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Mandela-Inspired Musical About Apartheid Years Being Developed for Broadway
By Kenneth Jones
20 May 2008
A new musical inspired by the life of Zindzi Mandela, the daughter of Nelson and Winnie Mandela, about the South African struggle for freedom from apartheid, is aiming for Broadway in 2010.
The show will be based in part on a forthcoming memoir by Zindzi Mandela. South African theatre veteran Welcome Msomi is a member of the creative team.
The production will be co-produced by the Routh/Frankel/Baruch/ Viertel Group and Raleigh, North Carolina-based PSE Broadway LLC. Director and full creative team are to be announced.
"We're delighted to be part of this thrilling project," stated Steven Baruch on behalf of his partners, Marc Routh, Richard Frankel and Thomas Viertel. "The South African story is not only inspiring but also deeply dramatic and lends itself perfectly to musical adaptation. Great musicals always begin with the same element — a great story. We're extremely proud to be bringing this particular great story to the Broadway musical stage."
"We began project development in 2003," stated PSE Broadway managing member Bill Futterer, "but we wanted insight from inside the apartheid struggle to supplement what is common knowledge. So when Zindzi and Welcome became excited about our concept we decided to move forward together."
"I think it's the right time for the story to be told, and PSE Broadway's idea to take the story to the musical stage is exciting," stated Zindzi Mandela. "The freedom songs were so important to the morale of the people, so it's natural for the story to be told with music as a cornerstone."
The memoir recounts touching anecdotes from Zindzi Mandela's youth, as she grew up during South African apartheid.
Nelson Mandela is South Africa's most celebrated leader, becoming a world-wide symbol of freedom, equality and empowerment. After serving 27 years in prison for his activities against apartheid, he was released in 1990 and was inaugurated in 1994 as the first democratically elected State President of South Africa.
"The excitement that can be created by music on stage will be a wonderful way to celebrate the South African story," stated Msomi, recently awarded a lifetime achievement award at the Naledi Awards for Theater in South Africa. "Zindzi's insight into those years and the powerful personal stories of the time will make for a rich theatre experience."
The Routh/Frankel/Baruch/Viertel Group has produced and managed a wide range of productions for 24 years. They are currently represented by Gypsy, Young Frankenstein, Hairspray, Sweeney Todd and Stomp. Previous productions include The Producers, Company, The Fantasticks, Little Shop of Horrors, The Weir, The Sound of Music, Smokey Joe's Cafe, Angels in America, Oleanna, Love Letters, Driving Miss Daisy, Frankie and Johnny in the Clair de Lune, Penn & Teller and many others. Their upcoming projects are The Gershwins' Porgy and Bess, Leap of Faith and The Hudsucker Proxy.
PSE Broadway LLC is a subsidiary of Futterer Partners LCC. Founded in 1999 and based in Raleigh, NC, the company is engaged in marketing, sales, communication and consultation in the sports and entertainment industries.
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