FELA! MAKES HISTORIC ARRIVAL IN LAGOS, NIGERIA APRIL 20-25, 2011

 The hit Broadway musical about the life and music of Nigerian
performer and political activist Fela Anikulapo-Kuti is scheduled to
be performed in his home town of Lagos, Nigeria making it the first
Broadway show to be performed in Sub-Saharan Africa.

FELA!, the landmark Broadway musical, which won three Tony Awards
(Broadway’s highest honor) including Best Choreography (Bill T.
Jones), is coming to Lagos from April 20th to 25th. It will be
performed at the prestigious Eko Hotel’s New Expo Centre, Victoria
Island, Lagos, Nigeria. This critically lauded musical will star its
original Broadway cast with Sahr Ngaujah reprising his Tony-nominated
role of Fela Kuti with music provided by the internationally renowned
Antibalas as well as other members of the New York City Afro-beat
community.Concurrently with the Broadway production, FELA! opened and triumphed
at London’s Royal National Theater for a three-month sold-out run.
That production was nominated for three Olivier Awards, London
theatre’s highest honor, including Best Musical, Best Actor (Sahr
Ngaujah) and Best Choreography (Bill T. Jones). This Nigerian
engagement will be the first since the closing of the Broadway and
London productions and the NTLive performance which was broadcast to
in 370 cinemas worldwide.

The aim of FELA! in Lagos is to unite and connect Africans in spirit
and unity, to serve as a catalyst for cultural revival in Nigeria, and
to celebrate Fela Kuti, for the contribution he has made to Nigeria
and the world. FELA! depicts the true story of the legendary Nigerian
musician Fela Kuti, whose soulful Afro beat rhythms ignited the spirit
of empowerment and cultural awareness in a generation. It is a tale
of courage, passion and love featuring Kuti’s captivating music and
the visionary direction and choreography of Tony Award winner, Bill T.
Jones. FELA! in Lagos is being produced by a Nigerian production
company, Broken Shackles in conjunction with Lagos State Government.

Upon its Broadway opening Ben Brantley of The New York Times wrote,
"There should be dancing in the streets. The hot (and seriously cool)
energy that comes from the musical gospel preached by the title
character of Fela! feels as if it could stretch easily to the borders
of Manhattan and then across a river or two. There has never been
anything on Broadway like this production." The New York Post’s
Elisabeth Vincentelli cheered, "There’s enough energy to short circuit
Con Ed." David Cote of Time Out New York, in giving it 5 stars (out
of 5) raved, "Fela! is more than a musical; it’s an ecstatic
phenomenon." And Jennifer Farrar from the Associated Press exclaimed,
"An exuberant celebration!"

The English critics were equally effusive after the London premiere of
FELA! One critic, Baz Bamigboye of The Daily Mail, summed up the
critical sentiment with his review saying FELA! is a "groundbreaking
show that shook Broadway and London’s Royal National Theatre to the
rafters. Getting Brits to get on their feet and ‘get loose’ as Bill T.
Jones puts it, was a rare feat. FELA! pulled it off by sheer
exuberance and theatrical showmanship. At the same time, FELA!
explored the soul of an artist and the darkness of a government that
tried to block what Fela’s beam exposed."

In addition to rave reviews from critics, FELA! has also won numerous
awards and received standing ovations from such personalities as Mick
Jagger, Madonna, Bruce Springsteen, Spike Lee, Ben Okri, Janet
Jackson, Denzel Washington, Professor Wole Soyinka, Robert De Niro,
and Hugh Jackman. First lady Michelle Obama, former UN Secretary
General Kofi Annan and President Obama’s Head of Homeland Security
Janet Napolitano are but three of the dignitaries who have embraced
this show.

Bill T. Jones, director and choreographer of FELA!, was recently
honored with the prestigious Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts
award along with Sir Paul McCartney and Oprah Winfrey. The Kennedy
Center Honors are awarded annually for exemplary lifetime achievement
in the performing arts. FELA! also won two Astaire Awards for its cast
and choreography.

FELA! on Broadway was conceived by Bill T. Jones, Jim Lewis and
Stephen Hendel. Its producers include the entertainment legends Shawn
"Jay-Z" Carter and Will & Jada Pinkett Smith.

A spokeswoman for Broken Shackles suggests that "with a series of
media partners and sponsorships, FELA! in Lagos will be the most
talked about show in Nigeria for years to come. We have created
sponsorship, branding and advertising opportunities for those who wish
to be a part of this historic theatrical event."

IN REMEMBRANCE OF FELA ANIKULAPO KUTI:THE MOST INCREDIBLE MUSICIAN OF OUR TIME!

Story by Niyi Tabiti
Photo courtesy:Fela photo Library


Dead or alive, Fela Anikulapo Kuti remains the most enigmatic music phenomenon ever to come out of Nigeria. That is why his post humous birthday celebration has continued to attract thousands of people from all walks of life. This year’s edition is no exception as thousands of ardent music lovers who believe so much in ‘Fela-sophy’, music researchers and fans troop en masse to the new Afrikka Shrine (owned by his son, Femi Kuti) to pay ‘Baba 70’ homage even in death.Starting started on Tuesday 14 and ended on Sunday 19 October 2008.
Of course, it brought alive, the memories of the late ‘Abami Eda’ (The strange man) who lived and sang against corrupt practices in government. He was harassed by security agents, arrested and jailed at different times.So incredible was Fela that he would be remembered as the first Nigerian artiste who composed songs and openely berated military governments in power.Unknown Soldier, one of his popular songs was done after soldiers caused damages that led to his mother’s death durning the military regime of General Olusegun Obasanjo in the 70s.
Beyond Fela’s human rights activism, He was also known to have engaged in open display of ‘Indian hemp’ smoking.Perhaps, the reason why the Afrikka Shrine also went up in flames (lol) as young and old, rich and poor came to smoke that ‘thing’ that make them ‘high!’
He believed so much in African culture and tradition- the reason he changed his name his surname from Ransome-Kuti to 'Anikulapo' Kuti ( the one who has death in his pocket).He prroclaim the african worship of ifa divination and other gods as his own way of life.Known to have married 27 wives the same day before he divorced them in 1986, Fela died in 1997 due to what the family described as illness resulting from infection of the HIV/AIDS.
Today, Yeni, Femi and Seun the children he left behind seems to have taken his foot steps.Apparently, they are aware of the fact that they could only try but not wear the big shoe left behind by their father and mentor.
Dapo Oyebanjo, the Nigerian born musician popularly known as D'banj is one of the few entertainers in the world whose deft moves on stage anchor a similarity with that of Abami Eda but with a fusion of contemporary styles.