Center Stage Records announces ‘MANDELA: A NEW MUSICAL’
Original London Cast Recording Recorded Live at the Young Vic Now Available Digitally
(New York, NY – February 22, 2024) Center Stage Records announced the release of the original London cast recording of Mandela – A New Musical, recorded live at the Young Vic, is now available digitally at CenterStageRecords.com and on all digital platforms (https://orcd.co/mandelamusical).
A revolutionary new musical that tells the story of Mandela the man and Mandela the movement. Infused with the rhythms and spirit of South Africa, Mandela shines a light on the South African people’s courageous fight for their liberation. For 27 years, Mandela and his comrades sacrificed their freedom and their families paid the price. It is a story of determination, hope and how the world rallied to free Mandela and his people. The musical is produced in proud partnership with Nandi Mandela, Luvuyo Madasa and the Mandela family. London’s Evening Standard hailed the musical, which ran for a sold-out ten week developmental run at London’s Young Vic as “a storming celebration of the human spirit”. Mandela is currently in further development in New York, with further details to be announced.
The book is by Laiona Michelle, with music & lyrics by Greg Dean Borowsky & Shaun Borowsky, and additional music & lyrics by Bongi Duma. The album is produced by Paul Gatehouse, Sam Young, Greg Dean Borowsky and Shaun Borowsky, with orchestration by Sam Young and music direction by Sean Mayes. Mandela stars Michael Luwoye and Danielle Fiamanya as Nelson and Winnie Mandela, and features Gregory Armand, Zion Battles, Earl Carpenter, Stewart Clarke, Hanna Dimtsu, Natalie Green, Lerato Gwebu, Zalika Henry, Prudence Jezile, Akmed Junior Khemalai, Sean Kingsley, AJ Lewis, Blue Makwana, Kayleigh McKnight, Posi Morakinyo, Sneziey Msomi, Nomfusi Ngonyama, Ryan O’Donnell, Lee Ormsby, Adam Pearce, Botlhale Phora, Shiv Rabheru, Will Richardson, Leanne Robinson and Ntsikelelo Nicholas Vani.
Nandi Mandela (Granddaughter of Nelson Mandela) says: “As my grandfather once said, music has the power to free us to dream, to unite people as one voice, and we hope that our musical will do just that. We are so proud to be bringing his story to audiences, with our brilliant creative team in a way that honours and celebrates Madiba, for who he was – a grandfather, a father, a man who tried to do the best that he could during his journey on earth. We hope that my grandfather’s story, of a man from humble beginnings who pulled himself up by his bootstraps, will resonate with audiences far and wide, and communicate his message of hope – that we are all capable of doing great things, as long as we are true and authentic to ourselves.”
Luvuyo Madasa (Great Grandson of Nelson Mandela) says: “Mandela is a story of hearts and minds, the result of an incredible journey that we have been walking with our creative team for the past seven years. Together, we invite people to see who Madiba was, who his family were and what they meant to him, the sacrifices they made and the many unsung heroes that journeyed alongside Mandela as he became a global, political icon. By sharing his tale in this way, we hope that people from all walks of life will see the story of my great grandfather in a new light and recognise that he was just a human being following his path and perhaps, this can inspire many more of us to follow in his footsteps.”
ABOUT CENTER STAGE RECORDS
Center Stage Records is the new label from Broadway Records founder, Grammy Award and Tony Award winner Van Dean. The label is dedicated to the preservation of Broadway, London, Off-Broadway new musicals in development and theater-related solo albums. Center Stage has over two dozen albums planned for 2024, which premiered with the original Broadway cast recording of How to Dance in Ohio and Steven Pasquale’s “Some Other Time”. Select highlights of the Center Stage Records back catalog include the Grammy-nominated albums of Burt Bacharach & Steven Sater’s Some Lovers and Stephen Schwartz’s Snapshots, as well as the Classic Stage Company hit revival of Stephen Sondheim and John Weidman’s Assassins, Lewberger’s The Wizard of Friendship, and the West End cast albums of Everybody’s Talking About Jamie and Ride. Additionally, solo albums from Patti LuPone, Norbert Leo Butz, Bobby Conte, Marin Mazzie and Jason Danieley, Sierra Boggess, Laura Benanti, Orfeh and Andy Karl, Micky Dolenz, Michael Longoria and many more. To peruse the entire catalog, please visit www.CenterStageRecords.com. Follow Center Stage Records on all social platforms @centerstagercds.
