Queen's We Will Rock You to Make U.S. Debut in Fall 2004

By Andrew Gans
February 24, 2004

We Will Rock You — the rock musical featuring 25 Queen hits — will make its U.S. debut in September 2004.

Variety reports that the musical, which debuted at London's Dominion Theatre in May 2002, will play Paris Las Vegas. With an official opening night scheduled for Sept. 8, We Will Rock You will be presented at the 1,450-seat Paris Theatre des Arts. Playwright Ben Elton will direct the Las Vegas mounting with production design by Mark Fisher.

We Will Rock You uses songs from the Queen catalogue to tell the story of a "rebel band fighting in a futuristic world where musical instruments are outlawed." About the musical's Las Vegas premiere, co producer Jane Rosenthal told the industry paper, "This doesn't preclude us from opening in any other city. There has been a definite question of whether to come to New York, and we [studied] the challenge of opening in New York. We wouldn't rule out any opportunity [down the road]."

Among the Queen hits heard in We Will Rock You are "Bohemian Rhapsody," "We Are the Champions," "Another One Bites the Dust" and "Crazy Little Thing Called Love." To date, the musical has grossed over $75 million in London. The blockbuster will also open in the fall in Sydney, Moscow and Cologne.