Fela!, directed and choreographed by Tony Award winner Bill T. Jones, welcomes audiences into the extravagant, decadent and rebellious world of Afrobeat legend Fela Anikulapo Kuti. Using his pioneering music (a blend of jazz, funk and African rhythm and harmonies), the musical explores Kuti's controversial life as artist, political activist and revolutionary musician.
Fela! features a multi-cultural cast led by Sahr Ngaujah (recipient of an Obie Award for his performance in the title role Off- Broadway) and Kevin Mambo (MTC’s Ruined), alternating in the role of Fela Anikulapo-Kuti. Tony Award-winner Lillias White plays Funmilayo Ransome Kuti (Fela’s mother) and Saycon Sengbloh (Hair) plays Sandra, Kuti’s love interest.
As a nod to Black History Month, during the course of the week NBC Nightly News with Brian Williams pays tribute to a series of history makers, including FELA!'s Bill T. Jones. In the video piece below, Anne Curry profiles Jones and speaks to the Tony Award-winning director and choreographer him about his career, achievements and the tremendous success of FELA!
An African dance specialist, Jeffrey gave up a Hollywood choreography career to join the Nigeria-set musical.
FELA!, currently playing at the Eugene O'Neill on Broadway starring Lillias White and Sahr Ngaujah, dedicated the January 25th performance last night to The Actors Fund, granting proceeds to the fund in support of their programs and services.
FELA!, currently playing at the Eugene O'Neill on Broadway starring Lillias White and Sahr Ngaujah, will dedicate the January 25th performance to The Actors Fund, granting proceeds to the fund in support of their programs and services. The curtain rises on Monday the 25th at 8:00pm. For information on The Actor's fund, visit www.actorsfund.org.
Fela!, the new musical based on the life and music of groundbreaking African composer, performer and activist Fela Anikulapo-Kuti, will perform on NBC's 'Late Night with Jimmy Fallon' on Tonight at 12:35am EST.
FELA!, currently playing at the Eugene O'Neill on Broadway starring Lillias White and Sahr Ngaujah, will dedicate the January 25th performance to The Actors Fund, granting proceeds to the fund in support of their programs and services. The curtain rises on Monday the 25th at 8:00pm. For information on The Actor's fund, visit www.actorsfund.org.
Saycon Sengbloh takes on her largest and most influential role to date as the muse of Fela Anikulapo-Kuti in Fela!, now playing at Broadway's Eugene O'Neill Theatre.
The all new 20th Anniversary Season of Broadway Beat has begun! This week catch up with Broadway Beat at the opening night FELA! and at Broadway Cares / Equity Fights AIDS GYPSY OF THE YEAR Competition!
Producers Shawn 'Jay-Z' Carter and Will & Jada Pinkett Smith announced today that beginning January 6, the new critically acclaimed Broadway musical Fela! will add Wednesday matinee performances to its weekly schedule and push back Sunday matinee times to 3pm. The new schedule, beginning Tuesday, January 5 will be as follows: Tuesday at 7pm, Wednesday at 2pm & 8pm, Thursday and Friday at 8pm, Saturday at 2pm & 8pm and Sunday at 3pm (except Sunday, January 10 when curtain is 2pm).
The New York Times this week profiles the women of FELA! - the nine unnamed, almost speechless figures that decorate the stage of the Eugene O'Neill Theatre, representing the 27 wives of the Nigerian Afrobeat musician and political activist.
Two Boots Pizza and MJS LIVE, Inc. have announced it's second show for A SLICE OF BROADWAY, a celebration of Broadway's finest at NY's Pizza Pioneers Two Boots Pizza. The 'tastiest pizza in Manhattan' (yelp.com) will honor the amazing cast of Fela! With a specialty pizza offered now until mid January at its Hell's Kitchen location. This afternoon, cast from the first selected show, Fela!, now playing at the Eugene O'Neill Theater and starring Sahr Ngaujah, Kevin Mambo, Lillias White, and Saycon Sengbloh attended Two Boots in their Theater District neighborhood. The cast posed for photographs and sampled The Zombie slice (named after one of Fela Anikulapo Kuti's most popular songs). The pizza slice included African-spiced chicken, criss-crossed with jalapeno pesto, and for the first time ever on a pizza - Yam pesto.
It is Theatre Development Fund's belief that future audiences are built by engaging students, first-hand, in the vital and exciting activity of the creative process, as well as providing opportunities to see live performances of great theatre.
Variety reports that Fela!,will get big screen treatment by Hunger director Steve McQueen. Like the musical, the film is based on the life and music of groundbreaking African composer, performer and activist Fela Anikulapo-Kuti as written in the book, Fela: The Life and Times of an African Musical Icon, by Michael Veal.
Fela!, the new musical based on the life and music of groundbreaking African composer, performer and activist Fela Anikulapo-Kuti, performed on Comedy Central's 'The Colbert Report' on Monday, December 7 at 11:30pm EST.
Fela!, the new musical based on the life and music of groundbreaking African composer, performer and activist Fela Anikulapo-Kuti, will perform on Comedy Central's 'The Colbert Report' on Monday, December 7 at 11:30pm EST.
BroadwayWorld.com has received a slew of emails tonight from theatergoers noting that tonight's scheduled 7pm performance of FELA! was cancelled due to multiple injuries. Audience members tell BroadwayWorld.com that they arrived at the theatre to be told that the show would begin late because they were doing onstage rehearsals of understudies to see if the show could go on, which ultimately it did not as the show was officially cancelled at 7:15, fifteen minutes after its scheduled start time.
There's no word at this time on which performers from the dance-heavy show are injured. More information to come as it's available.
It is Theatre Development Fund's belief that future audiences are built by engaging students, first-hand, in the vital and exciting activity of the creative process, as well as providing opportunities to see live performances of great theatre.
Fela!, the new musical based on the life and music of groundbreaking African composer, performer and activist Fela Anikulapo-Kuti, opened on Broadway at the Eugene O'Neill Theatre (230 West 49th Street) on November 23, 2009. BroadwayWorld and Broadway Beat were on hand and bring you these explosive clips and interviews with the cast and creative!
The colorful Gypsy Robe, embellished with mementos from Broadway musicals, is presented to the cast member who has the most Broadway chorus credits. Recent Gypsy Robe honoree, WHITE CHRISTMAS' Joseph Medeiros passed the special Broadway garment on to Adesola Osakalumi backstage at the Marquis before the opening night performance and we were there too!
Fela!, the new musical based on the life and music of groundbreaking African composer, performer and activist Fela Anikulapo-Kuti, opened on Broadway at the Eugene O'Neill Theatre (230 West 49th Street) last night, November 23, 2009.
Fela!, the new musical based on the life and music of groundbreaking African composer, performer and activist Fela Anikulapo-Kuti, opened on Broadway at the Eugene O'Neill Theatre (230 West 49th Street) last night, November 23, 2009.
Fela!, the new musical based on the life and music of groundbreaking African composer, performer and activist Fela Anikulapo-Kuti, opened on Broadway at the Eugene O'Neill Theatre (230 West 49th Street) last night, November 23, 2009.
Fela!, the new Broadway musical based on the life and music of African composer and performer Fela Anikulapo-Kuti, officially opens tonight, November 23, minus a few high profile celebrity producers. It was planned for Will Smith, Jada Pinkett Smith, and Jay-Z to all be in attendance for Fela!'s opening night, but due Smith's oldest son acquiring a sports related injury, the Smiths are no longer able to attend. Jay-Z will still be attending the opening night festivities including a red carpet appearance and the after party.
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