Ohio State Theatre Presents AIDA, 11/18-21

Ohio State Theatre returns to the Southern to present the Tony Award-winning, pop-rock musical Aida, with music by Elton John, lyrics by Tim Rice, and direction by Jimmy Bohr. Based on the book by Linda Woolverton, Robert Falls, and David Henry Hwang, this contemporary take on a classic love story tells the tale of a forbidden love between an enslaved Nubian princess and an Egyptian soldier forced to face death or part forever. Together, they set a shining example of true devotion that ultimately transcends the vast cultural differences between their warring nations, heralding a time of unprecedented peace and prosperity.
 
CAPA and The Ohio State University Department of Theatre present Aida at the Southern Theatre (21 E. Main St.) on November 18-21. Show times are Thursday, November 18, 8pm;
Friday, November 19, 11am and 8pm (11am show is general admission); Saturday, November 20, 3pm and 8pm; and Sunday, November 21, 3pm.
 
Tickets are $20-$30 ($11.50 for 11/19 performance only) at the Ohio Theatre Ticket Office (39 E. State St.), all Ticketmaster outlets, and www.ticketmaster.com. To purchase tickets by phone, please call (614) 469-0939 or (800) 745-3000. A $5 discount is available for OSU students, faculty, and Alumni Association members with a valid ID, as well as seniors. The Southern Theatre Ticket Office will open two hours prior to the performance. Students between the ages of 13-19 may purchase $5 High Five tickets while available.
 
Aida is a two-act musical based on Giuseppe Verdi's Italian-language opera by the same name. The musical originated from a children's storybook version of the opera written by soprano Leontyne Price. Disney studios acquired the rights for a proposed animated feature film, but the film was shelved, and the material evolved into a stage version. After productions in Atlanta and Chicago, the musical premiered on Broadway on March 23, 2000, and closed on September 4, 2004, after 1,852 performances and 30 previews. The production earned four Tony Awards- Best Original Musical Score (Elton John, Tim Rice), Best Actress in a Musical (Heather Headley), Best Scenic Design (Bob Crowley), and Best Lighting Design (Natasha Katz).
 
Radames will be played by Alex Boyles, a graduate student in the MFA acting program at The Ohio State University. Previous OSU credits include Palmer Park (Martin), Men In White (Dr. Ferguson), Three Sisters (Andrei), and Talk to Me Like the Rain ... And Let Me Listen (Man). He received his BA in Theatre - Performance/Directing from CSU Long Beach.
 
Aida will be played by Keyona Willis who is working towards her DMA at The Ohio State University. Willis recently performed in Faramondo (Adolfo), Le nozze di Figaro (Countess), The Threepenny Opera (Polly), Tintypes (Susannah), The Medium (Monica), and The Mystery of Edwin Drood (Rosa Bud).