Fela! in Philly

Fela! is coming to Philadelphia. If you only see one play this year, this is the one to see.

Here's an excerpt from my review in the Chester Spotlight in February 2010.

Will Smith and Jay-Z saw the play and were so impressed that they now own the production rights of this fascinating story of a Nigerian musician that was so popular that over one million people attended his funeral in 1997.

Once inside and settled in the seat, I immediately sensed that something strange was going on. I was 20 minutes early and there was a band on stage jammin’.  At first I thought they were just warming up but they went from one song to the next getting me in the party mood. 

As an audience member, you are a part of Shrine, a Lagos night club, where Fela Kuti is the main attraction. It’s sort of a one man play where Fela tells his story, mostly through song, of his rise as a superstar musician and political activist. The band plays a steady, hard hitting, Afro Cuban beat and the dancing and costumes are phenomenal. And yes, he has you singing and dancing just like you were at a club.