One Love: The Bob Marley Musical to Open in England

My friends across the pond may be excited to soon experience the British premiere of a musical about one of the greatest musicians of the 20th Century (and one who even made his home in England for a time). One Love: The Bob Marley Musical opens on Friday, March 10, 2017 at Birmingham Repertory Theatre. It premiered at Center Stage in Baltimore, to mixed reviews, but is highly anticipated two years later in England.

Presented with approval of and in cooperation with the Marley family and Tuff Gong Pictures L.P. and developed with the support of Blue Mountain Music., Marley's daughter Cedella commented in a press statement, "On behalf of the Marley family I am thrilled that our father's story is going to be brought to the stage with this production. Birmingham is a natural place for its U.K. premiere. With its great mix of cultures, it's a city where my father performed to audiences that were captivated by his presence, and we have no doubt that telling the story through music to a new generation in Birmingham will be part of his continuing legacy." ~ Playbill

The music, of course, is Bob Marley's, and the book is by Kwame Kwei-Armah, who also directed its Baltimore production and is directing the English premiere, as well. Alexia Khadime will play Rita Marley and Mitchell Brunings will play Bob Marley. The full cast is listed here.

While there are many stories the musical could tell about Marley, the show focuses on three years of his later life.

Set across a dramatic period in the music legend's life, One Love: The Bob Marley Musical tells the story of a man propelled from rising reggae star to global icon. But when his beloved homeland of Jamaica is on the brink of civil war, he is called upon to unite his people with his music and his message.

One Love: The Bob Marley Musical is a spiritual and political journey which celebrates one of the world's most influential artists of all time by bringing Marley's inspirational music catalogue to the stage for the first time. This compelling original musical features Marley's greatest songs performed live on stage, including – No Woman No Cry, Exodus, Jamming and many more. Birmingham Repertory Theatre Press

The show runs March 10, 2017 to April 15, 2017, with tickets starting at £10.