“Fela! The musical runs Feb. 28-March 3 at the Fox Theatre.
When pop diva Michelle Williams (Aida, The Color Purple, Chicago) first heard Fela Kuti’s music, she was mesmerized. Like many, she developed an appreciation for the man behind it.
Fela Anikulapo-Kuti, the Nigerian multi-instrumentalist and political agitator, created the sound known as Afrobeat, which pulls together traditional African styles, R&B grooves and jazz. A typical Afrobeat band features more than 15 instruments and a rhythm-and-horn section. Repeated melodies, call-and-response and a building momentum characterize the songs. Some last as long as 30 minutes.
“I love the groove of it,” Williams says. “Certain bass lines of his music can go on for hours, and it still sounds good, like you heard it for the first time.”
Williams plays Sandra Isadore, Fela’s African-American lover and teacher. The former Destiny’s Child says she’s found a role that fits nicely with her career path.
“You’ve got to be musical to do this show,” she says. “You’ve got to have rhythm, and you’ve got to understand timing.”
The New York Times described the show as an “exultant and unorthodox biomusical about a singing African revolutionary … translating one man’s life into a nonstop banquet of movement both sensuous and angry.”
The dancing and music help make Fela! a dynamic experience, and the Tony Award-winning choreography of Bill T. Jones’ (Spring Awakening) celebrates the man’s legacy. Driving and passionate, the movement tells as much of the story as the characters do. The onstage visuals, including the costume and set designs, all work to demonstrate the power and influence of Fela, his music and his politics. The story, set in Nigeria in the late 1970s, revolves around attempts to silence Fela at the height of his popularity and influence.
Williams has had the chance to speak with the real-life Isadore, and while that informs her performance, it doesn’t dictate everything she does. She wants to give the character her own interpretation.
“She’s powerful. She’s proud,” Williams says of Isadore. “I feel like she saw something in [Fela] and knew that he could change the world.”
Williams hopes audiences will want to learn more about the man known as Fela and his music, and she thinks this show is a perfect vehicle to encourage that research.
“There’s nothing like educating people about someone through music,” she says. “It seems to hold people’s attention, especially young people. I really want young people to see this show. I hope it makes them want to go home and Google him.”
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Kenny Norton is a freelance writer who has written web content, articles and marketing/PR materials. He is contributing editor and administrator of www.AtlantaTheaterFans.com.
