FELA! Launches National and International Tour in Fall 2011

With 11 Tony ® Award nominations including Best Musical and Best Director of a Musical & Best Choreography for Bill T. Jones, the producers of Fela! have announced plans for a groundbreaking domestic and international tour of the critically acclaimed production launching in the fall of 2011. Lead producer Stephen Hendel has enlisted CAMI Spectrum's Margaret Selby in association with CAMI Theatricals' Gary McAvay to book the tour in the following US cities: Chicago, Dallas, Houston, Los Angeles, Minneapolis, Miami, Philadelphia, San Francisco, Tempe, and Washington. International engagements in Amsterdam, Melbourne, Paris, Rotterdam, Sydney and Toronto will also be scheduled.

This US and world tour of Fela! is in addition to the previously announced special engagement at London's National Theatre in November of 2010 (beginning performances on November 6 and opening November 16), marking the first time The National has ever presented a currently running Broadway show on its prestigious Olivier stage. "Fela! is one of the most exhilarating experiences I have ever had in the theater, and it will be a thrilling experience to bring it to the National" said Nicholas Hytner, Artistic Director for The National Theatre.

"We created Fela! to play to people of all ages and backgrounds everywhere. It is a show ultimately about the human spirit and what we are capable of standing for and achieving. Our intent has always been to have this immensely entertaining show seen all over the United States and the world." said Stephen Hendel.

Producers Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith said today, "We are honored to be presenting this wonderful production and are thrilled that audiences throughout the United States and the world will have the opportunity to enjoy it."

The Original Broadway Cast Album of Fela! will be released on June 8th.

FELA! began performances at Broadway's EuGene O'Neill Theatre (230 West 49th Street) on October 19 and open to rave reviews on November 23. It 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.

Discover the wonder and joy of this season's most acclaimed new musical at www.felaonbroadway.