Fela! Will Play Limited Summer Return Engagement on Broadway

By Andrew Gans
and Adam Hetrick
11 Jun 2012

Sahr Ngaujah
Sahr Ngaujah
Photo by Tristram Kenton

Fela!, the Tony-winning Broadway musical about Nigerian musician and political figure Fela Anikulapo-Kuti, starring Tony Award nominee Sahr Ngaujah, will return to Broadway next month.

Performances are scheduled for July 9-Aug. 4 at the Al Hirschfeld Theatre, as part of the production's current world tour. The Hirschfeld was recently home to the revival of How to Succeed in Business without Really Trying.

Tony Award winner Bill T. Jones (Spring Awakening) directed and choreographed Fela!, which features a book by Jones and Jim Lewis and utilizes Anikulapo-Kuti's own music. Lewis, a Tony nominee for Chronicle of a Death Foretold, also penned additional lyrics. The musical was conceived by Jones, Lewis and Stephen Hendel.

Fela! ran on Broadway at the Eugene O'Neill Theatre Nov. 23, 2009-Jan. 2, 2011, and has been seen in London and Nigeria, among other places.

Ngaujah, who earned a Tony Award nomination for creating the titular role on Broadway, will repeat his work for the upcoming Broadway run, playing most performances. He will be joined Melanie Marshall and Paulette Ivory, who appeared in the Olivier-nominated National Theatre of Great Britain production. (At certain performances, the title role will be played by Adesola Osakalumi and Duain Martyn.)

Fela! earned Tony nominations for Best Musical, Best Book of a Musical (Jim Lewis and Bill T. Jones), Best Actor (Ngaujah), Best Featured Actress (Lillias White), Best Choreography (Jones), Best Direction (Jones), Best Orchestrations (Aaron Johnson), Best Scenic Design (Marina Draghici), Best Costume Design (Marina Draghici), Best Lighting Design (Robert Wierzel) and Best Sound Design (Robert Kaplowitz). It took home the honors for Best Choreography, Best Costume Design and Best Sound Design.

In Fela!, according to producers, "audiences are welcomed 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."

The design team includes scenic and costume designer Marina Draghici, lighting designer Rob Wierzel, sound designer Rob Kaplowitz and projection designer Peter Nigrini. Aaron Johnson and Jordan McLean provide musical arrangements.

Fela! is produced by Shawn ‘JAY Z’ Carter, Will & Jada Pinkett Smith, Ruth & Stephen Hendel, the National Theatre of Great Britain, Sony Pictures Entertainment, Roy Gabay, Edward Tyler Nahem, Ahmir ‘Questlove’ Thompson, SlavaSmolokowski, Chip Meyrelles/Ken Greiner, Douglas G. Smith, Steve Semlitz/Cathy Glazer, Daryl Roth/True Love Productions, Susan Dietz/Mort Swinsky and Knitting Factory Entertainment.

Tickets for performances July 9-12 are $47-$92. For performances July 13-Aug. 4, tickets are $47-$132. All prices include a $2 Jujamcyn Theatre facility fee. Tickets can be purchased online at www.Telecharge.com, by phone (212) 239-6200 or in-person at the Al Hirschfeld Theatre, 302 West 45th Street at 8th Avenue (beginning June 18).

Visit FelaBroadway.com/World-Tour.