Clayton News Daily

Photo by Heather Middleton

By Curt Yeomans

cyeomans@news-daily.com

International music superstar Elton John is coming to Clayton County. Well, it's actually just some of the music he wrote with lyricist Tim Rice that's coming to the county.

Clayton County Fine Arts Magnet High School students will debut their performance of "AIDA", the musical written by John and Rice, tonight at 7 p.m., at the Clayton County Performing Arts Center, which is located at 2530 Mt. Zion Pkwy., in Jonesboro. The students will perform the musical, one more time, on Thursday, also at 7 p.m., at the performing arts center.

Advertising for "AIDA" pitches it as "The Timeless Love Story." It is the story of Aida, who is captured and forced into slavery, and Radames, a captain of the Egyptian Army.

Radames is betrothed to Amneris, the daughter of Egypt's pharaoh, but he and Aida, who is also the daughter of a Nubian king, end up falling in love with each other.

Producer Kathy Baker said the students are performing a "school version" of the musical, provided by New York City-based Music Theatre International. Because it is a "school" version, it lacks all of the risque content from the Broadway version of the show, she said. She added the musical is directed by Prince Bowie, a theater teacher at the magnet school.

Tickets for each performance cost $5 in advance, and $7 at the door, and can be purchased at the performing arts center.