Chaka Khan to attend a staged reading of I’m Every Woman - The Chaka Khan Musical

Legend Chaka Khan is set to attend a staged reading of ‘I’m Every Woman - The Chaka Khan Musical’ on Friday 1 December in London.

Chaka Khan, who has officially endorsed the show, was inducted in to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame earlier this month, receiving the the Musical Excellence Award for her dazzling career which has now spanned 50-years. The queen of funk was recognised both for her solo catalogue and as part of synth-funk trailblazers Rufus.

The musical recently held a four-week development workshop, and is aiming to premiere in Autumn 2024.

The staged reading will feature cast members from the workshop including; Karen Mavundukure (Dreamgirls, The Color Purple) as Chaka Khan, Jordan Frazier (Hamilton) as Flashback Chaka Khan, Amarra Smith (Get Up, Stand Up) as Destiny, Alistair Toovey (Legally Blonde) as Dylan, Ashley Samuels (Hairspray, Motown) as Joel the Director and Stevie Wonder, Anelisa Lamola (The Color Purple) as Nina – the Book Writer, Hassun Sharif (Hamilton, Pretty Woman) as Flashback Richard Holland and Prince.

The book is written by screenwriter Tina Andrews (Sally Hemings: An American Scandal, Why Do Fools Fall In Love?); directed by Racky Plews (American Idiot, Footloose, Josephine Baker); orchestrations, vocal arrangements, and musical supervision by Ian Oakley (The Color Purple, The Lion King (UK Tours); choreography by Del Mak; sound design by Chris Whybrow; and casting by Debbie O’Brien.

Produced by Adrian Grant (Thriller Live).

‘I’m Every Woman’ brings Rock &Roll Hall of Fame inductee Chaka Khan’s explosive and dramatic life to the stage. Her story will be explored and experienced in flashbacks utilising the unique concept of a present-day musical within a musical about Chaka Khan herself.

A journey of music, love and betrayal, this brand new musical reveals the woman behind the diva. ‘I’m Every Woman’ features Chaka Khan’s much-loved songs released as a solo artist and lead singer of the band Rufus.

Featuring beloved, famous songs from Chaka and her famous friends such as I’m Every Woman, Ain’t Nobody, I Feel For You and Higher Love, the workshop combines Chaka’s phenomenal music catalogue with a fusion of dynamic, intricate choreography which mirrors Chaka’s eclectic music career. This untold story of Chaka Khan reveals her passion for civil rights, struggles within a toxic music industry, a dangerous road to a drug-fuelled overdose, and the high pressures of working whilst being a mother.

Chaka Khan - Singer, Songwriter, Actor, Activist
Chaka Khan is one of the world’s most gifted and celebrated musicians, with a rich musical legacy. The 10-time GRAMMY® Award-winner is a songwriter, actor, author, philanthropist, entrepreneur and activist who has influenced generations of recording artists. She has the rare ability to sing in seven music genres, including R&B, pop, rock, gospel, country, world music and classical. Affectionately known around the world as Chaka, she is revered by millions of fans as well as her peers for her timeless, classic and unmatched signature music style and ability. The late, great Miles Davis often said, “She [Chaka] sings like my horn.” And the Queen of Soul, Aretha Franklin says, “[Chaka] is a one- of- a -kind, premier vocalist.”

Throughout her legendary career, Chaka has released 22 albums and racked up 10 #1 Billboard
magazine charted songs, 7 RIAA certified gold singles and 10 RIAA certified gold and platinum albums. Chaka’s recorded music has produced over 2,000 catalogue song placements. “I am honoured and blessed to celebrate 50 years in music and entertainment,” says Chaka. “I am so humbled by the love, support, and gracious spirit of my fans worldwide and the continuous support my peers have shown over the years. Throughout my 50-year career, I have been through the fire a few times over and I’m still here as a living testament to God’s love and grace.”

Early on, she caught the attention of music icon Stevie Wonder, who penned her first smash hit with Rufus, ‘Tell Me Something Good’. The single from the group’s 1974 platinum-selling album, ‘Rags to Rufus’, earned Chaka her first GRAMMY® Award. With Chaka as the group’s dynamic center, Rufus became one of the most popular acts around selling out shows throughout the country and dominating the airwaves with hit after hit with songs such as ‘You Got the Love,’ which Chaka co-wrote, ‘Once You Get Started’, ‘Sweet Thing’, ‘Everlasting Love’, ‘Do You Love What You Feel?’ and ‘Ain’t Nobody’, Chaka’s second GRAMMY Award-winning song with Rufus. Rufus and Chaka Khan racked up five RIAA certified gold and platinum albums during their time together. ‘Once You Get Started’, ‘Sweet Thing’, ‘Everlasting Love’, ‘Do You Love What You Feel?’ and ‘Ain’t Nobody’, Chaka’s second GRAMMY Award-winning song with Rufus. Rufus and Chaka Khan racked up five RIAA certified gold and platinum albums during their time together.

It was inevitable that a singer with Chaka’s star power would eventually venture out on her own. In 1978, Chaka blazed onto the music scene as a solo artist with the release of the smash hit ‘I’m Every Woman’ written by Ashford & Simpson. Paired with the late producer extraordinaire, Arif Mardin (Aretha Franklin, Bette Midler), her catalogue grew even more impressive with hits such as ‘Clouds’, ‘Papillon’, and ‘What ‘Cha Gonna Do For Me?’. It was during this time that Chaka began pursuing her love of jazz. She and Arif brilliantly re-worked the classic song ‘Night in Tunisia’ with the song’s originator, Dizzy Gillespie, on trumpet. Chaka also recorded an album of jazz standards titled ‘Echoes of an Era’, which featured such luminaries as Chick Corea, Stanley Clarke, and Lenny White. Her crowning achievement in jazz was the GRAMMY® Award-winning tune, ‘Be Bop Medley’. The song’s album, titled ‘Chaka Khan’, also won a GRAMMY® for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance.

However, the song that made Chaka Khan a household name and propelled her to superstardom the world over was ‘I Feel For You’, written and first performed by Prince. This chart-topping, GRAMMY® Award-winning song also made music history. Released in 1984, it was the first R&B song to feature a rap, which was performed by Grandmaster Melle Mel. Chaka also topped the charts with ‘This Is My Night’ and the instant classic, ‘Through The Fire’. Now in top demand, Chaka lent her voice and producer skills to two of the biggest hits of 1986, Steve Winwood’s ‘Higher Love’ and Robert Palmer’s ‘Addicted to Love’. Both were GRAMMY®-winning songs.

In 1995, she made her musical theatre debut on London’s West End, where she starred in ‘Mama I Want to Sing’. In 2002 she travelled to Las Vegas, where she starred in ‘Signed, Sealed Delivered’, a critically-acclaimed musical based on the music of Stevie Wonder. Her Broadway debut came in 2008 when she took over the role of Sofia in Oprah Winfrey’s musical ‘The Color Purple’. Chaka’s autobiography, ‘Through the Fire’, was published by Rodale Books in 2003.

Adrian Grant - Producer
Adrian Grant has worked in the entertainment and media industries for over 30 years, producing
magazines, books, records, videos, television, concerts, and theatre shows. Adrian had an amazing 20-year working relationship with Michael Jackson which led him to create ‘Thriller Live’, a show seen by over five million people worldwide, and becoming the 12th longest-running West End musical of all-time. Adrian also produces the Visionary Arts Awards which celebrate inspirational culture, media and entertainment.

Racky Plews - Director
Directing and Choreography credits include: ‘American Idiot’ (West End and UK Tour, (winner of Best New Musical in the West End Broadway World Awards, Best Director and Best Choreographer nomination What’s On Stage Awards), ‘Summer Holiday’ (UK Tour), ‘Knights of the Rose’ (West End), ‘Thoroughly Modern Millie’ (UK Tour & Canada), ‘Footloose’ (West End and UK Tour), ‘Vanities’ (Trafalgar Studios), ‘Guys and Dolls’, ‘The Drowsy Chaperone’ and ‘Into The Woods’ (The Gatehouse), ‘Respect La Diva’ (Garrick Theatre), ‘Jekyll and Hyde’ (UK Tour), ‘Josephine Baker’ (Off Broadway, New York), ‘Cougar’ (The Belgrade), ‘Denise Pearson - The Jackson’s World Tour’ (Arena Tour), ‘Bare - The Rock Musical’ (Best Choreography nomination Broadway World), ‘Effectors’ (Spectrum of the Seas), ‘Flight’ (Symphony of the Seas), ‘Columbus’ (Harmony of the Seas), ‘The 48hour Musicals - The Boy Friend’ (Her Majesty’s Theatre), ‘Crazy For You’ and ‘Me & My Girl’ (London Palladium).

Tina Andrews - Book Writer
Tina Andrews is an international award-winning writer, producer, director, as well as author,
playwright, and multi-media visual artist. Her non fiction book, ‘Sally Hemings An American Scandal: The Struggle to Tell The Controversial True Story’ (The Malibu Press), won the NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Achievement in Literary Nonfiction and the Literary Award of Excellence from the Memphis Writers Conference. The book was based on her award-winning CBS miniseries, ‘Sally Hemings: An American Scandal’ which she wrote and Executive Produced. It was the highest rated, most watched miniseries of its season garnering Tina the Writers Guild of America Award for Outstanding Long form Television, She is the first African American to win the award in Long form). She also won the NAACP Image Award for Outstanding TV Movie, Miniseries or Special. CBS bought the miniseries based on her play ‘The Mistress of Monticello’, which Tina originally wrote and directed at the Chicago Dramatists Workshop. She also wrote the screenplay for the 1998 movie ‘Why Do Fools fall in Love?’. Tina’s work in film and television has led to other accolades, including a Proclamation from the City Council of New York. Her novel, ‘Charlotte Sophia’, told the story of Queen Charlotte of England’s concealed African Ancestry and was released as an audiobook voiced by ‘Bridgerton’ actress Adjoa Andoh. HBO Max recently acquired the novel, and Tina is working on the script.

Ian Oakley - Musical Director
Ian Oakley is a London-based, multi-award-winning (including two Black British Theatre Awards)
musical director, composer and arranger with more than 25 years’ experience in both the UK and the USA. Commended for his versatility, Ian has worked across the spectrum of the music industry - from the creative genesis of a project, to working with legendary Grammy Award-winning artists (Dionne Warwick, Take 6), to conducting orchestras (London Symphony Orchestra). Ian was the orchestrator for Stormzy’s 2017 performance of Blinded By Your Grace Pt. 2. on the UK series of ‘X-Factor’ which was viewed by over 6 million people. Theatre credits include: ‘The Color Purple’ (Birmingham Hippodrome), ‘On the Ropes’ (Park Theatre/The Production Exchange), ‘To The Streets’ (China Plate/Birmingham Hippodrome), ‘Playboy of the West Indies’ (Birmingham Rep), ‘Coming to England’ (Birmingham Rep),‘Respect - The Aretha Franklin Songbook’ (UK Tour), ‘The Lion King’ (UK Tour).

Photos credit: Bonnie Britain