Adesola Osakalumi News

HIGHLIGHTS OF THE WEEK: Chita turns 80, STARCATCHER takes its final bow, ROCK OF AGES starts a party in Vegas, and so much more!

Former member of Destiny's Child Michelle Williams will join the national tour of the hit Award-winning Broadway musical Fela! when it opens at Sidney Harman Hall in Washington, DC on January 29. Fela! received three 2010 Tony Awards, including Best Choreography. Williams and the rest of the cast met the press earlier today, and you can check out full photo coverage from the festivities below!

Former member of Destiny's Child Michelle Williams will join the national tour of the hit Award-winning Broadway musical Fela! when it opens at Sidney Harman Hall in Washington, DC on January 29. Fela! received three 2010 Tony Awards, including Best Choreography. Williams and the rest of the cast met the press earlier today, and you can check out a photo preview from the festivities below!

Cirque du Soleil Meets Shakespeare and it works beautifully.

The Shakespeare Theatre Company kick-starts the new year with the return of FELA! After a sold-out run in 2011, the hit Broadway musical returns to STC's Sidney Harman Hall (610 F Street NW) from January 29 - February 10, 2013. Presented by Shawn "Jay-Z" Carter, Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith, and Ruth and Stephen Hendel, FELA! is directed and choreographed by Tony Award® winner Bill T. Jones. Adesola Osakalumi will star as Kuti alongside a cast combining the toast of Broadway and members of the American and European casts.

The return engagement of the award-winning production Fela! is set to close after 32 performances at Broadway's Al Hirschfeld Theatre tonight, August 4.

When the original Broadway production of Fela! closed in January of 2011, Zuccotti Park was little more than a block-long plaza where Wall Streeters would enjoy a bit of lunchtime sun.  For now, at least, the park has pretty much returned to that status, aside from the tourists taking photos of themselves at the spot now famous for birthing the Occupy Wall Street movement.

Shawn 'JAY Z' Carter, Will & Jada Pinkett Smith, Ruth & Stephen Hendel, Ahmir 'Questlove' Thompson and The National Theatre of Great Britain present the return of the critically acclaimed, award-winning Broadway and National Theatre of Great Britain production of Fela!, which just opened last night, July 12, for a limited run of 32 performances only at the Al Hirschfeld Theatre (302 West 45th Street). BroadwayWorld was there for the big openeing night, and we bring you photos from the first curtain call below!

Shawn 'JAY Z' Carter, Will & Jada Pinkett Smith, Ruth & Stephen Hendel, Ahmir 'Questlove' Thompson and The National Theatre of Great Britain present the return of the critically acclaimed, award-winning Broadway and National Theatre of Great Britain production of Fela!, which just opened last night, July 12, for a limited run of 32 performances only at the Al Hirschfeld Theatre (302 West 45th Street). BroadwayWorld was there for the big openeing night, and we bring you photos from the star-studded arrivals below!

The Broadway run of Fela! this summer at the Al Hirschfeld Theatre begins previews for its limited four-week run on Monday, July 9, with an official opening set for July 12, and will play through Saturday, August 4, 2012. The marquee is up! See below for a first look.

Tickets for the Broadway run of Fela! this summer at the Al Hirschfeld Theatre will go on sale to the general public on Saturday June 16 via telecharge.com and phone (212) 239-6200.

Producers Shawn 'JAY Z' Carter, Will & Jada Pinkett Smith, Ruth & Stephen Hendel, Ahmir 'Questlove' Thompson and The National Theatre of Great Britain today announced the return of the critically acclaimed, award-winning production of Fela!, currently on a multi-city world tour, for a limited run of 32 performances ONLY at the Al Hirschfeld Theatre (302 West 45th Street) from July 9 - August 4. Exploring the extravagant world of Afrobeat legend Fela Kuti, this provocative hybrid of dance, theatre, music, biography and a party like no-other is directed and choreographed by Tony® Award-winner Bill T. Jones, with a book by Jim Lewis and Bill T. Jones. The world renowned Antibalas and other members of the NYC Afrobeat community, under the direction of Aaron Johnson, again perform Kuti's rousing music live onstage. Recipient of three 2010 Tony Awards (Best Choreography, Best Costumes, Best Sound Design), Fela!, featuring the music and lyrics by Fela Kuti, was conceived by Bill T. Jones, Jim Lewis and Stephen Hendel, features additional lyrics by Jim Lewis, and additional music by Aaron Johnson and Jordan McLean. The musical is inspired by the authorized biography Fela: This Bitch of a Life by Carlos Moore. The press opening for this engagement is scheduled for Thursday, July 12 at 7 PM.

'Original: No Artificiality' intones in song Sahr Ngaujah as Fela Anikulapo Kuti, Nigerian multi-instrumentalist musician and human rights activist (1938-1997). Originality in everything was indeed what Kuti represented. He travelled the world and not only brought innovations to music with his Afrobeat, but also through exposure to American Black Powerattempted to fight European imperialism and 'change the world'. He unsuccessfully ran for President of Nigeria. In 1977 his mother Funmilayo (Melanie Marshall) was violently assassinated and his wives brutally attacked and raped by the Nigerian military. Despite rejection and humiliation, he never gave up fighting until his death in 1997.

On January 2, Fela!, the multi-Tony Award-winning Broadway musical about the music and life of the revolutionary musician and activist Fela Anikulapo-Kuti, ended it's run at the Eugene O'Neill Theatre. The critically acclaimed musical began performances on Broadway on October 19 of 2009 and opened to rave reviews on November 23, 2009. Check out photos from the final performance below!

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

Actors Equity held a celebration for the 60th Anniversary of the Gypsy Robe on Monday night, October 25th at Sequoia on Pier 17 at the South Street Seaport where past gypsy robe winners came back to reminisce and to celebrate.

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.

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.

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.