We Will Rock You heads to Wales

Following the huge success of the 2009 UK tour of the smash hit Queen and Ben Elton musical, We Will Rock You, comes the announcement that the show is heading to Wales for the first time ever in 2011, with a cast featuring Welshmen Noel Sullivan and Rhydian Roberts.

The production is coming to Wales Millennium Centre from 18 March to 10 April 2011 for a rocking three-week run before continuing its tour around the UK.

The cast for Wales features former Hear’Say member and Cardiff-born Noel Sullivan, who has recently been making an impression on West End audiences as Danny in ‘Grease’. He will be playing the part of ‘Galileo’, the nervous boy who must become a bohemian hero to help save the future of rock music.

Alongside Noel is Rhydian Roberts, who rose to fame after the X Factor and will perform the role of ‘Khashoggi’, the Chief of the Secret Police who answers to Killer Queen’s every command. Former Brookside star Leon Lopez heads up the bohemians as their leader ‘Britney.’

Speaking about the tour Noel said: ‘I am really excited to be taking up this fantastic role in We Will Rock You. To get the opportunity to sing such hit Queen songs in my home town of Cardiff is what dreams are made off. I can’t wait to perform the show in Wales.

Rhydian was also looking forward to be part of the show commenting: ‘I am delighted to be part of the upcoming We Will Rock You tour, which is especially thrilling for me as I will be part of it for the first time as it visits Wales. I can’t wait to perform in front of a home crowd and beyond.’

On announcing the new tour, Queen’s Brian May said: ‘The touring production of We Will Rock You has taken our show to new places in more ways than one. The London show thunders on, and continues to delight audiences, but the touring cast and band have brought a new interpretation and style all of their own. It’s a tonic.’

Last year’s UK tour of the acclaimed production visited six cities starting in March 2009 and coming to an end in style at Dublin’s O2 Arena at the end of January 2010. The tour sold over half a million tickets, setting and smashing box office records. The London production of the show is now in its ninth year, it is the longest running musical ever staged at the West End’s Dominion Theatre and is now booking until October 2010. The musical has so far been seen by more than 11 million people in 17 countries and is also due to open in Utrecht (Netherlands), Stockholm (Sweden) and Berlin (Germany) this year.

The production is directed by Ben Elton, with Queen’s Brian May and Roger Taylor as music supervisors, Arlene Phillips oversees the musical staging and choreography.

Producer Phil McIntyre says: ‘We are looking forward to taking this true rock extravaganza out on the road again. We had standing ovations night after night around the UK last year and we can’t wait to see that happen again.’