Dreaming Zenzile Tickets

By: Somi Kakoma
Director: Lileana Blain-Cruz
Cast list: Somi Kakoma

New York Theatre Workshop is rounding out its 2021-22 season with the world premiere of Somi Kakoma's Dreaming Zenzile. Get Dreaming Zenzile tickets on TodayTix now.

Dreaming Zenzile is a musical about Zenzile Miriam Makeba, better known as simply Miriam Makeba or "Mama Africa." Kakoma performs as the South African musical artist at her final concert, where Makeba is visited by her ancestors as she sings for a live audience for the last time. Makeba's ancestors take her through the memories and history associated with each song she sings, allowing Makeba to go on a journey of reconciliation with her past as she connects with her audience in the present.

Dreaming Zenzile also touches on Makeba's political life; she spoke out against South African apartheid in the 20th century, as she herself was exiled for 31 years under apartheid. Makeba passed away in 2008, but Dreaming Zenzile honors her life and legacy as both artist and activist.

Kakoma, who wrote and stars in the show, is a Grammy Award-nominated international artist. Kakoma is herself of Rwandan and Ugandan descent, and Dreaming Zenzile is her first original musical. The show was previously developed at Sundance Theatre Lab, and read at the McCarter Theater Center in Princeton, New Jersey, before the premiere of Dreaming Zenzile off Broadway.

Get tickets to Dreaming Zenzile in New York on TodayTix.

What to Watch For

• Kakoma stars as Makeba in Dreaming Zenzile off Broadway, but she's also accompanied by a live jazz band. The band plays new arrangements of Makeba's Afropop, jazz, and world music, as well as original music created for the show.
• This show isn't Kakoma's only project about Makemba's life and music. The Dreaming Zenzile musical is a companion project to Kakoma's album called Zenzile: The Reimagination of Miriam Makeba.
• Like Makeba, Kakoma is a groundbreaking artist, too. She has also released an album called Holy Room - Live at Alte Oper with Frankfurt Radio Big Band, which earned her the 2021 NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Jazz Vocal Album and a 2021 Grammy nomination for Best Jazz Vocal Album. With that nomination, she became the first African woman to be nominated for a jazz Grammy.
• Dreaming Zenzile is directed by Lileana Blain-Cruz, who's having a busy theatre season! She also just directed Thornton Wilder's The Skin of Our Teeth on Broadway and earned a Best Direction Tony nomination.
• Dreaming Zenzile isn't the only bio-musical about a groundbreaking Black musician. Also off Broadway this season is Laiona Michelle's Little Girl Blue, which pays tribute to the songs and civil rights activism of Nina Simone.