Music
We Will Rock You cast announcement!
The cast for We Will Rock You has just been announced and we are now even more excited about this epic Queen musical!
Aussie rocker and all-round funny guy, Brian Mannix, will take on the role of Buddy, with vocal powerhouse Casey Donovan announced to play the part of Killer Queen.
We Will Rock You will open at Sydney’s Lyric Theatre on April 28 and at Melbourne’s Regent Theatre on August 30. Click here to purchase tickets now.
Brian Mannix is best known for his time with 1980s band The Uncanny X-Men, but he is also remembered for his hilarious appearances on popular ABC television show Spicks & Specks. Mannix is a talented singer and musician and he is perfectly cast as Buddy in We Will Rock You.
Bringing Killer Queen to life is Australian Idol favourite Casey Donovan. Her booming voice and stage presence make her the perfect choice for this character. Casey Donovan has a lot of experience in musical theatre including major roles in The Sapphires and Flowerchildren – The Mamas & the Papas Story.
Other lead performers include Gareth Keegan, who will play Galileo, Erin Clare, portraying Scaramouche, Thern Reynolds as Brit, Jaz Flowers as Oz and Simon Russell, who will take on the role of Khashoggi.
The lead performers will join a very talented ensemble cast to bring to life the music of legendary rock band Queen. We Will Rock You is a world-wide smash hit and is the brainchild of Queen members as well as comedian and writer Ben Elton.
More than 15 million people have witnessed We Will Rock You with the musical playing in 17 different countries. The musical is a high-energy explosion which is punctuated by 24 of Queen’s unforgettable hits such as Radio Ga Ga, I Want To Break Free, Bohemian Rhapsody, Another One Bites the Dust and We are the Champions.
To celebrate the amazing music of We Will Rock You and Queen, we have put together a list of our 10 favourite songs by the incredible band that comprised Freddie Mercury, Brian May, Roger Taylor and John Deacon. We hope you enjoy it!
I Want to Break Free
I Want to Break Free was a worldwide smash hit in the mid-80s. The song is great, but the music video is absolutely brilliant with all members of the band dressed in women’s clothes. Have a look for yourself!
Crazy Little Thing Called Love
Crazy Little Thing Called Love was one of Queen’s biggest hits, charting in the top 10 of multiple countries and taking our top spot in Australia, USA and the Netherlands. It’s an absolute classic, check it out.
You’re My Best Friend
This track was written by Queen’s bass guitarist, John Deacon, for his wife. It is a really beautiful love song, but has a far more upbeat pop rhythm as opposed to your classic love ballad.
Killer Queen
For most Australians, Killer Queen was the song that introduced Queen to the mainstream. The song charted at number 24 on our charts in 1974 and the band barely left the charts for the 20 years following.
Radio Gaga
If you haven’t seen a clip of Freddie Mercury performing Radio Gaga you haven’t lived. The song was a clear standout at Live Aid in 1985 with Mercury getting the entire crowd to chant and dance along with him. The song is an absolute icon – have a look for yourself.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5xXny7VDjpY
Another One Bites the Dust
For some reason this song just reminds me of the 1990s television show Gladiators. The song was blasted at the losing competitor with the entire audience singing along mockingly. Not sure if that was Queen’s ultimate goal for the track, but listen below and enjoy.
Don’t Stop Me Now
This song was recently identified as the top feel-good song of the past 50 years. A neuroscientist found Don’t Stop Me Now induced a happy feeling and lifted the moods of all who listened to it. How he worked all that out is anyone’s guess, but we think it’s a damn good song and just love listening to it.
We Are the Champions
This song is synonymous with sport and sports movies (Mighty Ducks anyone?). The power ballad is primarily built around Mercury’s piano part, but May’s guitar adds drama. The song is extremely challenging vocally, but nothing is too hard for the legendary Mercury, who makes it sound positively effortless.
We Will Rock You
The namesake of the musical is a rock anthem that just gets the blood pumping. The heavy clap/stamp beat is instantly recognisable and the 30 second Brian May guitar solo is one of the most iconic riffs in rock.
Bohemian Rhapsody
Bohemian Rhapsody is one of those epic rock songs that you know will be loved by every generation for years to come. Everyone knows all the words – well at least we think we do – and we are all very quick to belt this out at every decent party (because who has a party and doesn’t play this song!?). The song and clip speak for themselves. Enjoy!
We Will Rock You will open at Sydney’s Lyric Theatre on April 28 and at Melbourne’s Regent Theatre on August 30. Click here to purchase tickets now.
