Steve On Broadway (SOB)

Closing Notice For The Most Scrappy Fela!

Closing Notice For The Most Scrappy Fela!

Yesterday, in one fell swoop, the Broadway musical Fela! not only announced it would close on January 2, 2011, but that on September 14, singing legend Patti LaBelle would assume the role of Funmilayo (Fela Kuti's mother), currently played by outgoing Tony nominee Lillias White.

Evidently, the scrappy, revolutionary tuner isn't going down without a fight. The show will have played 463 regular performances by the time it closes.

What is remarkable is that for a show all about "originality," it appears to be employing one of the stage's most tried and true devices of keeping a Broadway production chugging along: stunt casting. Now before you jump all over me, keep in mind that I have long championed Fela! It was undeniably last season's most innovative, new musical, and in my opinion, the best musical of the past year.

To her credit, apart from three separate concert series through the eighties and nineties, Patti LaBelle has performed in one Broadway musical. She appeared nearly 28 years ago in the short-lived Your Arms Too Short To Box With God revival with another soul legend Al Green. In addition to appearing in several films and television shows, she's also portrayed Mama Morton in Chicago out in Los Angeles.

Also to LaBelle's enormous credit, she has graciously said this about Fela!:

After seeing the show, I was struck by the choreography and work of Bill T. Jones, and the passion and joy that overflows from the stage. Fela's mother, Funmilayo, was a strong, truly inspiring woman, and I am so privileged to be able to pay tribute to her on the Broadway stage.

Indeed, she will be. But will LaBelle's new attitude be enough to keep ticket sales humming through the pipeline during the fall when so many other new shows are opening?

Let me say this, if you haven't already seen Fela!, do yourself a favor and go. You'll see why I've been saying "Yeah, yeah" since it opened last November 19.

This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).


In keeping with the new Federal Trade Commission (FTC) regulations that unfairly discriminate against bloggers, who are now required by law to disclose when they have received anything of value they might write about, please note that I have received nothing of value in exchange for this post.

Labels: Broadway, Closing Notices, Fela, Lillias White, Musical, Patti LaBelle, Replacements, Stunt Casting

posted by Steve On Broadway (SOB) @ Friday, August 13, 2010 1 comments

2010 Tony Awards' Big Winner: Seeing Red!

2010 Tony Awards' Big Winner: Seeing Red!

Earlier this evening, the American Theatre Wing’s 64th annual Tony Awards ceremonies honored Broadway's best of the 2009-10 Theatrical Season.

While musicals Memphis and La Cage Aux Folles fared well by earning Best Musical and Best Revival of a Musical, respectively, it was this year's Best Play winner Red that actually earned the most Tonys this year: six Tony Awards. Memphis earned four awards, while La Cage, Fences (this year's Best Revival of a Play) and Fela! each earned three.

Here is the full list of winners, along with my notations for whom I thought would win and those I thought most deserving of wins:

Best Play
In The Next Room (Or The Vibrator Play) - Author: Sarah Ruhl
Next Fall - Author: Geoffrey Nauffts
Red - Author: John Logan Will Win/Should Win
Time Stands Still - Author: Donald Margulies

Best Musical
American Idiot
Fela! Should Win
Memphis Will Win
Million Dollar Quartet

Best Book of a Musical
Everyday Rapture - Dick Scanlan and Sherie Rene Scott Should Win
Fela! - Jim Lewis & Bill T. Jones
Memphis - Joe DiPietro Will Win
Million Dollar Quartet - Colin Escott and Floyd Mutrux

Best Original Score (Music and/or Lyrics) Written for the Theatre
The Addams Family - Music & Lyrics: Andrew Lippa
Enron - Music: Adam Cork Lyrics: Lucy Prebble
Fences - Music: Branford Marsalis
Memphis - Music: David Bryan, Lyrics: Joe DiPietro, David Bryan Should Win/Will Win

Best Revival of a Play
Fences Should Win/Will Win
Lend Me A Tenor
The Royal Family
A View From The Bridge

Best Revival of a Musical
Finian's Rainbow
La Cage Aux Folles Should Win/Will Win
A Little Night Music
Ragtime

Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Play
Jude Law - Hamlet
Alfred Molina - Red Should Win
Liev Schreiber - A View From The Bridge
Christopher Walken - A Behanding In Spokane
Denzel Washington - Fences Will Win

Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Play
Viola Davis - Fences Should Win/Will Win
Valerie Harper - Looped
Linda Lavin - Collected Stories
Laura Linney - Time Stands Still
Jan Maxwell - The Royal Family

Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Musical
Kelsey Grammer - La Cage Aux Folles
Sean Hayes - Promises, Promises
Douglas Hodge - La Cage Aux Folles Will Win
Chad Kimball - Memphis
Sahr Ngaujah - Fela! Should Win

Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Musical
Kate Baldwin - Finian's Rainbow
Sherie Rene Scott - Everyday Rapture
Montego Glover - Memphis Should Win
Christiane Noll - Ragtime
Catherine Zeta-Jones - A Little Night Music Will Win

Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a Play
David Alan Grier - Race
Stephen McKinley Henderson - Fences
Jon Michael Hill - Superior Donuts Should Win/Will Win
Stephen Kunken - Enron
Eddie Redmayne - Red

Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Play
Maria Dizzia - In the Next Room (Or The Vibrator Play)
Rosemary Harris - The Royal Family
Jessica Hecht - A View From The Bridge
Scarlett Johansson - A View From The Bridge
Jan Maxwell - Lend Me A Tenor Should Win/Will Win

Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a Musical
Kevin Chamberlin - The Addams Family Should Win
Robin De Jesús - La Cage Aux Folles
Christopher Fitzgerald - Finian's Rainbow
Levi Kreis - Million Dollar Quartet
Bobby Steggert - Ragtime Will Win

Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Musical
Barbara Cook - Sondheim On Sondheim
Katie Finneran - Promises, Promises Should Win/Will Win
Angela Lansbury - A Little Night Music
Karine Plantadit - Come Fly Away
Lillias White - Fela!

Best Direction of a Play
Michael Grandage - Red Should Win/Will Win
Sheryl Kaller - Next Fall
Kenny Leon - Fences
Gregory Mosher - A View from the Bridge

Best Direction of a Musical
Christopher Ashley - Memphis
Marcia Milgrom Dodge - Ragtime
Terry Johnson - La Cage Aux Folles Will Win
Bill T. Jones - Fela! Should Win

Best Choreography
Rob Ashford - Promises, Promises
Bill T. Jones - Fela! Should Win
Lynne Page - La Cage Aux Folles
Twyla Tharp - Come Fly Away Will Win

Best Orchestrations
Jason Carr - La Cage Aux Folles Will Win
Aaron Johnson - Fela! Should Win
Jonathan Tunick - Promises, Promises
Daryl Waters & David Bryan - Memphis

Best Scenic Design of a Play
John Lee Beatty - The Royal Family Should Win
Alexander Dodge - Present Laughter
Santo Loquasto - Fences
Christopher Oram - Red Will Win

Best Scenic Design of a Musical
Marina Draghici - Fela!
Christine Jones - American Idiot Should Win/Will Win
Derek McLane - Ragtime
Tim Shortall - La Cage aux Folles

Best Costume Design of a Play
Martin Pakledinaz - Lend Me a Tenor
Constanza Romero - Fences
David Zinn - In The Next Room (Or The Vibrator Play)
Catherine Zuber - The Royal Family Should Win/Will Win

Best Costume Design of a Musical
Marina Draghici - Fela! Should Win
Paul Tazewell - Memphis
Matthew Wright - La Cage Aux Folles Will Win

Best Lighting Design of a Play
Neil Austin - Hamlet
Neil Austin - Red Will Win
Mark Henderson - Enron Should Win
Brian MacDevitt - Fences

Best Lighting Design of a Musical
Kevin Adams - American Idiot Should Win
Donald Holder - Ragtime
Nick Richings - La Cage Aux Folles Will Win
Robert Wierzel - Fela!

Best Sound Design of a Play
Acme Sound Partners - Fences
Adam Cork - Enron Should Win/Will Win
Adam Cork - Red
Scott Lehrer - A View from the Bridge

Best Sound Design of a Musical
Jonathan Deans - La Cage Aux Folles Will Win
Robert Kaplowitz - Fela! Should Win
Dan Moses Schreier and Gareth Owen - A Little Night Music
Dan Moses Schreier - Sondheim On Sondheim

I'll provide more analysis tomorrow, but until then, please let me know what you thought about this year's Tonys. Did the voters get it right?

This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).

In keeping with the new Federal Trade Commission (FTC) regulations that unfairly discriminate against bloggers, who are now required by law to disclose when they have received anything of value they might write about, please note that I have received nothing of value in exchange for this post.

Labels: Broadway, Fela, La Cage Aux Folles, Memphis, Red, Tony Awards, Tony Predictions

posted by Steve On Broadway (SOB) @ Sunday, June 13, 2010 0 comments

Tony Time 2010

Tony Time 2010

This evening marks the American Theatre Wing's 64th Annual Tony Awards hosted by one of Broadway's newest stars, Sean Hayes.

The Tonys remain the highest honors bestowed annually upon Broadway's new and revived plays and musicals. Named for theatre legend Antoinette Perry, the first Tony Awards were held in 1947 at the Waldorf Astoria's Grand Ballroom with 11 awards presented in only 7 categories, along with 8 special awards.

This year, the Tony Award winners will be honored at Radio City Music Hall, where awards will be announced in a 26 categories -- one less than last year (the Special Theatrical Event category has been eliminated).

Fela! and La Cage Aux Folles lead the pack with 11 nominations each, followed by Fences with 10, Memphis with 8 and Red with 7 nods.

I have posted my Tony Awards predictions here for whom I believe will win, as well as weighing in on whom I think deserves to win.

Additionally, Special Tony Awards for Lifetime Achievement in the Theatre will honor the brilliance of both playwright Alan Ayckbourn and actress Marian Seldes. This year's Regional Theatre Tony Award will be bestowed upn the Eugene O'Neill Theater Center (Waterford, CT). David Hyde Pierce is flying back from London to receive the second annual Isabelle Stevenson Award for his work in the fight against Alzheimer's Disease. Last, but not least, four Tony Honors for Excellence in Theatre will be awarded, including to: the Alliance of Resident Theatres (New York), esteemed theatrical fight director B.H. Barry, the Midtown North and South New York City Police Precincts, and Tom Viola (Executive Director of Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS).

Just like last year, I'll be viewing tonight's ceremonies from the comfort of my own living room. Look for my full wrap-up later. And just like last year, I invite you to check out my live tweets throughout the course of the Tony Awards along the right hand side of SOB or by clicking here.

In the meantime, whether you're in Radio City Music Hall, in Times Square or watching on CBS beginning at 8 p.m. EDT tonight, here's hoping you enjoy this year's event.

Here's to all the nominees!

This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).

Labels: American Theatre Wing, Broadway, Fela, Fences, La Cage Aux Folles, Memphis, Red, Tony Awards, Tony Nominations, Tony Predictions

posted by Steve On Broadway (SOB) @ Sunday, June 13, 2010 0 comments

SOB's Best Of 2009-10: Best New Musicals

SOB's Best Of 2009-10: Best New Musicals

During the 2009-10 Theatrical Season, I've had the opportunity to see over 80 performances of a wide range of new and revived musicals and plays, as well as other theatrical events.

For the third year in a row, I've been the least enthusiastic about the quality among new musicals. But as disheartening as the last two seasons prior to this one were, the season just ending was particularly dismal, as even The New York Times' Charles Isherwood has so eloquently asserted.

That's not to say that there weren't new musicals I've enjoyed over the past year, but the offerings I've seen had me really reaching for a full complement of my five favorites.

While it was tempting to completely shelve by usual "5 Best New Musicals" list altogether, I've opted instead to do away with my "5 Worst" list of shows because it would just be a tad too depressing.

So, without further ado, here is my list of the "5 Best New Musicals" over the 12 months ending April 30, 2010:

5 - Everyday Rapture (American Airlines Theatre, Roundabout Theatre Company, New York, City, New York)

Dismiss Sherie Rene Scott’s Everyday Rapture as nothing more than Broadway navel-gazing at your own peril. It’s Scott’s very soul that’s laid completely bare in this most improbable of Great White Way shows.

Wearing her enormous heart on her sleeve, Scott manages to win ours as she shares her semi-semi-autobiographic journey in a very winning, surpising and often poignant way. Scott enraptures you throughout with talent that’s anything but everyday.


4 - Memphis (Shubert Theatre, New York City, New York)

With a whole heck of a lot of hockadoo, the rhythmically-infused Memphis is a dazzling destination worth the trip. As one of the year's only original musicals, Memphis is, if not entirely fresh, a solid crowd pleaser that will have you cheering.

Two principal reasons are Chad Kimball and Montego Glover. With a folksy swagger, Kimball's Huey is a great ball of fire who can't be extinguished. Then there's Glover's Felicia in which we witness an amazing ascent both for a captivating character and an immensely impassioned new Broadway star. Glover took my breath away. The boundless soul within Memphis has the power to rock your heart.


4 - Caroline, Or Change (Wurtele Thrust Stage, Guthrie, Minneapolis, Minnesota)

Finally! Change I could believe in. While Tony Kushner and Jeanine Tesori's Caroline, Or Change may not truly fit the definition of "new," I'm including it here since I had never seen it until it played Minneapolis last summer. This intensely profound, mystical musical as directed and choreographed by Marcela Lorca transfixed and even tranported me.

Greta Oglesby's brave turn as Caroline alone was worth the price of admission. She wrung every last drop of pathos out of her performance, making her Caroline infinitely sympathetic. As Oglesby transformed during this musical, she broke my heart.


2 - Chita Rivera (Birdland, New York City, New York)

If the 77-years young Dolores Conchita Figueroa del Rivero, better known as Chita Rivera, hadn't been born the Broadway Baby she is, the Great White Way would have had to invent her. The fact that she's the genuine article who's still going strong after all these years not only becomes her tenacity, but it's a testament to her courage and talent.

What really becomes Chita Rivera is that she continues to mesmerize adoring audiences as she had proven yet again during her all-too-brief cabaret stint late last year at Birdland. Sure, we've heard many of the enchanting anecdotes before. But when the enduring and endearing Ms. Rivera can still run circles around gifted performers half her age, she effortlessly retains the mantle as the singular consummate entertainer of our time. If you've never seen Chita Rivera perform live, you simply haven't lived.


1 - Fela! (Eugene O'Neill Theatre, New York City, New York)

Bill T. Jones' sublime Fela! dares to dream its own stylized mantle of "most original new musical on Broadway." Infused with the rascally Fela Kuti's radicalism and rhythms, this revolutionary tuner is almost all originality, with little artificiality.

In what has to be the most transcendent musical to descend upon a Broadway stage in years, Fela! envelopes the senses in this most unusual of jukebox musicals that simply defies description and exceeds all expecations.

Jones has conceived a living, breathing, pulsating and truly magical musical monument to a man most in America may never have heard of. In telling Kuti's story and showcasing his infectious music, it's a tribute to Jones that he makes us feel Fela! so deeply.

Fela! is one of the most compelling and affecting musicals you're likely to see this or any other year. As an equally entertaining piece of musical theatre, I can't fail to strongly recommend this captivating and worthy show. Long live Fela!


So what were the best new musicals you saw over the past year? I invite you to join the conversation by sharing your theatre experiences with me.

This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).

In keeping with the new Federal Trade Commission (FTC) regulations that unfairly discriminate against bloggers, who are now required by law to disclose when they have received anything of value they might write about, please note that I have received nothing of value in exchange for this post.

Labels: Caroline Or Change, Chita Rivera, Everyday Rapture, Fela, Memphis, Musical, SOB's Best of 2009-10

posted by Steve On Broadway (SOB) @ Friday, June 11, 2010 0 comments

2010 Tony Award Nominations Announced

2010 Tony Award Nomina-tions Announced

At 8:30 a.m. EDT this morning, Jeff Daniels (God Of Carnage) and Lea Michele (Spring Awakening) announced the nominees for the 2010 Tony Awards.

The top nominees are musicals Fela! (a new musical) and La Cage Aux Folles (a revival), each earning 11 nominations. The revival of Fences scored the most nominations among plays with ten nods. With 7 nominations, Red is the highest ranking new play of the season.

While I fully expected the Tony nominators to try and prove that they exude cool by selecting American Idiot among the Best Musical nominations, they also demonstrated an incredible degree of stodginess by placing Million Dollar Quartet in the same category. Fela! is the show to beat in this category.

It was great seeing some love shown for two musical revivals that closed prematurely: Ragtime (7 nominations) and Finian's Rainbow (3). Nevertheless, the critically-acclaimed La Cage Aux Folles is the odds-on favorite to win Best Revival of a Musical.

As for new plays, Red and Time Stands Still were expected to be nominated, but the eleventh hour Pulitzer Prize nomination (and ultimate snub) for In The Next Room (Or The Vibrator Play) assured its place among Best Play nominees. Expect to see Red win. Fences will likely win Best Revival of a Play.

Notable shows with few nominations, include The Addams Family (2), A Behanding In Spokane (1), Race (1) and Superior Donuts (1). Despite the year's most spectacular star turns, Daniel Craig and Hugh Jackman, as well as A Steady Rain, were shut out of this year's nominations.

Among acting nominations, Jan Maxwell has earned two well-deserved nominations both for her leading performance in The Royal Family and for her featured role in Lend Me A Tenor. It's interesting to note that in that latter category, she'll be competing against her Royal Family co-star Rosemary Harris, who herself was nominated for Best Actress in the same lead role as Maxwell back in the 1975-76 production.

Here is the full list of nominees. Those with an asterisk (*) were on my list if I had been nominating. Those with two asterisks (**) were among those I accurately predicted the Tony nominators would actually choose (that truncated list only went as far as lead acting nominations).

Best Play
In The Next Room (Or The Vibrator Play)** - Author: Sarah Ruhl
Next Fall - Author: Geoffrey Nauffts
Red* ** - Author: John Logan
Time Stands Still* ** - Author: Donald Margulies

Best Musical
American Idiot**
Fela!* **
Memphis* **
Million Dollar Quartet

Best Book of a Musical
Everyday Rapture* - Dick Scanlan and Sherie Rene Scott
Fela!* - Jim Lewis & Bill T. Jones
Memphis*- Joe DiPietro
Million Dollar Quartet - Colin Escott and Floyd Mutrux

Best Original Score (Music and/or Lyrics) Written for the Theatre
The Addams Family* - Music & Lyrics: Andrew Lippa
Enron* - Music: Adam Cork Lyrics: Lucy Prebble
Fences* - Music: Branford Marsalis
Memphis* - Music: David Bryan, Lyrics: Joe DiPietro, David Bryan

Best Revival of a Play
Fences* **
Lend Me A Tenor* **
The Royal Family* **
A View From The Bridge**

Best Revival of a Musical
Finian's Rainbow* **
La Cage Aux Folles* **
A Little Night Music* **
Ragtime* **

Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Play
Jude Law - Hamlet**
Alfred Molina - Red* **
Liev Schreiber - A View From The Bridge
Christopher Walken - A Behanding In Spokane**
Denzel Washington - Fences* **

Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Play
Viola Davis - Fences* **
Valerie Harper - Looped* **
Linda Lavin - Collected Stories* **
Laura Linney - Time Stands Still* **
Jan Maxwell - The Royal Family* **

Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Musical
Kelsey Grammer - La Cage Aux Folles
Sean Hayes - Promises, Promises
Douglas Hodge - La Cage Aux Folles* **
Chad Kimball - Memphis*
Sahr Ngaujah - Fela!* **

Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Musical
Kate Baldwin - Finian's Rainbow* **
Sherie Rene Scott - Everyday Rapture* **
Montego Glover - Memphis* **
Christiane Noll - Ragtime* **
Catherine Zeta-Jones - A Little Night Music* **

Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a Play
David Alan Grier - Race
Stephen McKinley Henderson - Fences
Jon Michael Hill - Superior Donuts*
Stephen Kunken - Enron*
Eddie Redmayne - Red*

Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Play
Maria Dizzia - In the Next Room (Or The Vibrator Play)*
Rosemary Harris - The Royal Family*
Jessica Hecht - A View From The Bridge
Scarlett Johansson - A View From The Bridge*
Jan Maxwell - Lend Me A Tenor*

Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a Musical
Kevin Chamberlin - The Addams Family*
Robin De Jesús - La Cage Aux Folles*
Christopher Fitzgerald - Finian's Rainbow*
Levi Kreis - Million Dollar Quartet*
Bobby Steggert - Ragtime

Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Musical
Barbara Cook - Sondheim On Sondheim
Katie Finneran - Promises, Promises*
Angela Lansbury - A Little Night Music*
Karine Plantadit - Come Fly Away
Lillias White - Fela!*

Best Direction of a Play
Michael Grandage - Red*
Sheryl Kaller - Next Fall
Kenny Leon - Fences*
Gregory Mosher - A View from the Bridge

Best Direction of a Musical
Christopher Ashley - Memphis*
Marcia Milgrom Dodge - Ragtime
Terry Johnson - La Cage Aux Folles*
Bill T. Jones - Fela!*

Best Choreography
Rob Ashford - Promises, Promises
Bill T. Jones - Fela!*
Lynne Page - La Cage Aux Folles
Twyla Tharp - Come Fly Away

Best Orchestrations
Jason Carr - La Cage Aux Folles*
Aaron Johnson - Fela!*
Jonathan Tunick - Promises, Promises
Daryl Waters & David Bryan - Memphis

Best Scenic Design of a Play
John Lee Beatty - The Royal Family*
Alexander Dodge - Present Laughter*
Santo Loquasto - Fences
Christopher Oram - Red

Best Scenic Design of a Musical
Marina Draghici - Fela!
Christine Jones - American Idiot*
Derek McLane - Ragtime
Tim Shortall - La Cage aux Folles*

Best Costume Design of a Play
Martin Pakledinaz - Lend Me a Tenor*
Constanza Romero - Fences
David Zinn - In The Next Room (Or The Vibrator Play)*
Catherine Zuber - The Royal Family*

Best Costume Design of a Musical
Marina Draghici - Fela!*
Santo Loquasto - Ragtime*
Paul Tazewell - Memphis
Matthew Wright - La Cage Aux Folles*

Best Lighting Design of a Play
Neil Austin - Hamlet*
Neil Austin - Red
Mark Henderson - Enron*
Brian MacDevitt - Fences

Best Lighting Design of a Musical
Kevin Adams - American Idiot*
Donald Holder - Ragtime
Nick Richings - La Cage Aux Folles
Robert Wierzel - Fela!

Best Sound Design of a Play
Acme Sound Partners - Fences
Adam Cork - Enron*
Adam Cork - Red
Scott Lehrer - A View from the Bridge

Best Sound Design of a Musical
Jonathan Deans - La Cage Aux Folles
Robert Kaplowitz - Fela!*
Dan Moses Schreier and Gareth Owen - A Little Night Music
Dan Moses Schreier - Sondheim On Sondheim

This year's Tony Awards will be televised on CBS during a three-hour live broadcast on Sunday, June 13.

This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).

In keeping with the new Federal Trade Commission (FTC) regulations that unfairly discriminate against bloggers, who are now required by law to disclose when they have received anything of value they might write about, please note that I have received nothing of value in exchange for this post.

Labels: Broadway, Fela, Fences, La Cage Aux Folles, Red, Tony Awards, Tony Nominations, Tony Predictions

posted by Steve On Broadway (SOB) @ Tuesday, May 04, 2010 3 comments

Fela! (The SOB Review) - Eugene O'Neill Theatre, New York, NY

Fela! (The SOB Review) - Eugene O'Neill Theatre, New York, New York

***1/2 (out of ****)

Almost as audaciously as the late Nigerian Afrobeat pioneer and political activist Fela Anikulapo-Kuti declared his commune as the Kalakuta Republic, Bill T. Jones' Fela! dares to dream its own stylized mantle of "most original new musical on Broadway."

The verdict? I'd be hard pressed not to say yeah-yeah!

It's exactly that and so much more, empowering Fela! to stake its rightful claim without being excessively hyperbolic. Infused with the rascally Kuti's radicalism and rhythms, this revolutionary tuner is almost all originality, with little artificiality.

Now that I have your attention, let me explain.

In what has to be the most transcendent musical to descend upon a Broadway stage in years, Fela! envelopes the senses as soon as you walk into the Eugene O'Neill. The theatre has been transformed by Marina Draghici's overflowing scenic design into Kuti's nightclub Shrine. Kuti's own music is already funking up the place so vitally (compliments Aaron Johnson's taut musical direction) that it's hard to resist tapping your toes the moment you arrive.

Surely, this is what director and choreographer Jones intends. For Fela! is clearly a labor of love, and it shows in this most unusual of jukebox musicals that simply defies description and exceeds all expecations.

In co-writing its book with Jim Lewis, Jones has conceived a living, breathing, pulsating and truly magical musical monument to a man most in America may never have heard of. In telling Kuti's story and showcasing his infectious music, it's a tribute to Jones that he makes us feel Fela! so deeply.

While enjoying what seems to be a pre-show jam-session playing Afrobeat music, lithe dancers begin to assemble, both in the audience and on-stage in a jubilantly choreographed celebration that's a joy to behold. In fact, Jones may as well start making room now for the Tony he'll likely receive for a second and infinitely more deserving choreography honor. Before you know it, there's a full-fledged concert party taking place with Kuti himself in control (the role of Fela Kuti alternates performances between Sahr Ngaujah and Kevin Mambo; the mesmerizing Mambo performed the afternoon I attended).

But this isn't a mere concert staging. Kuti reveals that this is his final time performing in the Shrine. As he looks to an image of his beloved murdered mother Funmilayo (a haunting, stirring Lillias White), she returns to life via Peter Nigrini's stunning projection design (one, I might add, that makes the best case yet for a new Tony category). Without missing one single Afrobeat, Fela! morphs into the story of Kuti's life.

During a late-sixties stay in the United States, Kuti finds himself under the influence of the enchanting Sandra (a terrific, if underutilized Saycon Sengbloh), who personifies the fusion of American funk and Black Panther politics that would propel him forward in Nigeria. Once Kuti's returned home, his music emboldens him to challenge the Nigerian government's corrupt regime.

Through his music that at once stirs and incites, Kuti becomes an oft-arrested and tortured hero to Nigeria's poor. As his quixotic run for the presidency suggests, he rebounds from each confrontation with the law seemingly stronger and even more willing to take on all comers including big corporations that fund his government's wicked ways and the West for its complicity.

If Fela! becomes a bit preachy at times, it succeeds in narrowly avoiding a completely hagiographic depiction of Kuti by taking copious note of his affinity for weed and women (he had 27 wives in all). Yet in the show's rousing finale in which the myriad afflications devastating the African continent are symbolically laid to rest, Jones only alludes to the deadly disease that would take Kuti's life in 1997. While the scene is chilling and even uplifting, it represents a missed opportunity to truly triumph with maximum impact.

Nevertheless, Fela! is one of the most compelling and affecting musicals you're likely to see this or any other year. As an equally entertaining piece of musical theatre, I can't fail to strongly recommend this captivating and worthy show. Long live Fela!

This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).

Labels: Bill T. Jones, Broadway, Fela, Kevin Mambo, Lillias White, Musical, Sahr Ngaujah, Saycon Sengbloh, The SOB Review

posted by Steve On Broadway (SOB) @ Tuesday, November 24, 2009 4 comments