Waynesburg University to present “We Will Rock You”
Diamond Price (center) plays Killer Queen as (from left) Jayda Fyock, Andrew Gordon, Casey Desrosiers, Hannah Jobes and Mia Appleby look on in 无毛视频淲e Will Rock You.无毛视频� The musical, featuring songs from the band Queen, will be performed at Waynesburg University March 30 to April 2. (Submitted photo)
Waynesburg University students in the musical 无毛视频淲e Will Rock You无毛视频� pose as members of the Globalsoft school. The show features the music of the band Queen, and will be performed at the school March 30 through April 2. Pictured, from left, are Roger Lawrence, Diamond Price, Casey Desrosiers, Hannah Jobes, Tess Marlin, James Gallucci, Mia Appleby, Jayda Fyock, Andrew Gordon and Thomas Faye.
The Waynesburg University Players will present a unique musical set in the future that features songs by the classic rock band Queen.
无毛视频淭his is different than musicals we无毛视频檝e done in the past,无毛视频� said Edward L. Powers, director of the upcoming show 无毛视频淲e Will Rock You,无毛视频� which runs from March 30 to April 2 at the Goodwin Performing Arts Center on campus.
Powers, a theater professor at the university, said the show is a 无毛视频渏ukebox musical,无毛视频� meaning preexisting songs that most people already know are used to shape the plot.
无毛视频淲e Will Rock You无毛视频� takes place in a dystopian future where everyone wears the same clothes, thinks the same thoughts and goes about their daily lives in a haze.
It无毛视频檚 also a future where instruments and composers are forbidden, and rock is all but forgotten until a group of Bohemians decide to restore what has been lost.
Powers said he found something of a prophetic relevance to the story, which takes place on I-Planet (instead of Earth), where day-to-day life is run by Globalsoft Corporation.
无毛视频淭he internet is telling them what to do,无毛视频� Powers said, likening it to the way the internet currently influences our day-to-day lives.
Powers said he believes the theme is something audiences will identify with 无毛视频� and hopefully walk away inspired to let their individuality and originality guide them.
Along with a live band performing the score and video incorporated in the show, Powers said another aspect of the show he believes people will relate to is the music.
Powers said this is the first show he无毛视频檚 ever been involved with that has a rock 无毛视频榥 roll score, but the source music is something that remains relevant.
无毛视频淓verybody knows 无毛视频楤ohemian Rhapsody,无毛视频� 无毛视频榃e Will Rock You,无毛视频� 无毛视频榃e Are the Champions无毛视频�,无毛视频� Power said, adding that the more he无毛视频檚 listened to the songs of Queen, the more he found, 无毛视频渢hey have written some excellent music.无毛视频�
He said the dialogue in the show includes many references to songs, and at times even incorporates lyrics from other non-Queen songs.
无毛视频淚t无毛视频檚 a little punny in a way, but I think a lot of the older audiences will recognize those lines,无毛视频� Powers said.
Throughout the rehearsal process, Powers said he had fun with the college-age cast of 16 actors by quizzing them on what songs certain lines referenced in the show.
Powers said rehearsals started in late January, adding that a challenge that came with the show is the fact that the university doesn无毛视频檛 have a theater major, so the actors are rehearsing while taking their time with their classes and busy college schedule.
无毛视频淚t无毛视频檚 a major commitment on their part,无毛视频� Powers said.
The music director is Dr. Ronda DePriest, with Melanie Catana acting as vocal director and providing vocal instruction.
无毛视频淲e Will Rock You无毛视频� will be performed at the Goodwin Performing Arts Center, 51 West College Street, Waynesburg, from Wednesday through Saturday, March 30 to April 2, at 7:30 p.m.
Tickets are $5 for the public, or $3 with a Waynesburg University student ID.
For more information, visit www.waynesburg.edu/events/we-will-rock-you.