Melody A. Betts Joins the Cast of FELA! at the Olney Theatre

Chicago-based actor, Melody A. Betts has joined the cast of Olney Theatre Center and Round House Theatre's co-production of Fela!, which, begins previews on Olney Theatre's Roberts Mainstage, July 7. Running through August 13, the Tony Award-winning musical uses the songs of Fela Kuti and a book created by Bill T. Jones and Jim Lewis to tell the story of the Pan-African superstar's final concert at the legendary Afrika Shrine. The revival, the first full production since the National Tour closed in 2013, is directed by Lili-Anne Brown, who recently received the Helen Hayes Award for Outstanding Director of a Play for her work on Woolly Mammoth's Ain't No Mo'. Duain Richmond tackles the titular role, which he played both on Broadway and in subsequent “Fela: The Concert” presentations. Nova Y. Payton, who had originally been announced to play Funmilayo, had to withdraw from the production for a family matter.

  

Tickets cost $47-$100 and are available at olneytheatre.org or by calling the box office (301-924-3400).

 

Betts was last seen as Chantel in the sold-out World Premiere of The Factotum (now streaming on YouTube) at the Lyric Opera of Chicago where she also played Grandma Tzeital/Fruma Sarah in the most recent production of Fiddler on The Roof.  Regional Theater credits include: FANNIE, The Nativity, Ragtime, Thoroughly Modern Millie, The Boys from Syracuse, Seussical the Musical, ELF, Once on this Island, Nunsense, All Shook Up, The Drowsy Chaperone, Comedy of Errors, Pinocchio, The Secret of My Success, Rock of Ages, The Color Purple, A Christmas Carol, Smokey Joe's Café, Hairspray, Witness Uganda. Broadway/Off Broadway: Waitress the Musical(Brooks Atkinson); Invisible Thread (Second Stage). National Tours: The Sound of Music; Waitress.  TV: Jesus Christ Superstar LIVE, Chicago PD, Chicago Fire(NBC), I Can See Your Voice, Chicago Code(FOX); Power (STARZ), Southside (HBOMax). IG: @melodybettspage Unions: AEA, SAG-AFTRA, BMI. Check out her single ABUNDANT LIFE on all music streaming services.

 

Also joining the ensemble as the djembe player is Themba Mkhatshwa, a percussionist and instrumentalist from Baltimore, Maryland. Mkhatshwa has worked with the remarkable Maimouna Youssef, Christian Scott's Grammy-nominated album "Ancestral Recall," and toured alongside Leon Bridges. Currently, Themba finds himself in an exciting apprenticeship, where he is studying drum making under the expert guidance of Baile's African Drum Works.

 

The rest of the ensemble includes Bryan Archibald, Terrence J. Bennett, Simone Brown, Patrick Leonardo Casimir, Jyreika Guest, Bryan Jeffrey, Raquel Jennings, Emmanuel Kikoni, Raven Lorraine, Vaughn Ryan Midder, Ywande Odetoyinbo (also Funmilayo Understudy), Jantanies Thomas, Galen J. Williams (also Fela Understudy), Jalisa Williams and Kanysha Williams (also Sandra Understudy). Swings for the production are Malachi Alexander and Shawna Williams.

 

Joining Brown's creative team are Music Director S. Renee Clark, Choreographer Breon Arzell, Scenic Designer Arnel Sancianco, Costume Designer Rueben Echoles, Lighting Designer Sherrice Mogjani, Projections Designer Kelly Colburn, Sound Designer Matt Rowe, Intimacy Consultant Jyreika Guest, Dialect Coach Kim James Bey, Cultural Consultant Abi Jinadu, Out of Town Casting Director Sarah Cooney, and Production Stage Manager Jamie Berry.

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