[RainbowJude]

Fela! will be opening on Broadway later this year. We haven't mentioned it much and as it looks like it might become one of the major musicals of this season, I thought I'd start a thread. Playbill has published information about the show:

[Please,Hello]

The major musicals list of 2009 2010:

Fela!
Memphis
Spider Man (maybe)
White Noise
Catch Me If You Can

Revivals
La Cage Aux Follies
Bye Bye Birdie
A Little Night Music

Anticipated Play
Supierior Donuts

[jackissensational]

I don't really know what to say, but I'm pumped to hear Lillias White.

[timmyjb]

I love Lilias White. I was actually looking at picks of Fela! last night and it looks like a truly unique show which is great.

[timmyjb]

[Disney-Bway27]

Please,Hello: Don't forget the revival of Finian's Rainbow coming around in October. I'm not sure if the Ragtime revival is set for this season either, but that's worth thinking about.

Fela! sounds really interesting. I'll definitely check this one out.

[Please,Hello]

[rockthestage82]

White Noise is a musical based on those real life singing white-supremisist twin girls, Lynx and Lamb Gaede of the band Prussian Blue. I believe it is (or was) playing in New Orleans. Interesting topic, but very, very touchy.

[RainbowJude]

There's a sneak peek of the show at BroadwayWorld, with some footage. It's clear the show has a unique feel to it, visibly drawing on pan-African performance traditions. I wonder how they're held together by what conventions of the Broadway musical. In terms of reviews, Critic-o-meter has it averaging an "A-". Ben Brantley, of whom I'm no fan, also named it as one of his Top 10 shows of 2009, one of only two musicals to crack a nod on the list. I'm beginning to think it might be a major contender for the Best Musical Tony, with possibly only The Addams Family offering any decent competition. Unless things get all nostalgic and Million Dollar Quartet sideswipes them both.

One thing is certain is that Lillias White is stunning. There is a lovely interview with her at Playbill. Along with the show itself, I think she's gonna offer some stiff competition to other actresses alongside whom she will surely be nominated.