Is this the real life? Is this just fantasy?
Caught in a landslide, No escape from reality.
-Lyrics from Queen’s “Bohemian Rhapsody”

In the last two years, the Dallas Summer Musicals has had one of its greatest, most artistically-challenging seasons in many years. This Tony Award-winning theater company, via national tours, has brought a cornucopia of riches to its audiences. Sure, they still bring the crowd pleasing staples such as Wicked and The Lion King, but now they are bringing more and more new musicals, that while not successful on Broadway, have found new life in national tours. For example, DSM’s Executive Director, Michael Jenkins, and his artistic team completely retooled The Little Mermaid which flopped on Broadway. But this new version was such a success that caused so much buzz that Disney executives flew to Dallas to see what everyone was talking about. I was told last night that Disney is now using DSM’s version as the definitive new version of their musical.

But with We Will Rock You, The Musical by QUEEN and Ben Elton (WWRY), a rock musical that has yet to reach Broadway, DSM and Michael Jenkins has brought what I have to scream in my best Steven Tyler rock voice the BEST new musical and national tour I have seen so far this year. It is an artistic vision that has shattered the prison walls of being called a typical “jukebox” musical. It goes so far outside the box, which is a VERY rare achievement in the jukebox musical genre. Now, We Will Rock You’s origins achieve a rare exception when it comes to critical response versus audience response.

The creators of this rock musical went into the music catalogue of one the greatest bands in rock and roll history, Queen. Their lead singer, Freddie Mercury, became the very definition of rock god. Their history in the annuals of rock is legendary, with endless platinum and gold albums and singles, many reaching # 1 all over the world. They were also inducted in the prestigious Rock-n-Roll Hall of Fame.

In 1990, Queen's manager, Jim Beach, approached the band about venturing into the world of musical theater by creating a jukebox musical with their compositions and hit singles. Originally, the story was to be a biographical story of Freddie Mercury, who was still alive at the time. The idea stayed on paper for several years.

Then in 2000, English comedian, author, playwright, actor and director Ben Elton was approached by two of Queen’s original band members, Brian May and Roger Taylor, to create a new book. Sadly by then, Mercury had passed away from complications of AIDS which was one of the greatest losses to rock music. As soon as Elton began to construct a book, The London Times wrote an article with the title "Is Elton going to sell out?" This made Elton ask May and Taylor to not focus the book on fitting Queen’s music around Mercury’s life. It would be like putting square pegs into round holes, and Elton instead wanted to start fresh with an original story that would be wrapped around the spirit of their music. So, all three worked together to balance both book and music into the creation of a stage musical. Elton was also inspired by the sci-fi hit film The Matrix. This factor went into the creation of the book. Fun fact here, both May and Taylor actually loathed musical theater before venturing into it!

The original London production began previews in April 2002, finally opening to the West End critics in May at the Dominion Theatre. The London critics overall hated the musical and spilled their extreme dislike of it in their reviews.

But then something very bizarre occurred - the public completely ignored the reviews. Word of mouth flooded the West End on how much people loved this rock musical. The show became an instant, sold out smash hit! It should be noted that the Dominion Theatre is one of the largest theatrical venues in the West End with 2,163 seats. In August 2005, We Will Rock You became the longest running musical at that venue, surpassing the previous record holder, Grease. As you read this review it is still playing to sold out houses at the Dominion.

Another fun fact. Tony Vincent originated the lead role of Galileo Figaro at the West End. I had seen Vincent’s work on Broadway in Rent (as Roger) and also in the 2000 revival of Jesus Christ Superstar (as Simon Zealots). TV audiences will remember him from the second season of The Voice, where he sang “We Are the Champions”.

Since London, WWRY has mounted several sold out, international tours but, strangely enough, it has never made it to Broadway - yet. There is something else that separates this “jukebox” musical from the others. Like a live rock concert, the creators continue to adjust and change the playlist and the book of the show!

Various International productions have constantly changed both the story and song lineup to cater to what will bring in their target audiences. All the main characters still stay the same but at times their names will change depending on the tour’s production and location.

The creators also change and alter the dialogue to contain many references to popular culture, as well as new lyrics from numerous non-Queen songs and albums inserted into the text. Bookwriter Ben Elton has stated this is done to “to keep the show fresh".

Now finally, this Queen opus has crossed the seas to begin a national tour, which opened here in Dallas Tuesday evening. Just as they had done in the West End and its international tours, Elton has redrafted his original script to resonate with American audiences as well as reflect the cultural changes since he first penned the storyline for this tour.

He stated in an interview that, “Apart from addressing the broader social and technological changes, I also get the chance to update moments of topical humor.” 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, “You’re 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 it’s 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 ‘You’re My Best Friend’ into the show.”

Tribeca Producer Jane Rosenthal stated that, “With Ben’s updates, it’s 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.”

I am a devoted fan of Freddie Mercury and the abundance of rock songs within the canon of Queen’s music, so this theater critic was very excited and extremely curious to see how good this production was (having listened to my London cast recording over and over again).

The creative team kept their word in regards to constantly making the book fresh. Ben Elton has stuffed a never-ending gush of current pop culture references that fly at you right and left, and this works magnificently into the basic framework of the central themes within the book.

WWYR takes place in a future age, on a plant once called Earth, now controlled by a mighty cooperation, Globosoft, whose leader is called the Killer Queen. Individuality is now taboo. Everyone now watches the same movies, wears the same clothes, and thinks the same thoughts. Music is generated by the corporation’s computers; rock music is unheard of and all musical instruments are banned. Those who resist this conformity of becoming cloned “GaGa” kids are a rebellion tribe called the Bohemians. According to the holy texts and historical data they have collected, there is a hero who will find the sacred ax and lead the battle to bring back the power of live rock and individuality to the people.

It is within this story that Elton has a field day of constantly updating the book to keep up with what is going on within the world of pop culture, music, fads, and in the worlds of entertainment. This mash up of an ever-changing book and the wealth of Queen’s music results in an unparalleled artistic success in being a most un-typical jukebox musical. The use of Queen’s lyrics to magically segue into the musical’s numbers is pure finesse. Elton has a background as an actor and standup comic, so the jokes within the book are hysterical gems that pop up and fly at the audience as though you were in the middle of a dodge ball game, and I laughed heartedly all evening long - it takes savvy skill to create a book that has you laughing until your sides hurt. Elton has one of the greatest catalogues of rock music at his disposal, and not only does he use their most famous rock anthems, but also the lesser known, still masterfully-crafted compositions. And here’s where Elton and the surviving members of Queen have achieved what so few jukebox musicals have. The songs seamlessly fit into the book like a Freddie Mercury leather jacket. Several of the classic songs sound like they are actually composed for this musical. Many jukebox musicals become like zombies from AMC’s The Walking Dead, moaning and dragging along, looking for something artistic life to bite into. Not WWRY! I am consistently impressed how this book and some of rock’s greatest hits gel together so flawlessly. And I warn you, stretch before you arrive, because you’re sides will hurt from laughing so hard.

As aforementioned, the creators have gone back to the Queen canon of music and picked new songs that are not in the West End version, or dropped songs used in other productions. The Killer Queen had the song “Playing the Game” in Act One that has been cut. She also had another song in Act Two, “Don’t Stop Me Now”, that is not in this tour. But don’t you fret because there is a banquet buffet laid out before you from the music of Queen.

Normally, the orchestra is not acknowledged in reviews, but for this production they not only deserve to be mentioned but also should be rewarded more than the usual cast hand gesture to the band as most shows do. The creative team smartly realized this in that the band is given their own curtain call (coming down from the catwalk where they are placed high above the stage). To recreate the earth-shattering, palpitating, dirty, nasty, raw, erotic, balls-to-the-wall, rock and roll glory that is Queen, you need a kickass, rock n’ roll band, and that is exactly what this magnificent rock band achieves. From the slick, eardrum explosion of guitar licks to the heart-thumping drums, each band member brings Queen’s music to such pulsating, powerful life. They are NOT by any means a tribute band; these musicians are some of the finest artists to ever play at the Music Hall. Musically directed by Maestro Rick Hip-Flores, the band consists of Brandon Ethridge (Assistant Conductor/Keyboards), Emily Marshall (Keyboards), Tristan Avakian and Bob Wegner (Guitar), Mike Cohen (Bass), David Stevens (Percussion), and Danny Young (Drums). When they took their curtain call, the audience screamed their admiration for this band, and they deserved it!

The cast of WWRY has drawn the line in the sand on how to put your blood, sweat, and tears into a show and leave on the stage for the audience to savor. This cast is one of the most astounding companies that has EVER performed in a national tour, and that includes the Winspear and Bass Hall. This is one of the most challenging scores to sing, being full throttle rock and roll. This is not pretty, Broadway standards but heart pounding rock! And from the ensemble to the leads, they sing like rock gods and goddesses!

The ensemble executes the choreography by Arlene Phillips with meticulously success. I am a big admirer of Phillips’ work ever since I saw Saturday Night Fever on Broadway. Her choreography is very athletic, with lots of isolation and specific placement of bodies, arms, legs, and even fingers. The choreography is out of this world amazing to watch and the ensemble executes her work with dazzling results. What impresses me most is how each ensemble member creates unique characters. Instead of meshing into one generic, cookie cutter characterization, each has a fully-fleshed out character. They may not have any dialogue, but their acting, singing and dancing brings out their individuality, especially when they were the Bohemians. This ensemble goes from robotic mannequins of GaGa world to the Killer Queen’s police army to the Bohemians, and they make each one their own. I kept my eyes on them a lot to see how they reacted or how they responded to the story and music. They are always in the moment right along with the principals. And they sing with electrifying rock voices. The ensemble is also chockfull of very sexy men and women. It was like sitting at a Versace casting call for models when they appeared on stage! This peerless ensemble are Danny Balkwill, Bentley Black, Gustavo Victor Carr, Jessica Crouch, Saccha Dennis, Suzanna Dupree, Daniel Greenberg, Nathan Keen, William Joseph Lewis, Brooke Morrison, Jennifer Mote, Jennifer Noble, Fred Odgaard, Stephanie Sy, Patrick Ortiz, and Kasey Walker.

Same goes for the supporting performances. P.J. Griffith portrays Khashoggi, the Killer Queen’s commander of her secret Globosoft police. Physically, his blonde hair and chiseled features reminds you of Max Headroom. It’s very clear that Griffith is having a blast playing this dark villain. I particularly like how he uses his body to serve as physical subtext to his characterization. He leans, arches his back, stretches across the stage with his arms, or exits with a sinister swagger. His facial expressions show great insight into his evil ways and devotion (and fear) of the Killer Queen. Griffith also does a fantastic vocal attack on the song “Seven Seas of Rhye”.

As Nigel (Stanley Tucci), in the film The Devil Wears Prada, said, “Gird your loins!” when Jacqueline B. Arnold as the Killer Queen makes her first entrance on a set piece that actually made me gasp by how gorgeous it looks. The Killer Queen was first in a video game but was able to leap out of the game to become the menacing and barbarous leader of Globosoft. The Killer Queen is searching for this “bright star” that will show the world the place of living rock and roll, and where instruments are hidden. The Bohemians believe in this prophecy and she wants this mortal put to death.

Arnold is a tall, ebony goddess who would make mere mortal men fall at her feet, forgetting their “safe” word to please her. Her makeup design is painted to RuPaul fierceness, down to the glitter eyelashes. Arnold also gets to wear some of the most outlandish, out-of-this-world costumes, all made of leather then studded with metal embellishments and jewels. She also has to walk and saunter in death-defying pumps! To complete the look, her copper-colored wig with hues of red is coiffed into a massive beehive/Mohawk. Arnold commands the stage like a ball breaking warrior. She has a soaring soprano voice that brings classic Queen hits like “Killer Queen” and “Now I’m Here” to robust life. But her best numbers by far are “Fat Bottomed Girls”, and “Another One Bites the Dust”. She devours those lyrics and then goes into vocal riffs that make these well-known songs her own. The staging, choreography, scenic design, video graphics, lighting design, and costumes for those two numbers will blow your mind! Arnold provides a first-rate performance as a cold-blooded villain.

Jared Zirilli and Erick Peck portray the Bohemian love couple, Brit and Oz. They love each other and attack each other physically like a scene straight out of the film Body Heat. Their chemistry is marvelous to watch on stage; they play off each other with stellar results. Peck is Brit’s hot girlfriend, Oz (in the West End version the character is named Meat). Physically, Peck is a va-va-voom blonde with a primo set of vocal pipes! Her soprano voice has the rock overtones of Pat Benatar, and she does a transcendent vocal job with her best solo, the hit song “No One But You”.

Zirilli is one of the two scene stealers of the evening. He portrays Oz’s hunk of a boyfriend, Brit. Costumed in a concoction of part caveman, part rocker and part Braveheart, Brit is a Bohemian who strongly believes in the prophecy. Zirilli will have you guffawing in the aisles from laughing so hard with his hilarious characterization. He is a very buffed up, muscle-stud physically that had women in the audience squealing with delight. Zirilli does a physical karate routine that had me wiping tears off my face from laughing. This inimitable actor keenly uses his muscular body and facial expressions to wring out the best possible laughs he could achieve- his comedic talents are some of the best of entire evening. He would say a great comic zinger then add a facial expression that resulted in even louder laughs. Zirilli has a hearty, baritone voice that flows within his solos like a shimmering ocean in such songs as “I Want it All”, “Headlong”, and the great Queen hit, “Crazy Little Thing Called Love”. To complete the package of this consummate actor is his stage presence. He just has to stand there and react and your eyes dart back to him just to see what his reactions are. He is a major highlight of the evening with his stupefying and fascinating performance.

The other scene-stealing performance belongs to Ryan Knowles as Buddy, the Bohemian who knows all the history, artifacts, text and knowledge of the prophecy. Knowles is a tall, lanky, handsome actor with Jared Leto long hair. This actor has that very special gift in the workings of comedy, and steals every scene he is in with his artistry. I always say that the art of comedy cannot be taught, you are simply born with it. In musical theater, you need to dissect the book and lyrics beat for beat to discover the best possible laugh in every line, not just the punch lines. Comedic subtext is so hard to find but Knowles has no problem whatsoever. He knows where to nail the comedy over and over again; just the way he would say the word “rock” had the audience roar in laughter. His character Buddy butchers so many words that no one hears anymore like video tape and Harley Davidson. Then there are his facial expressions. Ohmigod, I thought I was going to have to go rush to the men’s room because he made me laugh so much. His face is like a human etch-a-sketch come to life! He uses every part of his face to get the laughs then makes that image completely disappear to create a whole new facial expression in a split second, giving endless levels to his comedy. You finally get to hear Knowles sing with his Act Two solo, “These are the Days of Our Lives”. Knowles speaks in a deep, Barry White bass voice, but when he sings, a high, glorious tenor voice pours out! I actually heard several audience members gasp in surprise when he began to sing. Knowles gives an imposing, magnanimous performance as Buddy.

When you see We Will Rock You, in the near future you can say, “OMG! I saw Brian Justin Crum and Ruby Lewis when they were in WWRY!”, because I predict these two performers will be become major stars and household names in the very near feature. The two leads of this rock oeuvre, Crum portrays Galileo and Lewis is Scaramouche. Both have that very – and I mean VERY – rare talent that surpasses way beyond what you think you have seen onstage before. Crum and Lewis remind us why the art form of live theater is the greatest creation of man when it comes to the arts. What these two achieve in this musical will blow your freaking mind to smithereens!

Galileo (Crum) just graduated from Globosoft but he doesn’t want to generate manufactured, auto tune music. He keeps having dreams, and an endless stream of words and lines fill his cranium to the point of self-exploding. He cannot figure them out, but burning deep in his soul feels there is something out there. He wants to be an individual, not confirm to become a generic Ga-Ga boy. Scaramouche (Lewis) is a Goth girl who refuses to dress in pastels and just be a carbon copy, pretty girl like the others. She too wants to be her own person. Soon our two rebels meet, and their love slowly blooms. As they say, the rest is rock musical history.

Crum and Lewis’s chemistry is like hot lava oozing all over the Music Hall stage. They burn with erotic intensity and their romance is sincerely believed. They are always in the moment with each other. Then there’s their comedy style. I have seen so few romantic leads have matching, flawless comedic chemistry; usually one outshines the other, but not here. Both match each other scene for scene with their comedy. This resulted in both of them providing some of the best and loudest laughs of the night. It has been a long time since I’ve seen two principals have the perfect trifecta of comedy, romance, and even drama that Crum and Lewis have here.

Lewis is a ravishing beauty with alluring eyes that remind me of Elizabeth Taylor, and a face that would make Helen of Troy throw in the towel and say, “Never mind, turn the boat around, I ain’t competing with her!” Don’t let Lewis’s tiny, lithe body fool you. With her first song, “Somebody to Love”, this girl sings with a set of power-filled lungs that astounded the audience Tuesday evening. She is able to glide and transgress on the scales of this composition with such crystal clear finesse and ease, and not a single crack. And then her belt! Only two other stars I’ve seen who sang in rock/pop musicals have that kind of unbelievable, spectacular belt - Heather Headley in Aida and Idina Menzel in Rent and Wicked. You can add Ruby Lewis to that list now. When she finished that song, the audience exploded into ear popping cheers and screams that reverberated the walls of the Music Hall. Song after song, Lewis kept me in disbelief as to her remarkable talent. But this girl doesn’t stop here; her comedic talents match the brilliance of her co-stars Crum, Knowles, and Zirilli. This girl holds her own and even shows up the boys in some scenes. She hits the comedic bull’s eye dead center every single time. Lewis is stupendous in this production.

Brian Justin Crum has the toughest burden on his shoulders. He has to sing the music originated by one of the true gods of rock and roll, Freddie Mercury. Mercury was a force of nature, both as a singer and an artist, on how to interpret the lyric. He was one of the last great, true, rock stars, and one the rock world sorely lacks today. He left a great void. So Crum surely knew he had one of the most artistically challenging roles of his career. The great news is that he achieves phenomenal success in his performance.

Crum has chiseled, pretty boy, facial features and wears a tight, black T-shirt that shows off his muscular body. He has Hollywood, heartthrob looks that would tick off Channing Tatum. I state all that because it greatly plays into the character Crum portrays. He is the prophecy. He is supposed to be the bright star, a rock god, the leader to bring down the Killer Queen and bring back live rock. So you can’t have just any actor play that role. You need someone physically like Crum.

Crum has dynamic stage presence so rarely found nowadays; a stage presence that forces the audience to constantly observe the second the stage lights hit him. His talents are endless. First he has the best diction within the cast; both in lyrics and book I understood everything he said. His approach to the comedy, as Galileo, cannot be like Knowles and Zirilli, whose characters are allowed to be more outlandish. So instead, Crum takes a different path to palatial, comedic success. His facial expressions are priceless. Even when he merely reacts to others onstage, he has the audience in fits of laughter. His timing and delivery break through the glass that encases most romantic leads from really shining comedically.

But then there is his singing voice. OHMIGOD! Yes, in caps! Be careful not to trip over all the jaws that drop in the audience when his spine-tingling, tenor rock voice explodes onstage. Only one other Broadway star comes to mind that has that kind of tenor rock voice, Adam Pascal in Rent. Crum’s octave range alone leaves your flabbergasted, but when he sings “Bohemian Rhapsody”, he starts on what has to be a high A but then goes up three more octaves with full belt as the song progresses. Who on EARTH can do that? Each time he sings, it is hair-raising, mind-boggling, intoxicating, spectacular, vocals that pour out of this actor. Some songs call for him to sustain and belt an impossibly high tenor note over lip-smacking guitar licks and pounding drums for what seems to be endless measures - and he does it! OMG does he ever! The audience went into a frenzy when he sang. And wait till you hear him sing “We Are the Champions”. I woke up with a sore throat today because along with the audience, I was screaming full throttle after he finished singing those two numbers!

Crum gives a tour de force, star-making performance. I get a great sense that Freddie Mercury is smiling high above, and must be very pleased that Crum does a sensational job with his music. He would be very proud of him.

Crum and Lewis have an array of great songs that they sing as duets that are not only show stoppers but the best numbers of the evening. Some of these include “I Want to Break Free”, “Under Pressure”, “You’re My Best Friend”, “Who Wants to Live Forever”, and “Hammer to Fall”.

The design elements for this musical will BLOW YOUR MIND! Again, yes in caps! The lighting design by Willie Williams is the most elaborate, marvelous and stunning design that I have EVER seen at the Music Hall. It is sheer glam rock and roll heaven! There are hundreds of LED units, gobos, and moving lighting instruments strewn all around the stage (with two massive mirror balls on the floor!). Every color imaginable is used here. There must be hundreds of lighting cues. Every single number has a dizzy array of color, scope and design that is extravagant and breathtaking all at once. The exhilarating lighting design will simply astound you. Williams and Production Designer Mark Fisher did the video projections and video design to complete this artistic vision. The projections are intoxicating from the first scene to the last. Rich in color and finely detailed, Williams’ lighting design is sumptuous and transcendent. You will throw your arms up in the air and do the infamous rock hand gesture because of his talented work!

Fisher also did the production design. Talk about multi-tasking here! The sets that come from the wings or fly in are perfection. From the exquisite throne for the Killer Queen to the Hard Rock cafe where the Bohemians live, he designed them to match Williams’ lighting and their video projections superbly.

Tim Goodchild’s costumes are a designer’s dream! To create futuristic costumes has to be a blast as there are no boundaries. From the Tron-like costumes of the Killer Queen’s army, to the Ga-Ga kids white puffy outfits, to the very detailed costumes of the Bohemians, Goodchild brings in every iconic costume from the legends of music to create his majestic costume designs. The Killer Queen’s costumes are my personal favorites of the production.

My only negative comment of this production was that, during the reviewed performance, the band at times overpowered the vocals. There were moments when I could not hear the soloists at all. Also, the body mics for the ensemble needed to be drastically pumped up. They have such great voices but their volume levels were set too low.

We Will Rock You is pure rock and roll. It completely avoids the “paint by number” jukebox musical format. And it has a great message, that we are a society that is losing human contact. This is so very true; everything today is tweet, text, Facebook, Instagram, and other social media outlets. I mean everyone went hog crazy re-tweeting that Ellen Oscar photo! Much of today’s music is auto tuned and factory made for the masses. Where’s the human connection? Soul to soul? Heart to heart? Are we a soulless, lonely, electronic society? Those are the questions raised in this musical.

At Tuesday’s performance someone screamed, “I love you Freddie Mercury!” While another patron screamed, “Long live rock!” when the lights came down. This audience was ready for rock, and they got it BIG TIME! This is not a show for those Rogers & Hammerstein folks. This is for lovers of rock and roll, and especially the music of Queen. I am a big fan of all genres of musical theater, but man, I live for heart-pounding, loud rock music! And then to add Queen’s history-making music – well, what more can you ask?

I’ve reviewed so many jukebox musicals; some succeed but so many don’t. We Will Rock You The Musical by QUEEN and Ben Elton shatters the definition of that musical genre. I can see why this is such a major hit in London, still running in its twelfth year, and with all those international tours. It is one of the most original, pulchritudinous, grandiose and splendiferous musicals I have seen. This is the MUST SEE production in Dallas right now!! It will blow your mind and senses, the way rock and roll is supposed to do!

WE WILL ROCK YOU, The Musical by QUEEN and Ben Elton (National Tour)
Dallas Summer Musicals
The Music Hall at Fair Park
909 1st Avenue
Dallas, TX 75210

****LIMITED RUN through March 16th

Tuesday – Sunday at 7:30 pm, and Saturday/Sunday at 1:30 pm. Additional performance on Thursday, March 13th at 1:30 pm. There is no evening performance on Sunday, March 16th.

Tickets are priced from $15.00-$85.00, depending on the day and seating. There is a $6.25+ service fee added.

For information and to purchase tickets go to http://www.dallassummermusicals.org or http://www.ticketmaster.com. You may also purchase tickets at The Box Office, 5959 Royal Lane, #542 in Preston Royal Shopping Center, or all Ticketmaster outlets. Groups of ten or more to the musical get a 15% discount and priority seating. Please call 214-426-GROUP (4768) or email them at groups@dallassummermusicals.org. Mini Packs for any four or more DSM season shows, starting as low as $61, are also on sale at The Box Office, 5959 Royal Lane #542 at Preston Royal Shopping Center, or at http://www.ticketmaster.com.