Fela! A New Exciting Broadway Musical
By Jeanette Toomer
An exciting mix of Broadway musical and cabaret performance, “Fela!” soars as a uniquely inspiring theatrical experience. Jazzy African beats from the onstage band greet the audience as they take their seats. Dancers step onto the stage in African dance moves ingeniously created by the talented director and choreographer Bill T. Jones. The backdrop shows the corrugated walls of the “African Shrine,” Fela’s famous nightclub in Lagos, Nigeria. Fela, in a casual white suit appears centerstage, and the show begins.
Audience participation is very much a part of the opening of the play as Fela welcomes the audience to his last concert at the Shrine. Sahr Nganjah gives a towering portrayal of this world-renowned recording artist who was part composer/musician and part revolutionary. “Everything Scatter” has to be the most powerfully entertaining and enriching opening musical number in recent Broadway musical history.
“Fela!” continues nightly at the Eugene O’Neil Theater at 230 W. 49th St. Don’t miss it!
