Fela! The Award Winning Musical

"His Story Inspired a Nation. His Music Inspires the World."

Photos by Titilayo Akanke


         


     Fela is a stunning, colorful, musical tribute and biographical profile of Nigerian artist and political activist, Fela Anikulapo Kuti, known to most simply as Fela. Produced by Shawn "Jay-Z" Carter, Will Smith, and Jada Pinkett Smith, the award winning show is currently touring the country after fifteen months on Broadway. New Yorker, Stephen Hendel, writer, Jim Lewis, and choreographer and director, Bill T. Jones form the creative team who masterminded the production which has received three Tony Awards for Best Choreography, Best Costume Design for a Musical, and Best Sound Design of a Musical.

     Featuring Afrobeat which combines jazz, funk, African rhythms and harmonies, a genre pioneered by Fela, the story is told with pulsating drums, roaring horns, dancers who move with the grace of butterflies, and poignant monologues and vignettes which recount Fela's quest to unveil the political corruption in his country and the tragedy that befell him and his family as a result. In several sketches, Fela consults the spirit of his beloved mother, Funmilayo Anikulapo Kuti, who was also a human rights advocate. He seeks her guidance as he upholdss her legacy of challenging the system and seeking retribution for the oppressed and downtrodden masses.

     Fela's scathing lyrics called for obliteration of the corrupt regime, and demanded justice, freedom and human rights for the people of Nigeria. His message eventually stretched beyond the borders of his country and became part of a global outcry for human rights for the oppressed. As a result of his relentless condemnation of his country's political system, his mother was killed in an attack on his compound, and Fela was arrested 200 times and brutally beaten in many of those instances. He allegedly died of AIDS in 1997, but those close to him believe his death was the result of "one beating too many." His funeral was attended by a million people. In a world where Fela’s political perspective is still particularly relevant, his legacy and music continue to influence and inspire.

The award winning Broadway musical, Fela, was showcased in Baltimore at Morgan State University's Murphy Fine Arts Theatre as part of the national tour. Fela's music is available through Knitting Factory Records. For further details about the production, the artist and the show's touring schedule, visit www.felaonbroadway.com.