Patti LaBelle Confirmed for Broadway’s Fela!

By Karu F. Daniels of Black Voices

It’s confirmed; Patti LaBelle will be coming to The Great White Way this fall.

The Grammy Award winning diva will join the cast of the Tony Award-winning Broadway musical ‘Fela!.’ starting Sept. 14, when she takes on the role of the title character’s mother Patti LaBelle.

LaBelle is slated to portray the coveted role through January 2, 2011, when the show will play its final scheduled performance.

“I am both thrilled and honored,” LaBelle said. “After seeing the show, I was struck by the choreography and work of Bill T. Jones, and the passion and joy that overflows from the stage. Fela’s mother, Funmilayo, was a strong, truly inspiring woman and I am so privileged to be able to pay tribute to her on the Broadway stage.”

Tony Award winning powerhouse Lillias White (who received a 2010 Tony Nomination for her performance as Anikulapo-Kuti) will play her final performance on Sept. 12. It was previously reported that the Brooklyn native will leave take a hiatus from the show to perform concert dates overseas.

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