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'We Will Rock You' National Tour Begins At Baltimore's Hippodrome

BALTIMORE (WJZ) — A big night in Baltimore. The smash hit musical "We Will Rock You," featuring Queen's biggest hits, is launching its U.S. national tour right here.

Mary Bubala reports one of Queen's original band members is in Baltimore to kick off the show.

"We Will Rock You" is built around 24 of Queen's biggest hits, and it takes the stage for the first time in the U.S. at the Hippodrome on Tuesday night.

The legendary rock band's lead guitarist Brian May is in town for the show's North American debut.

May sat down with WJZ to talk about why it's had a record-breaking run in London.

"What we've kind of done is created something which is halfway between musical theater and a rock show, and the time we had done it, it hadn't really been done," May said.

The musical is built around Queen's songs. The band had 18 No. 1 albums and hits.

But it's not a story about the band and the death of lead singer Freddy Mercury from AIDS in 1991.

May and the creative team all agreed they didn't want "We Will Rock You" to end with Mercury's death.

"We didn't feel like that it was right for us. Queen was always about entertainment and Freddy would have been the first to say, 'You know they got to feel good, darling. When they come out, they are supposed to feel up,'" May said.

Instead, "We Will Rock You" is about young people battling a corporate world that wants to suppress its music, clothes and individuality. And in the end, we know who wins.

The audience Tuesday night is in for a great treat. May actually takes the stage and performs at the end of the show.

"We Will Rock You" has now been seen by 15 million people. Seats are still available. The show runs through Sunday at the Hippodrome.

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