By snoadmin
The Pantages Theatre blasts back to the “mid-to-late 1980s” with “Rock of Ages,” a five-time Tony Award nominated smash-hit musical.
The show starts off with a bang, with a live band immediately engaging the crowd with “Cum on Feel the Noize” by Quiet Riot. This makes the show seem more like a concert than a musical. However, the crowd is quickly reminded that they are attending a theatrical production when Lonny (Justin Colombo) steps on the stage to introduce the storyline.
“When you’re putting on a musical, you should have a fu-king love story,” Lonny proclaims.
The plot revolves around Drew (Dominique Scott), a wannabe rock star who works at The Bourbon Room on Sunset Strip in Los Angeles. He falls for Sherrie (Shannon Mullen), a small town girl who came to Los Angeles looking for an acting job, only to be approached by several porn companies. The two go on a date, but Drew mistakenly tells Sherrie that he wants to be “friends” – when he really wants more.
The Bourbon Room faces demolition when Hertz (Phillip Peterson) and his overly flamboyant son Franz (Michael Kane) decide they want to demolish Sunset Strip to turn it into a strip mall. Lonny, along with Bourbon Room owner Dennis (Matt Ban), decide they need to try to save their bar/venue.
They decide that hosting Arsenal’s, one of the biggest bands, last show would be a way to draw in revenue so they wouldn’t be shut down. Stacee Jaxx (Matt Nolan), the chauvinistic lead singer of Arsenal, agrees to this. When Arsenal comes to town, Stacee decides he wants to have sex with Sherrie, and ends up screwing her over after actually screwing her. He leaves her jobless and without Drew’s affection. Drew continues his search for stardom, while Sherrie finds herself down a road she never wanted to be on.
The musical is filled with big hair band hits from the ’80s, including ballad-like renovations of “More than Words” by Extreme and “Heaven Isn’t Too Far Away” by Warrant. The ’80s songs fit perfectly into the storyline, and are used as a means to introduce different plot points and character feelings. Many of the song inclusions are clever, and they are recognizable enough for any crowd member, regardless of age, to sing along.
Particular fun song moments include Journey’s “Anyway You Want It,” which is used to introduce various strippers in the show, and Franz’s over-the-top rendition of Pat Benatar’s “Hit Me With Your Best Shot.” However, possibly the most fun song of the show is Lonny’s and Dennis’s duet, “I Can’t Fight This Feeling” by Reo Speedwagon. The two make the song comical as they are shown dancing together and share comical intimacy.
The cast is also outstanding. Scott portrays Drew as an awkward nerd, which makes him very easy to sympathize with and root for. However, he possesses strong vocals to show that he really does have rock star potential, even though his lyrics may be overly sexual and lame.
On the other hand, Mullen as Sherrie is bubbly and extremely confident. Though a little dense at times, she is charming. Her pop vocals add some modernism to the show’s music, and her rendition of “More Than Words” is captivating. One cannot help but sing along and sympathize with how much Sherrie cares for Drew as she sings the ballad.
Noteworthy mentions also go to Momma (Amma Osei), who does a breathtaking, gospel-like performance of “Every Rose Has its Thorn” by Poison. Ban and Colombo are also hilarious, and it’s really a treat to have them included in almost every scene. Even when serious moments happen on stage, the duo is there to offer some comic relief.
Overall, the show is delightful and a good time for any music lover. The songs are easy to sing-along to, and the play’s homage to the 1980s is very accurate, with many references to the era. “Rock of Ages” will also open as a major motion picture, starring Tom Cruise and Alec Baldwin, this summer.
“Rock of Ages” will run at the Pantages Theatre until March 25, with shows Tuesday through Friday at 8 p.m.; Saturday at 2 p.m. and 8 p.m.; and Sunday at 1 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. Ticket prices range from $25 to $100, and are available on BroadwayLA.org. The Pantages Theatre is located at 6233 Hollywood Blvd.
