"We Will Rock You," the rock musical based on the works of Queen that has been a hit in London for almost two years, will make its U.S. debut at Paris Las Vegas.
Opening night is Sept. 8.
Tuner will be produced in association with Tribeca Theatrical Prods. co-founders Robert De Niro and Jane Rosenthal and Queen guitarist Brian May and drummer Roger Taylor. Original U.K. producer Phil McIntyre also is involved.
Show will be presented in the Paris Theatre des Arts, the hotel's 1,450-seat venue. Playwright Ben Elton will adapt and direct the Las Vegas production. Mark Fisher, who has designed shows for Pink Floyd, the Rolling Stones and U2, among others, is the production designer.
Show has been altered technically in Melbourne, Australia, where it has played more than 100 perfs, and in Madrid, where it recently opened. The Vegas show will get elements that put it in line with other, technologically advanced shows in the city.
"The economic indicators and the demographics of the audience" drove the decision to open in Las Vegas, Rosenthal told
Daily Variety. "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.
Gill Theatrical Management, which is managing "Mamma Mia!" at Mandalay Bay, is general manager for the Vegas production of "We Will Rock You." Sandy Climan, president of Entertainment Media Ventures, assembled the deal for Caesars Entertainment.
Producers put out a casting call Friday in New York, Los Angeles and Las Vegas. Show will be done with a single cast and alternates.
Twenty-five Queen hits, including "Bohemian Rhapsody," "We Are the Champions," "Another One Bites the Dust" and "Crazy Little Thing Called Love," are included in the tuner, which has grossed $75 million in London. Story concerns a rebel band fighting in a futuristic world where musical instruments are outlawed.
Idea for the show began almost 10 years ago when Rosenthal's attempt to purchase the rights to the life story of Queen's late lead singer Freddie Mercury were rebuffed by his bandmates. They said, however, that they were interested in mounting a musical or a play.
"We Will Rock You" will open in Sydney, Moscow and Cologne in the fall.
Contact the Variety newsroom at
news@variety.com