One Love: The Bob Marley Musical

*One Love:*
One Love:
The Bob Marley Musical
	Artwork for Birmingham production
Music	Bob Marley
Lyrics	Bob Marley
Book	Kwame Kwei-Armah
Basis	The life and music of Bob Marley
Premiere	13 May 2015: Center Stage, Baltimore
Productions	2015 Baltimore; 2017 Birmingham

One Love: The Bob Marley Musical previously titled Marley is a musical based on the life and music of Bob Marley, written by Kwame Kwei-Armah.

Background and productions

Center Stage, Baltimore (2015)

The musical received its world premiere under the original name of Marley at Center Stage in Baltimore, Maryland, and ran from May 13 to June 14, 2015 with previews from May 8. It was directed by Center Stage artistic director and playwright Kwame Kwei-Armah, choreographed by Germaul Barnes, scenic design by Neil Patel, costume design by ESOSA, lighting design by Michelle Habeck and sound design by Shane Rettig.^[1] The cast included Mitchell Brunings as Bob Marley, Saycon Sengbloh as Rita Marley, Michael Luwoye as Peter Tosh, Howard W. Overshown as Michael Manley, David Heron as Tony Welsh, John- Andrew Morrison as Claudie Massop, Damian Thompson as Bunny Wailer and Michaela Waters as Cindy Breakspeare.^[2]

Birmingham Repertory Theatre (2017)

On 30 September 2016 it was announced that the musical will make its UK premiere under the new title, One Love: The Bob Marley Musical, with Kwei-Armah directing at the Birmingham Repertory Theatre from 10 March to 8 April 2017, before being extended to 15 April due to popular demand. The production was produced by The REP in association with Playful Productions and Stage Play Limited.^[3] Following the original Baltimore production, Mitchell Brunings returned to the role of Bob Marley with a cast that included Alexia Khadime as Rita Marley, Jacade Simpson as Peter Tosh, Adrian Irvine as Michael Manley, Ricardo Coke-Thomas as Tohy Welsh, Claudie Massop as Thomas Vernal, Newtion Matthews as Bunny Wailer and Cat Simmons as Cindy Breakspeare and Marcquelle Ward as DJ Sway/first cover Bob Marley.^[4]

Kwei-Armah stated that this production was "50% different than the Baltimore run".^[5]

Musical numbers

Birmingham production

Act I

"Simmer Down"
"I Shot The Sheriff"
"Guava Jelly"
"Sun Is Shining"
"I'm Hurting Inside"
"Concrete Jungle" / "Get Up Stand Up"
"Stir It Up"
"Is This Love?"
"Forever Loving Jah"
"No More Trouble"
"Burnin' And Lootin'"
"Them Belly Full"
"War"

Act II

"Running Away"
"Is This Love" (reprise)
"Punky Reggae Party"
"Waiting in Vain" / "No Woman No Cry"
"Wake Up And Live"
"Turn The Lights Down"
"So Much Things To Say" / "Guiltiness" / "The Heathen"
"Redemption Song"
"Exodus"
"Jammin'
Finale: "Three Little Birds" / "Get Up Stand Up" / "One Love"

References

^ "Full Cast and Creative Team Announced: Marley, a World Premiere Musical > Centerstage". www.centerstage.org. Retrieved 2016-10-01.
^ "MARLEY Musical: Full Cast Announced — Bob Marley | News". 2015-04-16. Retrieved 2016-09-30.
^ "One Love: The Bob Marley Musical to Receive U.K. Debut | Playbill". Playbill. Retrieved 2016-10-01.
^ "Full cast announced for One Love: The Bob Marley Musical". WhatsOnStage.com. Retrieved 2017-01-20.
^ Fleming, Amy (2017-03-08). "My Bob Marley musical: Kwame Kwei-Armah on his reggae emancipation". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2017-03-12.

External links

Official page on Center Stage website

[1] "Full Cast and Creative Team Announced: Marley, a World Premiere Musical > Centerstage". www.centerstage.org. Retrieved 2016-10-01.

[2] "MARLEY Musical: Full Cast Announced — Bob Marley | News". 2015-04-16. Retrieved 2016-09-30.

[3] "One Love: The Bob Marley Musical to Receive U.K. Debut | Playbill". Playbill. Retrieved 2016-10-01.

[4] "Full cast announced for One Love: The Bob Marley Musical". WhatsOnStage.com. Retrieved 2017-01-20.

[5] Fleming, Amy (2017-03-08). "My Bob Marley musical: Kwame Kwei-Armah on his reggae emancipation". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2017-03-12.

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