Adesola Osakalumi as Fela Kuti (Photo by Cory Schwartz/Getty Images)

Over two years ago, I said “FELA! is the greatest stage production I have ever experienced.” Some things never change.

When the bio-musical on the life of Fela Anikulapo-Kuti closed on January 2, 2011, Broadway lost some soul. Thankfully, FELA! is back on the Great White Way for 32 performances at the Al Hirschfeld Theatre (302 West 45th Street) in New York City.  If there is anything you do between now and August 4 (two days after the 15th anniversary of Fela Kuti’s death), go experience the three-time Tony Award-winning musical.

Spearheaded by the legendary Bill T. Jones, who is a Kennedy Centers honoree, FELA! takes us to the Shrine Auditorium in Lagos, Nigeria, for what might be Fela’s final performance. We see his incredible journey as a struggling musician to an artist who would eventually “set the world on fire.”  FELA! is not just a musical, it’s a celebration of life, passion and revolution.

For those who don’t know, Fela Kuti was to Nigeria what Bob Marley was to Jamaica. The singer-songwriter became famous for edgy, political songs like “Zombie,” “Everything Scatter” and “Black President.” Through art, he challenged a corrupt government and would suffer the consequences: Attacks on his compound and the murder of his mother, Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti. Fela Kuti passed away of complications from HIV/AIDS on August 2, 1997; he was 58.

In previous productions, Kevin Mambo and Sahr Ngaujah spit fire into one of the most socially relevant artists of the 20th century. For Thursday’s opening night performance, Ngaujah introduced FELA! back to Broadway, which included a special treat of a 60-year-old Bill T. Jones gracing the stage for an impromptu dance, bringing the crowd to a frenzy.

A newcomer to playing Fela Kuti on Broadway is Adesola Osakalumi, who was once part of the ensemble cast. While I didn’t think it was humanly possible, Osakalumi was just as impactful and riveting as the other two leads. Fela is a grueling character to play for 2 hours and 40 minutes: high-energy monologues, big notes and serious emotional depth. The actor must add his own special sauce and gusto, which is what Osakalumi accomplished with a reverberating stage presence and a consistently haunting look in his eyes.

I saw Osakalumi with a tough crowd on Saturday afternoon, but the Bronx native blessed every molecule of the stage, insisting the audience get to their feet — he earned a well-deserved standing ovation. Most important, there were no residuals of Mambo and Ngaujah’s performances, Osakalumi made FELA! his own. Other newcomers were Melanie Marshall as Fela’s revolutionary mother and Paulette Ivory as Fela’s educated and passionate Black American girlfriend, Sandra. Both were simply phenomenal.

Written by Jim Lewis and Bill T. Jones, FELA! shines at every angle: set design and costumes (Marina Draghici), music, and vibrant choreography. African dance is free-spirited and improvisational. When choreographed, the movements can easily look stiff and unnatural — but the superb Bill T. Jones gave cohesiveness and structure to African dance without losing its organic appeal. The gifted dancers gracefully manipulated their body into a praise-filled, sexy, Afro-beat frenzy, channeling the ancestors — I was waiting for it to thunder and lightening in the Al Hirschfeld Theatre!

A spectacular moment was “Originality/Yellow Fever,” which allowed the dancers to shine as Fela played the saxophone. Notables: Nicole Chantal de Weever, who gave new meaning to “I whip my hair back and forth!” and So You Think Can Dance’s Adé Chiké Torbert and Thierry Picaut, whose pelvic thrusts almost gave the first row a heart attack!

Side note: There must be a booty requirement to be part of the FELA! cast, while people of color are known to be blessed with extra backside, never have I seen so much booty-booty-booty.  The cast of FELA! made J.Lo and Beyoncé look like booty amateurs!

It was my  fourth time being transported to the Shrine Auditorium and it was equally as magnificent. If you will be in the New York City area this summer, make sure you see FELA! on Broadway, which runs until August 4 at the Al Hirschfeld Theatre.

In my original review of Fela! on Broadway, I commented on how the woman next to me reacted to Lillias White’s Tony nominated performance.  White played Fela Kuti’s mother and in one of her vocally outstanding moments Miss Lady to the left shouted, “That’s the African Patti LaBelle!” A couple months later it was announced that the legendary Patti LaBelle will play the mother of the late, great Fela Kuti, Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti. As expected, there is no other mainstream singer who could tackle this vocal powerhouse of a role like the unstoppable Patti LaBelle. The Philly native not only brought the voice, but delivered the acting chops to play the Nigerian-born activist and mother.

On Tuesday night, I had a chance to see Fela! a second time, but with Patti LaBelle and Tony Award nominee Sahr Ngaujah.  In June, I saw the enormously gifted Kevin Mambo as Fela Kuti.  Equally as talented, it was clear after Ngaujah’s first note why he has been universally praised for his performance. In the way of Mambo, the spirit of Fela entered right in his blood, bringing to life one of the most important international figures of the 20th century.

Commanding the stage on this particular night was no easy task. The audience was particularly stiff, as if they all had a dose of Valium. But, Ngaujah was not having it. Twenty minutes in, he woke the crowd up, roaring in the name of Fela for them to respond. By the end of the night, the audience was a whole new group of folks, transported to the Shrine night club in the seventies, which is where the show takes place.

Ngaujah’s performance was much different than Mambo’s. Not that he was better; there is no way to compare. Ngaujah had a different interpretation of Fela Kuti, which felt as authentic Mambo’s. All praises should go to Bill T. Jones, who is being honored this year at the Kennedy Center Honors, and the creators of Fela! for managing to find two brilliant actors who could simultaneously capture the fever of Fela Kuti.

Being that Patti LaBelle is a stone-cold soul singer, one might wonder how she can handle the tight structure of Broadway.  Having seen the original “Lady Marmalade” in concert several times; she never performs a song the same way twice. The audience always gets something new. That said, at 64 years old, Patti has managed to reinvent herself again, delivering some of the best vocals in her over 50-year career.  Only in Fela! will you see an awesome mix of a soul icon with the story of a provocative and passionate activist.

After seeing Fela! with Miss Patti, I wondered what other popular names could guest star in the show. There is the role of Sandra Isadore, Fela’s witty Black American girlfriend, brought to life by the strikingly beautiful Saycon Sengbloh. The Atlanta native fills the role with her sex appeal, voice and amazing chemistry with both Fela leads.  A few R&B divas who would do well in the role of Sandra — some who are overdue for a stint on Broadway — Erykah Badu, a slim and trim Jennifer Hudson, and, my number one choice, Lauryn Hill.  I know, I know – we all want an album first, but Miss Hill would be an effortless fit as Sandra Isadore.

Fela! was just as exciting, inspiring and liberating as the first time around. This is the type of show you could see many times over, proving that Fela! is truly the most original production on Broadway. If you are a lover of art, dance, music and soul, and have not seen Fela!, you are missing out on one of the most divine productions in the history of stage.

Fela! is playing until early 2011, Patti LaBelle runs through January 2nd. Click here to purchase tickets: http://www.felaonbroadway.com/

Fela! is presented at the Eugene O’Neill Theater, 230 West 49th Street, Manhattan; (212) 239-6200. Running time: 2 hours 20 minutes.

Follow Fela! on Twitter:  http://twitter.com/felamusical

Last month we reported that is was possible Patti LaBelle might join the cast of the Tony-Award winning Broadway show Fela!. Now it’s official, the legendary R&B singer and Grammy-winner is in the Fela! cast as of September.  She will take over for Lillias White’s role as Fela Kuti’s mother, Funmilayo Kuti.  According to The New York Times:

The Grammy winner Patti LaBelle is planning to join the cast at the Eugene O’Neill Theater on Sept. 14 as Fela’s mother, Funmilayo Anikulapo-Kuti, a spokesman for the show said on Thursday. “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,” Ms. LaBelle said in a news release. Fela Kuti, a musical superstar in his native Nigeria, used his popularity to oppose the repressive military dictatorship there during the 1970s and ’80s. The musical is set in the nightclub where Fela (played alternately by Sahr Ngaujah and Kevin Mambo) regularly performed his pioneering Afrobeat music.

This will be Patti’s return to Broadway since her 1998 solo concert, Patti La Belle on Broadway.  I’ve seen Patti LaBelle in concert and interviewed her several times, so the icon definitely has the props for this stellar Broadway show.  Click here to purchase tickets!

SOURCE

In my review for the Broadway production Fela!, the woman seated next to me said Lillias White was the African Patti LaBelle (although White herself isn’t African). White played Fela Kuti’s mother, Funmilayo Kuti, and her annihilating voice helped the show win three Tony Awards.

So, it’s no shocker that the iconic Patti LaBelle is in talks to play Funmilayo Kuti. Black Voices reported:

“Patti LaBelle has come to the show and expressed interests,” a production rep confirmed, adding, “there have been discussions and the producers are trying to work out something.” The rep clarified, “But nothing has been worked out as of yet.”

Considering Patti LaBelle’s diverse fan base, she is a perfect fit for Broadway. Her last time on Broadway was the 1998 solo concert, Patti La Belle on Broadway.  Let’s hope Mama Patti gets this role!

SOURCE

A Broadway show on the life of a political, musical and African revolutionary may not seem like a good mix for the stage. However, Fela! has garnered nearly perfect reviews, 11 Tony Award nominations and three wins, including the legendary Bill T. Jones for best choreography. After seeing the show last night, Fela! lives up to the hype. Actually, no amount of hype could touch the beauty and passion of this production — directed by Jones, Fela! is flawless.

Through music, art, folklore and politics, Fela! follows the extraordinary life of Fela Anikulapo-Kuti. In case you don’t know, Fela was a popular Nigerian musician who gained fame during a transitional (and corrupt) era in Nigeria. He bucked the system, spit at the government and believed that music could change the world — becoming the self-proclaimed “Black President.” Other details: Fela married 27 women in one ceremony (mainly his dancers), his mother was murdered by the government after a raid on his home, and in 1997 Fela passed away of complications from HIV/AIDS. He was 58-years-old.

This is a lot to pack in a Broadway show full of music and dance, but written by Jim Lewis and Bill T. Jones, Fela! superbly finds a balance with story and visuals. The set design is colorful, imaginative and effortlessly transports you to 1970s Nigeria at the legendary Shrine, which is the night we, the audience, sees him, as he contemplates leaving Nigeria after the murder of his mother.

Fela is played by Kevin Mambo and Sahr Ngaujah.  The night I attended, Mambo took the stage, bringing Kuti back from the dead with earthshaking monologues, other-worldly vocals and possessed-like dancing. You are in Fela’s world and you never want it to end.

Not enough can be said about the dancing, music and singing in this production. The cast moved as if their bodies were taken over by  spirits of joy, redemption, sorrow, triumph and, at the end, pure catharsis. A standout, Lauren De Veaux, was Angela Bassett if she were a professional singer and dancer; regal and poised but could still pull from her gut. All of the dancers moved their bodies with an erotic elegance, flowing as one but knowing how to let the other shine.

Vocally, Kevin Mambo shot down any R&B or pop singer you’ve heard on the radio in the past 10 years. But, it wasn’t just the notes; there was a vigor in his belly, singing like it was the last moment of his life. Then, there is Lillias White, who plays Fela’s mother. The woman next to me shouted, “That’s the African Patti LaBelle!” That says it all.

While the music, dance, visuals and vocals are perfection, it doesn’t matter if there isn’t a solid storyline — if that is the case, you can go to a concert. At the heart of this production, Fela’s story was exquisitely told, focusing on his passion, his mission, his anger and not making him a tragic figure who succumbed to HIV/AIDS.

There is a reason why Jay-Z, Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith presented Fela!; each scene is at a level 10 and there was clearly sensitivity mixed with truth to bring Fela Anikulapo-Kuti’s life to the Broadway stage.  Fela himself would be proud.  Fela! is the greatest stage production I have ever experienced.

Fela! is playing until early 2011. Click here to purchase tickets: http://www.felaonbroadway.com/

Fela! is presented at the Eugene O’Neill Theater, 230 West 49th Street, Manhattan; (212) 239-6200. Running time: 2 hours 20 minutes.

Follow Fela! on Twitter:  http://twitter.com/felamusical