Fela vs Diva

When Destiny’s Child reunited during the Super Bowl, the resulting snark almost preempted the performance itself. Jokes about Beyoncé’s diva swagger and dismissive treatment of the other two members of the group flooded the Internet. And perhaps nobody felt the sting more than Michelle Williams. No, not the Dawson’s Creek and My Week With Marilyn actress whose face pops up when you Google that name; the other Williams, the performer who’s widely regarded as the underachiever of the girl group that launched Queen Bey to stardom. But Williams isn’t flipping burgers at some rural fast-food joint, as plenty of Twitter users cruelly imagined. She’s still performing and will appear at the Adrienne Arsht Center (1300 Biscayne Blvd., Miami) as part of the Broadway musical Fela!, opening this Tuesday. Fela! uses Afrobeat musician Fela Kuti’s infectious songs to tell the tale of his development as an artist and a political activist. Is it as glamorous as performing on the Mrs. Carter Show World Tour? No. But it does honor a man who fought back against Africa’s oppressive dictatorships — at least as important as honoring a woman who inspired a generation of women to demand that you “put a ring on it.”
Tue., March 19, 8 p.m.; Wed., March 20, 8 p.m.; Thu., March 21, 8 p.m.; Fri., March 22, 8 p.m.; Sat., March 23, 2 & 8 p.m.; Sun., March 24, 2 & 7:30 p.m., 2013
KEEP MIAMI NEW TIMES FREE... Since we started Miami New Times, it has been defined as the free, independent voice of Miami, and we'd like to keep it that way. With local media under siege, it's more important than ever for us to rally support behind funding our local journalism. You can help by participating in our "I Support" program, allowing us to keep offering readers access to our incisive coverage of local news, food and culture with no paywalls.
Ciara LaVelle is New Times' former arts and culture editor. She earned her BS in journalism at Boston University and moved to Florida in 2004. She joined New Times' staff in 2011.
Contact: Ciara LaVelle

Latest Stories