Fela! didn't win Best Musical, but did get best choreography - here are the pics from the album release party

June 14, 2010

Fela! party @ Brooklyn Bowl
Fela

“The musical “Memphis” emerged as the early leader in the Tony Awards on Sunday night, while the film actress Scarlett Johansson won the first acting award: best featured actress in a play for her Broadway debut in the revival of Arthur Miller’s “View From the Bridge.”..

…Two rivals with “Memphis” for the best musical Tony, “Fela!” and “American Idiot,” won two Tonys a piece before the telecast — “Fela!” for costume and sound design, “Idiot” for lighting and scenic design. The “Idiot” winners each profusely praised the director of the show, Michael Mayer, whose lack of a nomination surprised many in the Broadway industry…

…None of the four nominees for best musical, for instance, have been hot sellers at the box office; the one that tied for the most Tony nominations, “Fela!,” about the Afrobeat sensation Fela Kuti, has even struggled to cover its weekly running costs.” [NY Times]

Fela! unfortunately didn’t win Best Musical, but its choreographer Bill T. Jones did take home the Best Choreography award Sunday night at the Tony Awards.

On Monday (6/7), BrooklynVegan co-sponsored a free Fela! Original Cast Recording release party at Brooklyn Bowl. The event was hosted by Fela! stars Sahr Ngaujah & Kevin Mambo and featured various performances including a DJ set by Questlove (who opened for Janelle Monae and Erykah Badu at Roseland that same night).

Jay-Z was rumored to be making an appearance at Brooklyn Bowl, but unlike at the Tonys (which he went to one night after performing at Bonnaroo), he did not show up. Many others did – the free event was “sold out” by around 9pm and went all night. More pictures from that party below…

Fela