Fela!, recipient of three 2010 Tony® Awards including Best Choreography, will celebrate its 250th performance on Wednesday, June 30 @ 8pm. Produced by Shawn "Jay-Z" Carter and Will & Jada Pinkett Smith, this critically acclaimed show based on the life and music of groundbreaking African composer, performer and activist Fela Kuti, began performances at the Eugene O'Neill Theatre (230 West 49th Street) on October 19 and opened to rave reviews on November 23. Tickets for Fela! on Broadway are available through www.Telecharge.com, by calling (212) 239-6200 or at The Eugene O'Neill Box Office.
Fela!, the true story of the legendary Nigerian musician
Fela Kuti whose soulful Afrobeat rhythms ignited a generation, is a triumphant tale of courage, passion and love, featuring Kuti's captivating music and the visionary direction and choreography of Tony® Award-winner
Bill T. Jones. Inspired by his mother, a civil rights champion, Kuti defied a corrupt and oppressive military government and devoted his life and music to the struggle for freedom and human dignity.
Upon its November 23 opening,
Ben Brantley of The New York Times wrote, "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 AP exclaimed, "An exuberant celebration!"
Fela! is produced by Shawn "Jay-Z" Carter, Will &
Jada Pinkett Smith, Ruth &
Stephen Hendel,
Roy Gabay,
Sony Pictures Entertainment,
Edward Tyler Nahem,
Slava Smolokowski,
Chip Meyrelles/
Ken Greiner,
Douglas G. Smith, Steve Semlitz/Cathy Glazer,
Daryl Roth/
True Love Productions,
Susan Dietz/
Mort Swinsky and
Knitting Factory Entertainment. In association with
Ahmir "Questlove" Thompson.
FELA! Performance Schedule
Tuesday at 7pm, Wednesday at 2pm & 8pm, Thursday - Friday at 8pm, Saturday at 2pm & 8pm, Sunday at 3pm (NOTE: Performance on Sunday, July 4 is at 2pm). Tickets range from $27 - $127 (prices include a $2 Jujamcyn Theatre facility fee) and can be purchased online at www.Telecharge.com, by phone (212) 239-6200 or in-person at The
Eugene O'Neill Box Office, located at 230 West 49th Street. For more info visit
www.felaonbroadway.com.
