Fela! Tour 2011 - Articles Page 9

54 BELOW, Broadway's Supper Club, presents Two-Time Tony Award Winner Lillias White, Ben Platt, Naturi Naughton, Katie Thompson, and Two-TIme Tony Award Nominee Robin de Jesus & more in Who We Are: The Songs of Lyons & Pakchar on Monday, April 14 at 9:30PM. For one night only, contemporary musical theatre composers Douglas Lyons and Ethan Pakchar will showcase original music from their Pop/R&B catalogue with performances by leading Broadway artists, such as Lillias White (The Life, Fela), Ben Platt (Pitch Perfect, The Book of Mormon), Naturi Naughton (3LW, Notorious, Fame), Katie Thompson (Giant), Robin de Jesus (In The Heights), Christine Dwyer (Wicked), Mykal Kilgore (Motown: The Musical), Nic Rouleau (The Book of Mormon), Felicia Boswell (Memphis), Julia Mattison (Godspell), Tamika Sonja Lawrence (If/Then), Daniel Torres (Evita), John Brink (LES MISERABLES), Nik Alexander (Priscilla Queen of the Desert tour), Bradley Greer (Altar Boyz tour), Melody Madarasz (Mr. Chickees Funny Money), J. Hoard and more. With back-up singers Rashidra Scott (Beautiful: The Carole King Musical), Olithea Anglin (Something Major), and Darius Harper (The Book of Mormon tour).

Award-winning slam poet, actor, singer, musician Saul Williams (Slam), Christopher Jackson (After Midnight), Saycon Sengbloh (Motown The Musical, Fela!), Ben Thompson(Matilda), John Earl Jelks (Radio Golf - Tony nomination), Joshua Boone (Brownsville Song [b side for Tray] at Actors Theatre of Louisville), Dyllon Burnside ('Prison Break') and Tony Award winner Tonya Pinkins (Jelly's Last Jam, Caroline or Change, Play On!) will star in HOLLER IF YA HEAR ME, the new Broadway musical inspired by the lyrics of Tupac Shakur. Written by Todd Kreidler and directed by Kenny Leon, HOLLER IF YA HEAR ME will begin performances on May 29, 2014 and open June 19, 2014 at the Palace Theatre (1564 Broadway at 47th Street).

The Apollo Theater and World Music Institute present AFRICA NOW, a four-day music festival spotlighting today's African music scene. The second annual festival will feature a powerful lineup of artists who have drawn upon their roots for inspiration - and transplanted them onto the global music landscape. Africa Now will be anchored by a blow-out concert, April 5th, on the legendary Apollo stage featuring: Malian songstress Fatoumata Diawara; Senegalese trio Les Freres Guisse; and reggae/Afrobeat collective Sierra Leone's Refugee All Stars.

The Apollo Theater and World Music Institute present AFRICA NOW, a four-day music festival spotlighting today's African music scene. The second annual festival will feature a powerful lineup of artists who have drawn upon their roots for inspiration - and transplanted them onto the global music landscape. Africa Now will be anchored by a blow-out concert, April 5th, on the legendary Apollo stage featuring: Malian songstress Fatoumata Diawara; Senegalese trio Les Freres Guisse; and reggae/Afrobeat collective Sierra Leone's Refugee All Stars.

On the nights of Friday, February 21 and Saturday, February 22, theatre-goers will experience the mind-bending fantasy and unique musical experience of THE LEGEND OF YAUNA, an incredible tale created by the Grammy award-winning composer/music director Chris Berry and staged by director/choreographer Maija Garcia, the powerhouse behind the Tony award-winning Broadway production FELA!. This theatrical music and dance experience shares the wisdom of Yauna, an ancient narrative set 12,000 years ago that spotlights the indigenous Bana Kuma ceremonies of Zimbabwe. Helmed by the pen and voice of the talented Berry, the eclectic cast includes: Afro-European vocalist Marie Daulne (founder of the internationally acclaimed quintet Zap Mama) playing the role of 'Black Panther Queen'; seven musicians performing on non-traditional instrumentation including African drums and the shona Mbira; and a diverse nine-member theatrical ensemble that brings the storybook to life through music, song and high-powered contemporary dance.

Sundance Institute today highlighted the roster of music performances to take place at the 2014 Sundance Film Festival, including talent from Low Down - featuring Red Hot Chili Peppers' Flea, composer Ohad Talmor and and a reading by Elle Fanning

On the nights of Friday, February 21 and Saturday, February 22 theatre-goers can experience the mind-bending fantasy and unique musical experience of THE LEGEND OF YAUNA, an incredible tale created by theGrammy award-winning composer Chris Berryand reinvented by the creative director of the Tony award-winning Broadway production FELA!,Maija Garcia. Debuting at the legendary BAM (Brooklyn Academy of Music) Fisher in Brooklyn, New York, the theatrical event of non-traditional instrumentation, including African drums and the distinctive sound of the Mbira, and contemporary dance set the stage for thewisdom of Yauna, an ancient narrative set 12,000 years ago. Casting for the independent production, presented by BanaKuma, will run from January 7-9 at the DANY Studios in Manhattan; tickets for the February performance at BAM Fisher will go on sale January 14.

On December 16th, Broadway star, Saycon Sengbloh (Motown The Musical / Fela), released her new single, Be Here, from her upcoming album. After an exclusive performance of the song at Drom in New York City, Saycon released the song via digital outlets such as iTunes, Amazon, and CD Baby, and sold physical copies at her show. Scroll down for photos from the concert!

On December 16th, Broadway star, Saycon Sengbloh (Motown The Musical / Fela), released her new single, Be Here, from her upcoming album. After an exclusive performance of the song at Drom in New York City, Saycon released the song via digital outlets such as iTunes, Amazon, and CD Baby, and sold physical copies at her show. Click below to watch her performance at Drom!

Tony Award Winner Lillias White (Fela, The Life) stars as The Christmas Loon in the new Charmer, 'I Keep Christmas In My Pocket' beginning November 27th. Producer Joshua Sherman's new web series features original music videos inspired by the golden age of musical theatre and film.

As BroadwayWorld previously reported, popular and influential songwriter and guitarist Lou Reed, most known for forming Velvet Underground has died at 71 according to Rolling Stone. No cause of death was revealed, but it's been noticed that the performer received a liver transplant back in May of 2013. BroadwayWorld remembers Reed with photos below.

Coming up next Today, October 11th the band will be performing on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon and will be joined on-stage by Brittany Howard of Alabama Shakes and Merrill Garbus of tUne-yArDs in honor of their contribution to Red Hot + Fela.

Fela Kuti lives on. Since his death in 1997, he's been transformed from musician's musician with a cult-like following to a worldwide musical icon. The last four years have seen the Broadway hit FELA! win Tony Awards and tour the world, Knitting Factory Records reissue the prolific Nigerian firebrand's back catalogue, and now, Red Hot.

Coming up next Friday, October 11th the band will be performing on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon and will be joined on-stage by Brittany Howard of Alabama Shakes and Merrill Garbus of tUne-yArDs in honor of their contribution to Red Hot + Fela.

Having developed a love for music at an early age, Ebony Bones—whose stage name was coined by punk rock icon Rat Scabies, drummer of The Damned— began her musical education in her father's music stall in Brixton Market with artists like Brian Eno and Quincy Jones and as time went on her influences grew to include everyone from Siouxie Soux and The Slits to Fela Kuti and Public Enemy.

Having developed a love for music at an early age, Ebony Bones—whose stage name was coined by punk rock icon Rat Scabies, drummer of The Damned— began her musical education in her father's music stall in Brixton Market with artists like Brian Eno and Quincy Jones and as time went on her influences grew to include everyone from Siouxie Soux and The Slits to Fela Kuti and Public Enemy.

Fela Kuti lives on. Since his death in 1997, he's been transformed from musician's musician with a cult-like following to a worldwide musical icon. The last four years have seen the Broadway hit FELA! win Tony Awards and tour the world, Knitting Factory Records reissue the prolific Nigerian firebrand's back catalogue, and now, Red Hot.

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.

Broadway veteran and Destiny's Child member Michelle Williams, who just released her new single 'If We Had Your Eyes', recently chatted with Michigan Avenue about her new album, and she touched on her experience on the Broadway stage. When asked about her time spent on Broadway in AIDA, Williams responded: 'I consider myself a little girl up there on that stage thrown to the wolves. I pretty much was. My very first Broadway role was a lead character. That's absolutely insane. Even with Destiny's Child, I didn't have a lot of experience, but growing up [and participating in] the Creative and Performing Arts program [in Rockford's schools] gives you the confidence to just go for it. I'm very proud that I can look at my resume and see all I've done, and I can't wait to do more. I hope to originate a role on Broadway one day. I'm very excited about my growth.'

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.

Musical Theater is a strange animal. It's trying to tell an engaging and evocative story through music. And when you frame that storytelling in the guise of a concert it gets even more difficult as the lyrics of the songs really need to drive that story but it can work ('Passing Strange', 'Hedwig' and 'Altar Boyz' to name a few). Unfortunately 'Fela', currently playing at the Paramount Theatre, does not work in that respect. It's more concert with a little story peppered in and while the cast is certainly talented and the energy is there, much of it felt self indulgent and just too long.

R&B superstar Michelle Williams of Destiny's Child fame is one of the stars of 'Fela!' The musical, filled with the exuberant music of Afrobeat legend Fela Anikulapo-Kuti, which opened on April 26 in Los Angeles and runs through May 5, 2013. Below, BroadwayWorld has photos of the cast and creative team celebrating opening night!

R&B superstar Michelle Williams of Destiny's Child fame has joined the cast of 'Fela!' The musical, produced by Shawn 'Jay-Z' Carter, Will and Jada Pinkett Smith, and Stephen and Ruth Hendel, is filled with the exuberant music of Afrobeat legend Fela Anikulapo-Kuti, and will be presented from tonight, April 26 through May 5, 2013.

Producers Shawn 'Jay-Z' Carter, Will & Jada Pinkett Smith and Ruth & Stephen Hendel previously announced that Grammy Award-winning recording artist and former member of Destiny's Child Michelle Williams would star in the national tour of the award-winning Broadway musical Fela!, coming to Miami's Ziff Ballet Opera House at the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts from tonight, March 19 - 24.