Tickets on sale now for ELTON JOHN & TIM RICE'S AIDA at the Iowa State Center

Iowa State Center Event Announces ELTON JOHN & TIM RICE'S AIDA, THE TIMELESS LOVE STORY
Ames Debut with Limited Engagement beginning September 22. TICKETS ON SALE NOW!

"AIDA is not opera. It's truly a pop musical with spoken dialogue and all kinds of recognizable song types: urban-based rhythm and blues, gospel inspired songs, ballads and, of course, Crocodile Rock songs." - Elton John
The freshly conceived North American tour of Elton John & Tim Rice's award-winning timeless love story will make its Ames premiere at Stephens Auditorium beginning September 22 for two performances only. AIDA, with a story based on the tale originally told in the classic Verdi opera, is a new musical with Elton John's modern pop score.

Winner of four 2000 Tony® Awards, Elton John and Tim Rice's AIDA is a musical bursting with contemporary energy chronicling the love triangle between Aida, a Nubian princess stolen from her country, Amneris, an Egyptian princess, and Radames, the soldier they both love. AIDA is an epic tale of love, loyalty and betrayal with an exhilarating Tony® and Grammy® Award-winning score by Elton John and Tim Rice, their first collaboration since writing the music for the worldwide phenomenon, The Lion King.

Elton John & Tim Rice's AIDA features music by Elton John, lyrics by Tim Rice, and book by Linda Woolverton, Robert Falls, and David Henry Hwang. AIDA was originally directed by Robert Falls and produced by Disney Theatrical Productions. Big League Theatricals, Inc. has conceived and developed this new touring production. Staging is by T.J. Young and choreography is by Sarita Allen. Design team for the new production includes Neil Patel (scenery), Emilio Sosa (costumes) and Charlie Morrison (lighting).

"Aida is filled with glorious pop anthems" raves the Detroit Free Press, while USA Today praises Elton John & Tim Rice's AIDA's "crowd-pleasing score," and The Star Ledger proclaims, "Elton John's high-energy theater score swoons with romance."

The score for Elton John & Tim Rice's AIDA was hailed by Time Magazine as "filled with luscious melodies and soulful lyrics." The show produced a number of hit songs including "Written in the Stars" (recorded by Elton John and LeAnn Rimes, which hit #2 on Billboard's AC charts in 1999), "Easy as Life" (recorded by Tina Turner and also as a dance remix by Deborah Cox that hit #24 on the US Dance charts in 2004), "Elaborate Lives," "My Strongest Suit" and "The Gods Love Nubia."

The original production had its world premiere (as "Elaborate Lives: The Legend of Aida") in September, 1998. A new, revised production opened in December 1999 at the Cadillac Palace in Chicago. The Broadway production, named Elton John & Tim Rice's AIDA, opened at the Palace Theatre on March 23, 2000 and ran for a total of 1,852 performances, making it one of the longest running shows in Broadway history, generating a successful national tour and several international productions. Big League Theatricals, by special permission of Disney Theatrical Productions, acquired the rights to create this fresh, new touring production of Elton John & Tim Rice's AIDA.

Elton John & Tim Rice's AIDA at Stephens Auditorium on Sept. 22-23 at 7:30 p.m.

Tickets range in price from $44.50 to $21.50 and are on sale now at:
… IOWA STATE CENTER TICKET OFFICE (north entrance of Stephens Auditorium at the corner of Lincoln Way and Beach Ave., Monday - Friday, 10 a.m.- 6 p.m.)
… ALL TICKETMASTER CENTERS (convenience surcharges apply)
… CHARGE BY PHONE: 515-233-1888 (Ames), 515-243-1888 (Des Moines), 319-363-1888 (Cedar Rapids), 563-326-1111 (Quad Cities), 402-422-1212 (Omaha, NE)
… ONLINE: http://www.ticketmaster.com
Group discounts for 15 or more are available by calling Heather Berg at 515-294-3569.

FOR INFORMATION, CALL THE IOWA STATE CENTER AT 515-294-3347 OR Toll Free at 1-877-843-2368. Detailed schedules, prices and show web site links are available at www.center.iastate.edu