Fela! the Broadway musical about ’70s Nigerian musician and political activist Fela Anikulapo-Kuti scored 11 Tony Award nominations to tie for lead with musical revival La Cage aux Folles. Fela! was a major gamble for producers Shawn “Jay-Z” Carter, and Will and Jada Pinkett Smith.
Both Carter and the Smiths joined the show as principal producers with Stephen Hendel and Roy Gabay. Fela! marks a significant departure from standard Broadway musicals, which tend to be conservative if not downright stodgy.
Directed and choreographed by Tony Award-winner Bill T. Jones with a book by Jim Lewis, Fela! explores the extravagant, decadent and rebellious world of the Afrobeat legend.
Chiwetel Ejiofor is Fela Kuti for Director
Steve McQueen
Posted on Wednesday, May 5th, 2010 by Russ Fischer
Talk about perfect casting. We’ve mentioned before that Hunger director Steve McQueen is making a film about the life of Fela Kuti, the Nigerian musician / activist who essentially invented Afrobeat. Now there’s word that Kuti will be played by Chiwetel Ejiofor. Because, really, was there anyone else who could take the part?
It’s a big week for projects dealing with Fela Kuti, since the Broadway musical Fela! racked up 11 Tony nominations yesterday. And Deadline reports that Ejiofor is “formally attached” to play Kuti in McQueen’s film. There was a point where I’d vaguely hoped for an unknown to be cast, but if that’s not going to happen there really isn’t a more ideal choice than Ejiofor.
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