FELA! heads to Lagos
The three-time Tony Awards winner and nominee as well as winner of Best Choreography received by Bill T. Jones, will be staged at the New Expo Centre, Eko Hotel Victoria Island from April 20th to 25th. It will star Olivier Awards nominee for best actor, Sahr Ngaujah (Fela) with music by international group, Antibalas alongside […]
The three-time Tony Awards winner and nominee as well as winner of Best Choreography received by Bill T. Jones, will be staged at the New Expo Centre, Eko Hotel Victoria Island from April 20th to 25th. It will star Olivier Awards nominee for best actor, Sahr Ngaujah (Fela) with music by international group, Antibalas alongside members of the New York City Afro-beat community.
Having been successfully shown at the London Royal National Theater and the NTLive performance which was broadcast to in 370 cinemas worldwide, the Lagos performance will be the first since the end of these series.
Conceived by Bill T. Jones, Jim Lewis and Stephen Hendel and produced by Shawn “Jay-Z” Carter and Will & Jada Smith, the idea behind staging the masterpiece in Lagos is to “unite and connect Africans in spirit and unity, to serve as a catalyst for cultural revival in Nigeria, and to celebrate Fela Kuti, for the contribution he has made to Nigeria and the world.”
FELA!, a reflection of a legend’s true story, whose Afro beat rhythms ignited the spirit of empowerment and cultural awareness across generations and races, is a depiction of strength, courage, passion and love all embedded in Fela’s music as translated in the award-winning steps of Jones’ choreography.
The Lagos edition of the Astaire Awards winner for choreography and cast piece which has received commendations from entertainment gurus such as Robert De Niro, Denzel Washington, Spike Lee, Mick Jagger, and theatre masters, Wole Soyinka and Ben Okri as well former UN Secretary General, Koffi Anan and America’s First lady, Michelle Obama, is produced by Nigeria’s Broken Shackles in collaboration with the Lagos State Government.
Bill T. Jones is also recipient of the prestigious Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts award along with Sir Paul McCartney and Oprah Winfrey. The Kennedy Center Honors are awarded annually for exemplary lifetime achievement in the performing arts.
It is expected that with adequate media partnership and sponsorship, the event will remain topical for a long time to come and be remembered for the historic tonic it would have added to theatre in Nigeria.