Say yeah yeah!: FELA! on Broadway

If you haven't already, go. Just go. FELA! doesn't so much follow a linear story line, but rather, aims, and succeeds, via musical osmosis, in bringing Fela Kuti's story, Lagos, Nigeria, The Shrine and Africa '70 (Antibalas) to life before your eyes. I had the extreme privilege of being seated second row, dead center, where I could feel the sweat of Kuti's Queens flying off their bodies, and feel the magnetism and insane charisma that Kevin Mambo brought to his role as the legendary band leader, activist, multi-instrumentalist and international bad boy. I had been waiting since 2008 to see this show, and man, was it worth the wait. If anybody reading this wants to go, let me know, I would be honored to accompany somebody on their first viewing. I don't even want to give much more away, I wouldn't be able to truly do the show justice; the songs ("Water No Get Enemy" a personal favorite of mine, was exceptionally wonderful), the dances (nothing short of electrifying and bone chilling) the visuals (the tiny theatre was transformed into The Shrine at its height) and the overall ambiance can't even be accurately conveyed via text. GO. NOW.

FELA! on Broadway
The Eugene O'Neill Theatre
230 West 49th Street