Zeroing in on the New York Times Style page on Sunday morning (7/11/10 if you must know), a full-length photo of "model, actress and founder of the Lemlem clothing line, Liya Kebede" enticed my eye. Yes, she's beautiful (the model part of the equation pretty much guarantees that), but considering my beat, it's the actress end that really hit me since she starred in the well-received 2009 film based on Desert Flower, the autobiography by Somalia-born supermodel Waris Dirie and had bit parts in The Good Shephard and Lords of War.

So I read on, skimming the Q&A's about "What I'm Wearing Now;" "Style Credo," Recent Purchases," and "What I'm Packing for My Trip to Turkey."  This is fashionista stuff and, as much as I like clothes (particularly those that don't make me look fat), it was the last tidbit in the article's laundry list - "Current Obsession" - that grabbed me: it homed in on theatre.

Kebebe's obession du jour is apparently the Broadway musical Fela! Her quote read: "The clothing, the music, the dancing - so incredibly fantastic. I've seen it three times. I want to go again, but I'm too embarrassed."

Like you can see a Broadway show you love too much! Got any statistics how often some fans have seen Wicked since it opened?  And what about Billy Elliott (I have an out-of-town friend who sees it every time she comes to New York - at least twice a year). And I won't begin to elaborate on the number of Chicago programs floating around my apartment. In fact, pick a show, any show with long-running chops, and you'll find four or more visits are not unique.

And Fela! just happens to be a massive triple threat of a show: historic, groundbreaking and stunning. Not a weak link in the production. The muscular dancers' bodies, awesome performances and deft multi-layered script tracking the bigger-than-life life story of African composer-musician-political activist-bigamist Fela Kuti, should be more than enough incentive to throw caution to wind and return whenever your schedule and budget allows.

So, Ms. Kebede, blush not. Rather, see it again, and again, and again... revel in it.... bring your family... bring your friends... talk it up to Lemlem clients and customers.  Broadway needs fans and followers and moral support. And, on a stylistic note, you personally are in excellent shape to make repeat visits. After all, you have the wardrobe to make each performance a super sartorial event.

For more information on the show go to Felaonbroadway.com

Posted on July 12, 2010 - by

Browse: Broadway