'Fela! The Concert' to feature original Broadway cast members

Members of the original Broadway cast of “Fela!” will perform in a concert version of the Tony Award-winning musical at 7:30 p.m. April 8 at the Lied Center for Performing Arts, 301 N. 12th St.

Full of energy in constant motion, “Fela! The Concert” radiates joy and leaves audiences on their feet wanting more. The sensual, eclectic sounds and powerful lyrics of Fela Kuti, the founding father of Afrobeat, prove why he became one of the world’s most celebrated and rebellious music legends.

Tickets are on sale here, by phone at 402-472-4747 or at the Lied Center box office. Tickets are available to students at a 50 percent discount with a valid NCard.

Conceived by choreographer Bill T. Jones, “Fela! The Concert” takes audience members into a mythical night at Nigerian musician and activist Kuti’s Lagos nightclub. Set against a soaring canvas of projected images, “Fela! The Concert” is driven by rhythms from a live 10-piece Afrobeat band, with nine singers and dancers who bring to life Fela’s provocative spirit.

“Fela! The Concert” is touring the United States and features Sahr Ngaujah, who originally played Kuti in the musical. The role earned him a Tony nomination for best actor.

“Fela!” was the most critically acclaimed musical of the 2010 season, receiving three Tony Awards: best choreography, best costume design for a musical and best sound design of a musical. “Fela!” tells the story of how Kuti, whose mother was a civil rights champion, defied a corrupt and oppressive military government and devoted his life and music to the struggle for freedom and human dignity.

This performance may contain adult language, content and themes.

Courtesy photo