Hit Show Rock of Ages Is Head-banging, Face-melting Fun!
A Review by Joan E. Kruger
Staff Writer
 In the vast canon of American Musical Theatre, you could call smash hit, Rock of Ages, a case of “everything old is new again”. Take, for example, the 1930s depression-era setting of theatre mainstay 42nd Street—the beautiful ingénue steps off the bus in the big city, with a suitcase and a dream—then a romantic love interest, some hijinks and drama, a happy ending where the boy gets the girl, and a lot of tap dancing ensues. In Rock of Ages, a beautiful ingénue steps off the bus in the big city—in this case, she happens in to Dupree’s Vermin Room, on the Sunset Strip in LA, home of heavy metal hair bands of the 1980s. She has a suitcase and a dream—then a love interest, some hijinks and drama, a happy ending, and a lot head-banging and writhing and grinding ensues. And it’s magical! Everything about this show, including the classic rock, is classic, and the opening night audience at the Community Center loved it! Photo by Scott Suchman: Dominique Scott and Shannon as Mullen Drew and Sherrie
 Drawing on the music of Journey, Styx, Poison, Twisted Sister, Whitesnake, and more, these 80s hits, edgy in their day, now feel almost nostalgic in their now-mainstream familiarity—but they still have the power to get the audience roaring with appreciation. Rock of Ages is, quite simply, great, great fun! Campy in its approach, the show opens with David Coverdale of Whitesnake, on the big screen that serves as both backdrop and often part of the action on stage, in a brief and very funny monolog warning the audience to get ready for the “face-melting sound” to come—and he isn’t wrong! The band launches into Quiet Riot’s “Cum on Feel the Noize”, and we’re off and running in this ultra high energy show. Photo by Scott Suchman: DOMINIQUE SCOTT as DREW and the cast in ROCK OF AGES
Directed by Kristin Hanggi, Rock of Ages has a lot of moving parts; there’s a lot going on, both on stage and on the screen. It is a very physical show for the large ensemble cast, and also features a great set, designed by Beowulf Borritt. One nicely innovative touch is the use of the big screen, showing images that sometimes enhance the action (i.e. black and white images of wrecking balls and protests behind the on-stage action of the rockers protesting the urban developers to the tune of Twisted Sister’s “We’re Not Gonna Take It”), and other times it is a part of the action, split-screen style, as when promoter Dennis is talking on the phone to Stacey Jaxx, who appears on the screen as on a candid camera in his room with his groupies, partying as only rock stars can.
 The lighting and sound design were both very good, the music suitably loud without being overpowering, as sometimes happens. By the way, the Rock of Ages band deserves a nod, too—they include: Richard Maheux, Tristan Avakian, Maddox, Bones Elias, Tim Kelleher. They are on set, driving the show from start to finish. Kudos too to David Gibbs, for his original arrangements, as many of these songs were “mash-ups”, a form now very familiar to fans of television hit, Glee. Photo by Scott Suchman: Lead guitarist, CHRIS CICCHINO, in ROCK OF AGES
 The story begins with Lonny (brilliantly played by Justin Colombo), who serves as the show’s Narrator, and is the real breakout performer, here. Then, we’re quickly introduced to Drew (Danny McHugh), the club’s mild-mannered bar back (alter-ego, “Wolfgang”), who aspires to rock stardom, and of course the ingénue, would-be actress Sherrie (Shannon Mullen). The love triangle is completed by the sleazy rocker Stacee Jaxx (Universo Pereira), who temporarily distracts Sherrie from Drew (who’s mad about her), and provides the necessary hijinks and drama in the middle. The plot further revolves loosely around the conflict of corporate urban developers planning to come in and tear down the Vermin Room in favor of a Footlocker store, thereby displacing the entrenched rock culture of the ’hood, to the moral outrage of said rockers and their groupies. Photo by Scott Suchman: DOMINIQUE SCOTT and JUSTIN COLOMBO as DREW and LONNY in ROCK OF AGES
At this point, coming in like a heavenly choir defending the righteous side of this conflict, are strains of Starship’s classic “We Built This City”, to the audience’s delight and cheers. We are clearly on the side of “sex, drugs, and rock and roll” in opposition to Corporate America’s push for “clean, pure, efficient living.” Rock wins out, of course, as does the determination to follow your dream, as expressed in Journey’s “Don’t Stop Believing”, which has almost become an anthem for the American Dream. That song closes the show with a bang, with the whole ensemble rocking out in a take-no-prisoners style that had the audience on its feet, joining the party.
 Show highlights include breakout moment for Franz (wonderful comic relief by Stephen Michael Kane) to the tune of Pat Benetar’s “Hit Me With Your Best Shot”, and the hilarious Justin Colombo (as Lonnie, cradling the fog machine in his arms) singing REO Speedwagon’s “Can’t Fight this Feeling” to Dennis (Jacob L. Smith), which absolutely brought the house down. Also, Danny McHugh (as Drew), who has a great voice and can really hit those high notes, singing Twisted Sister’s “I Wanna Rock” and then taking it down a notch with the poignant “I Want To Know What Love Is” by Foreigner, and the beautiful ballad, “Here I Go Again” (Whitesnake). Rock of Ages is upbeat, very funny, and in the end, gives us what we long for—a suitcase full of dreams and the sure knowledge that we won’t stop believing in the power of rock. Photo by Scott Suchman: The cast in the “HERE I GO AGAIN” scene from ROCK OF AGES
Rock of Ages continues through January 27, 2013 at Sacramento Community Center, 1301 L Street, Sacramento, CA. For more information and/or to purchase tickets for the performance, please visit www.californiamusicaltheatre.com - call (916) 557-1999. The 2012-13 Broadway Sacramento Season continues with Disney's Beauty and the Beast March 6-17; Billy Elliot The Musical April 9-14; and Les Misérables May 29-June 9, 2013. Tickets for all performances are on sale now.
 Established in 1989 by the non-profit California Musical Theatre, who also produce Music Circus and The Cosmopolitan Cabaret, Broadway Sacramento is the region’s largest live performing arts event with over 200,000 tickets sold annually. Presenting national Broadway tours at the Sacramento Community Center Theater, Broadway Sacramento draws theatre-lovers from as far as the Oregon border to western Nevada and the Central Valley. Photo: the Sacramento Community Center Theater
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