Abena Koomson News

VAN DAVIS, the NYC based rock-funk group, announces COME WITH ME, available for purchase on Thursday, June 19. In celebration, the band will host a CD launch event at INC Lounge (224 West 49th Street, 2nd Floor, above Time Hotel) on Thursday, June 19. Doors open at 8PM for cocktails and three 45-minute sets will be performed at 9PM, 10:15PM and 11:30PM. There is no cover for the event and there will be drink specials at the bar.

Lincoln Center, the world's leading performing arts center, is launching a new video portal, accessible via Lincoln Center's home page (LincolnCenter.org) and directly through a new URL, LincolnCenter.org/watch.

KRONOS at 40 presents Red Hot + FELA LIVE! (world premiere), featuring Tony Allen and Superhuman Happiness, with Baloji, Abena Koomson, Kronos Quartet, Sahr Ngaujah, Sinkane and Kalmia Traver (of Rubblebucket), tonight, July 24, at 7:30pm as part of Lincoln Center Out of Doors. at the Damrosch Park Bandshell.

KRONOS at 40 presents Red Hot + FELA LIVE! (world premiere), featuring Tony Allen and Superhuman Happiness, with Baloji, Abena Koomson, Kronos Quartet, Sahr Ngaujah, Sinkane and Kalmia Traver (of Rubblebucket), on Wednesday, July 24, at 7:30pm as part of Lincoln Center Out of Doors. at the Damrosch Park Bandshell.

Now gracing the cover of the latest Billboard Magazine, Beyonce reveals that her upcoming ablum, entitled 4, is largely inspired by the late Fela Kuti - subject of last season's Broadway hit Fela! produced by her husband Jay-Z. The album is set for release next month.

BroadwayWorld offers highlights of the several productions which will complete their Broadway runs in January.

Musicals Tonight! continues its ongoing salute to Broadway and Off-Broadway Standbys and Understudies with its next editions of At This Performance…™ to be held on Sunday, October 17th and Monday, October 18th at the McGinn/Cazale Theatre, 2162 Broadway, (above the Promenade Theatre- Broadway at 76th Street), 3rd Floor at 8 PM.

On Tuesday, September 28, FELA! received Actors' Equity Association's Advisory Committee on Chorus Affairs (ACCA) fourth annual ACCA Award for Outstanding Broadway Chorus. The award, the only industry award of its kind, honors the distinctive talents and contributions made by the original chorus members of a Broadway musical. The award ceremony was held in the Council Room, at Equity's headquarters in the heart of Times Square on Tuesday. BroadwayWorld was on hand and brings you photo coverage below.

FELA! will receive Actors' Equity Association's Advisory Committee on Chorus Affairs (ACCA) fourth annual ACCA Award for Outstanding Broadway Chorus. The award, the only industry award of its kind, honors the distinctive talents and contributions made by the original chorus members of a Broadway musical. The award ceremony will be held in the Council Room, at Equity's headquarters in the heart of Times Square on Tuesday, September 28, 2010.

FELA! will receive Actors' Equity Association's Advisory Committee on Chorus Affairs (ACCA) fourth annual ACCA Award for Outstanding Broadway Chorus. The award, the only industry award of its kind, honors the distinctive talents and contributions made by the original chorus members of a Broadway musical. The award ceremony will be held in the Council Room, at Equity's headquarters in the heart of Times Square on Tuesday, September 28, 2010.

Photographer Marilyn Nance is suing the musical FELA! for unauthorized use of one of her photographs, the New York Post reports.

The cast and crew of the Tony Award-winning Broadway musical Fela!, based on the life and music of groundbreaking African composer, performer and activist Fela Anikulapo-Kuti, will be honored by New York City Council Members Jimmy Van Bramer and Julissa Ferreras on the Steps of City Hall on Thursday, July 29.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Broadway dominated The View yesterday, March 3. Following an interview with The Miracle Worker's Abigail Breslin, the Fela! cast took the stage to perform 'Zombie' for viewers. Valerie Bertinelli filled in for Whoopi Goldberg, alongside View regulars Barbra Walters, Joy Behar, Sherri Sheperd and Elizabeth Hasselbeck. Audience members were sent home from the taping with a pair of tickets to see the Fela!. The View airs weekdays at 11:00am EST on ABC.