
| Run Time: | 2 hours and 35 minutes, including one 15-minute intermission |
| Audience: | Ages 12+ |
| Advisory: | Strong language; adult subject matter. |
| Resources: | Official Fela! Website |
Created by Bill T. Jones and Jim Lewis, Fela! the musical celebrates a legendary Nigerian musician and revolutionary named Fela Anikulapo Kuti. The show had a very successful run on Broadway, opening on November 23, 2009, and running through January 2, 2011. The production received three Tony Awards in 2010, including Best Choreography, Best Costume Design of a Musical and Best Sound Design of a Musical. The show, presented by Shawn "Jay-Z" Carter, Will Smith, and Jada Pinkett-Smith and starring former Destiny's Child member Michelle Williams, is now on tour across the United States; find Fela! tickets for a performance near you.
This musical is based on a true story. Inspired by his mother, Fela Anikulapo Kuti was a civil rights revolutionary, polygamist, and innovative Afrobeat musician. The action takes place in Nigeria during the 1970s, where Kuti had a Lagos nightclub called The Shrine. Not a traditional show, Fela! features African dance, sound, and audience participation. You'll hear songs like "Zombie," "Na Poi," and "Kere Kay."
Politics is an important theme in Fela! During his lifetime, Anikulapo Kuti cared about both politics at home and the American Black Power movement. According to reviews, the plot is not complicated, but audiences don't mind. Nigerian music, politics, and culture are the key elements of this unique production. Travel to West Africa with Fela! tickets!