Queen and Ben Eltons We Will Rock You Rocks the Orpheum Theatre, Nov. 19-24, 2013

Queen and Ben Eltons We Will Rock You Has Received an Upgrade for the North American Tour with More Laughs, More Technology, and Even More Queen Songs to Love

MINNEAPOLISThe worldwide smash hit rock theatrical, Queen and Ben Eltons We Will Rock You, built around 24 of Queens biggest hits makes its Minneapolis premiere at the Orpheum Theatre (910 Hennepin Ave.) November 19-24, 2013. We Will Rock You is part of Hennepin Theatre Trusts 2013-14 Broadway Across America-Minneapolis Season and tickets are on sale now. For more information or to buy tickets, call 1.800.982.2787 or visit HennepinTheatreTrust.org. We Will Rock You is produced by Queen Theatrical Productions, Tribeca Theatrical Productions, Phil McIntyre Entertainment and NETworks Presentations.

This hilarious, multi award-winning and record-breaking phenomenon is created by celebrated British comedian and writer Ben Elton (British TVs Mr. Bean, Blackadder, The Young Ones), and boasts a fantastic score of Queens biggest songs including Another One Bites The Dust, Crazy Little Thing Called Love, We Are The Champions, Bohemian Rhapsody and of course We Will Rock You.

For the U.S. production, writer and director Ben Elton has redrafted his original script to resonate with U.S. audiences as well as reflect the cultural changes since he first penned the storyline.

Apart from addressing the broader social and technological changes, I also get the chance to update moments of topical humor, says Elton. New additions to the show include the most current pop culture references (yes, there is a Miley Cyrus twerking joke!) and the addition of a new song, Youre My Best Friend.

There is a scene where our two leads run away and discuss their loneliness and isolation, Elton says. In 2013, it seemed ridiculous for two kids to discuss friendship without reference to Facebook. Young people now live in a world where its possible to have many virtual friends and likes and yet still be entirely isolated and alone. The new dialogue with this changed emphasis brought the song Youre My Best Friend into the show.

Tribecca producer Jane Rosenthal says, With Bens updates, its almost a new show. However, in some ways, it was already ahead of its time when it opened in 2002. The overarching theme is a demand for individualism and intimacy in a world where everything is downloadable.

Queens guitarist Brian May and drummer Roger Taylor are the musical supervisors to the show, active in casting the singers, actors and musicians for every production worldwide.

The show is now in its 12th year at The Dominion in Londons West End, one of London Theatrelands biggest theatres, making it the venues longest-running production ever. We Will Rock You is now officially the ninth longest-running show in the West End and was crowned the U.K.s favorite show at the 2011 Olivier Awards, the U.K. equivalent of the Tony Awards, in a category voted entirely by members of the public.

Outside of the U.K., the show has now been seen in 17 countries, playing to an audience of over 15 million people.

We Will Rock You takes place in a future age on a planet once called Earth that is now controlled by a mighty corporation. Globalization is complete. Individuality is taboo. Everyone watches the same movies, wears the same clothes and thinks the same thoughts. Music is generated by the corporations computers, rock music is unheard of and all musical instruments are banned. The hope of breaking free rests with an unlikely resistance an alliance of rebel Bohemians waiting for a hero to lead the battle to bring the power of rock back to the people.

This show is all about legend, says Ben Elton. We take the legend of Queen and create our own fantastical story of young kids battling the mighty corporation which wants to suppress their individuality and their love of music. They need a hero who can help them in their struggle, and we have two the dreamer Galileo, and the sassy rock chick Scaramouche. Guess who ends up winning?

Creating the show with Ben was very much a three-way thing, says Roger Taylor. It was great because he was a pleasure to work with and because he has such a fertile mind. He never stops churning out ideas.

Brian May adds, The amazing bonus is that Ben's script subtly works as a metaphor too. People definitely come out of the theatre feeling that in a strange way they now know us, Queen, and our struggle, our journey.

The cast features Brian Justin Crum as Galileo, Ruby Lewis as Scaramouche, Jacqueline Arnold as Killer Queen, P.J. Griffith as Khashoggi, Ryan Knowles as Buddy, Erica Peck as Oz and Jared Zirilli as Britney.

Rounding out the ensemble are Danny Balkwill, Samantha Berman, Bentley Black, Jessica Crouch, Saccha Dennis, Sam Digiuseppe, Suzanna Dupree, Daniel Greenberg, Stephen Hernandez, Nathan Keen, William Joseph Lewis, Brooke Morrison, Jennifer Mote, Katie Murphy, Jennifer Noble, Fred Odgaard, Patrick Ortiz, Jason Sermonia, Stephanie Sy and Kasey Walker.

The We Will Rock You band includes Rick Hip-Flores (Musical Director/Conductor), Brandon Ethridge (Assistant Conductor/Keyboards), Emily Marshall (Keyboards), Tristan Avakian (Guitar), Bob Wegner (Guitar), Mike Cohen (Bass), David Stevens (Percussion) and Danny Young (Drums).

The original production of We Will Rock You is a Phil McIntyre Entertainment, Tribeca Theatrical Productions and Queen Theatrical Productions presentation. Book and direction by Ben Elton. Music and music supervision by Queen/Roger Taylor and Brian May. Musical staging and choreography by Arlene Phillips. Production design by Mark Fisher and lighting design by Willie Williams. Sound by Bobby Aitken. Costumes by Tim Goodchild. Tracey Flye is the Associate Director and Associate Choreographer of the North American tour.

Queen Theatrical Productions is a production entity created especially by the bands parent company Queen Productions Ltd. to handle the development and production of We Will Rock You.

Headquartered in New York, Tribeca Theatrical Productions was founded in 2001 by Robert De Niro and Jane Rosenthal, the acclaimed producers of the Meet the Parents franchise, Analyze This and Wag the Dog. Through Tribeca Theatrical Productions, De Niro and Rosenthal co-produced, along with Queen Theatrical Productions and Phil McIntyre Entertainment, the theatrical musical We Will Rock You, based on the music of Queen.

Since 1995, NETworks has produced and managed over 55 touring productions in the U.S., U.K. and internationally. Current productions include Disneys Beauty and the Beast, Blue Man Group National Tour, Elf The Musical, Flashdance the Musical, The National Theatre of Great Britains production of War Horse, Memphis the Musical and Cameron Mackintoshs spectacular new production of Andrew Lloyd Webbers The Phantom of the Opera.

For more information about We Will Rock You, please visit HennepinTheatreTrust.org or WeWillRockYou.com.

TICKET INFORMATION

Tickets for We Will Rock You are on sale now and start at $49 (subject to change) depending on performance time and seating preference. Tickets may be purchased in person (no service fees) at the State Theatre Box Office (805 Hennepin Ave.), online at HennepinTheatreTrust.org, through Ticketmaster by calling 1.800.982.2787 or by visiting a Ticketmaster Outlet Center. For patron protection and standard prices, Hennepin Theatre Trust strongly recommends purchasing only from authorized ticket outlets. All prices include applicable facility restoration fees. Additional charges may apply. Groups of 10 or more should call 612.373.5665 or contact MinneapolisGroups@broadwayacrossamerica for information and reservations.

Performance dates for We Will Rock you are Tuesday, Nov. 19 through Sunday, Nov. 24.

Performance times are Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday at 7:30 p.m., Friday at 8 p.m., Saturday at 2 and 8 p.m. and Sunday at 1 and 6:30 p.m.

HENNEPIN THEATRE TRUST, owner of the historic Orpheum, State, Pantages and New Century Theatres, is an independent, non-profit organization dedicated to arts-inspired community cultural development. We achieve our mission by presenting a rich mix of live performances, creating inspiring arts education experiences and advancing a thriving Hennepin Avenue Cultural District in downtown Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Trusts activities include presenting Broadway touring productions and the related Broadway Confidential series, concerts, comedy, speakers and other variety entertainment plus educational initiatives including our SpotLight Musical Theatre and SpotLight Critical Reviewer programs for high schools, Teen Ushers, the Access Program and Family Day events.

BROADWAY ACROSS AMERICA (BAA) is a leading Broadway producer and the foremost presenter of first-class touring productions in North America. BAA operates in 40 cities, bringing first-class touring musicals and plays to audiences across the U.S. and Canada, in markets such as Minneapolis, Costa Mesa, Fort Lauderdale, Tempe, Boston and New Orleans. As a producer, current and upcoming productions include Million Dollar Quartet, Pippin, Big Fish, Betrayal, Bullets Over Broadway, Little Miss Sunshine and Bull Durham. BroadwayAcrossAmerica.com

Northwestern Mutual The Columns Resource Group is a proud sponsor of the 2013-14 Broadway Across America-Minneapolis Season

Dale B. Stark | Communications Manager
612.455.9537 | 612.562-5200 cell
Dale.Stark@HennepinTheatreTrust.org
615 Hennepin Avenue, Suite 140 | Minneapolis, MN | 55403
HennepinTheatreTrust.org