The National Theatre's production of FELA! has received an extraordinarily popular and critical reception. Stephen and Ruth Hendel are proud to announce that the first European engagement signed for the international tour is a return to London for a six-week run at the prestigious Sadler's Wells Theatre.
A provocative hybrid of dance, theatre and music, exploring the extravagant, decadent and rebellious world of Afrobeat legend
Fela Anikulapo-Kuti the production will run from July 19th to August 28th 2011. Tickets are on sale from Monday, January, 24th.
Featuring many of
Fela Kuti's most captivating songs and Tony Award-winning choreographer Bill T Jones's visionary staging, FELA! reveals Kuti's controversial life as an artist and political activist and celebrates his pioneering music (a blend of jazz, funk and African rhythm and harmonies).
Alistair Spalding,
Sadler's Wells Artistic Director comments "FELA! has been a huge success both on Broadway and at the
National Theatre and I'm thrilled we are now able to bring it to
Sadler's Wells. I have keenly followed the development of the show from its earliest days and it is wonderful to be working once again with Bill T Jones and in partnership with the National. Fela! is an incredibly entertaining combination of dance, music and theatre making it the perfect summer show for
Sadler's Wells."
Nicholas Hytner, Director of the
National Theatre says "Having FELA! at the
National Theatre has been thrilling and unforgettable. Bill T Jones, his creative team and brilliant company created an exhilarating experience in the Olivier Theatre, and audiences came in their droves to dance in the aisles - almost half of them visiting the NT for the first time. I'm delighted that the party isn't over and that London audiences will have another chance to see this extraordinary show at
Sadler's Wells."
The international tour of FELA! is currently being booked by
Margaret Selby of CAMI Spectrum and
Gary McAvay of CAMI Theatricals. Announcements will be made periodically as
Margaret Selby of CAMI Spectrum signs more and more international destinations to be a part of the FELA! family.
FELA! received its world premiere Off-Broadway in September 2008, where it won the
Lucille Lortel Award for Best Musical, before transferring to Broadway's
Eugene O'Neill Theatre in November 2009 where its accolades included three 2010 Tony Awards®, for Best Choreography, Best Costume Design, Best Sound Design, and Astaire Awards for
Bill T. Jones' choreography and the dancers themselves.
A who's who of world celebrity has attended and cheered this production. First lady
Michelle Obama,
Oprah Winfrey, Sir
Ian McKellen,
Janet Jackson,
Hugh Jackman,
Bruce Springsteen,
Anna Wintour,
Diana Ross,
Mick Jagger,
Robert De Niro, and
Denzel Washington are but a few of the stars who danced in the aisles in addition to Madonna,
Spike Lee, and
Alicia Keys who have returned again and again to cheer for FELA!
FELA! is directed and choreographed by
Bill T. Jones, with a book by
Jim Lewis and
Bill T. Jones, and music and lyrics by
Fela Anikulapo-Kuti. Conceived by
Bill T. Jones,
Jim Lewis and
Stephen Hendel, the design and Tony Award winning costumes are by
Marina Draghici, lighting design by
Robert Wierzel and the Tony Award winning sound design by
Robert Kaplowitz.
The Broadway production of FELA! was produced by with 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,
Knitting Factory Entertainment and with Ahmir ‘Questlove' Thompson.
Recognised as an icon in the international world of rock and roll, soul, jazz and hip-hop,
Fela Anikulapo-Kuti was born in Abeokuta, Nigeria, north of Lagos in 1938. His father was a Christian schoolmaster, minister and master pianist and his mother was a world-recognised feminist leader, who was very active in the anti-colonial Nigerian women's movement during the struggle for independence. Educated in Nigeria, and later in London where he studied music,
Fela Kuti found his authentic musical voice adding elements of traditional Yoruba, high life and jazz, giving rise to "Afrobeat". Through his music he condemned military regimes in Nigeria for their mismanagement, and marginalization of the underprivileged. He was subsequently constantly harassed, arrested more than 200 times and beaten savagely on many occasions. Despite this he continued to live in Nigeria and produced in excess of 70 albums of music during his career. He toured the United States and Europe with an entourage of 80 people to public and critical acclaim. He died in August 1997 at the age of 58 - in Nigeria one million people attended his funeral.
Bill T. Jones won the 2007 Tony Award, the 2007 Obie Award and 2006 Stage Directors and Choreographers Foundation Callaway Award for his choreography for Spring Awakening. His many awards also include the 2007 USA Eileen Harris Norton Fellowship, the 2006
Lucille Lortel Award for Outstanding Choreography for The Seven, the 2005 Samuel H. Scripps American Dance Festival Award for Lifetime Achievement, the 2005 Wexner Prize, and the Aaron
Davis Hall Harlem Renaissance Award. Before forming
Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Dance Company in 1982,
Bill T. Jones choreographed and performed nationally and internationally as a soloist and duet company with his late partner, Arnie Zane.
Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Dance Company last appeared at
Sadler's Wells in June 2004.
Sadler's Wells is the UK's leading dance house, committed to producing, commissioning and presenting new works and to bringing the very best international and UK dance to London audiences. Under the Artistic Directorship of Alistair Spalding the theatre's cutting edge programme spans dance in all its forms, from cutting-edge contemporary to flamenco, bollywood to ballet, salsa to street dance and tango to tap. Its international award-winning collaborative productions and commissions include Sutra, zero degrees, and PUSH.
Sadler's Wells also provides a home to world class Associate Artists and Resident Companies including Sylvie Guillem, Akram Khan, Hofesh Shechter,
Wayne McGregor | Random Dance,
Matthew Bourne's New Adventures and ZooNation.
Located in Islington in north London, the current theatre is the sixth to have stood on the site since it was first built by Richard Sadler in 1683. The venue has played an illustrious role in the history of theatre ever since with The Royal Ballet, Birmingham Royal Ballet and
English National Opera all having started at
Sadler's Wells.
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