AC/DC Frontman's "Helen Of Troy" Musical Gets Postponed

Helen of Troy, the much-anticipated collaboration between AC/DC singer Brian Johnson and the Sarasota Ballet has been postponed until November, with a production of Swan Lake replacing the show during its originally-announced late March slot.

According to the Sarasota Herald Tribune, the ballet has cited fund-raising problems for the postponement of the $1.2 million production, which was scheduled to open at the Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall.

"Because of the drop in the stock market, some of the investors that Brian was counting on haven't come through," said Robert de Warren, the ballet's artistic director and chief executive officer. "Also, some of the artists had scheduling conflicts."

"We finally got to the point where we couldn't wait any longer for the money to come in," de Warren added. "We were ready to commission sets and costumes, and I couldn't put the ballet company in danger."

A love story set against the Trojan War, Helen of Troy calls for a large cast of Sarasota Ballet dancers, as well as a stage full of singers, acrobats and fire-eaters.

Malcolm McDowell, the star of such films as A Clockwork Orange, was to have starred as Zeus, the show's narrator.

"But he got a movie deal and couldn't do it in March, so that was another reason to postpone," de Warren said.

"The delay is disappointing, but the show is still going to happen."

As previously reported, Johnson has written 14 songs for the production, which was previously set to embark on a tour of Florida and a possible national tour following a nine-show run in Sarasota.