Afrobeat Musical Fela! Returns to Broadway For Limited 2012 Summer Run

Fela!, the 2010 Tony-nominated musical based on the life and music of iconic Nigerian composer and musician Fela Anikulapo Kuti, will return to Broadway for a four-week run this summer. The musical’s currently running world tour will perform at the Hirschfeld Theatre from July 9 through August 4.

Sahr Ngaujah, who earned a Tony nomination for his starring role in Fela! on Broadway, will again lead the cast. He is joined by Melanie Marshall and Paulette Ivory, the two female leads of the show's Olivier-nominated National Theatre of Great Britain production. Fela! tells the story of Kuti's controversial life as an artist, political activist and revolutionary musician in Nigeria. In addition to forming a political party and running for president several times, Kuti created the enormously influential style of music known as “Afrobeat,” which blended jazz, funk and African rhythms and harmonies.

Fela! was conceived, choreographed and directed by Tony Award-winning Spring Awakening choreographer Bill T. Jones. The musical opened at Broadway ‘s Eugene O’Neill Theatre in November 2009, and was nominated for 11 2010 Tony Awards. The Broadway production closed on January 2, 2011.