London's National Theatre in November, reports Baz Bamigboye of the Daily Mail. Star of the New York production Sahr Ngaujah will portray Fela on the National's Olivier Stage. His fellow New York alternate, Kevin Mambo, will also join the cast for the London premiere. Dates for the production have not been set at this time, though it is expected the show will play from November 16 through January 2011.

Fela! the new Broadway musical, will record its cast album today, March 8. The recording will be made at Clinton Recording studies. The cast album is set to be released on June 8.