ROCK OF AGES Is Nothing But A Good Time
Stray Dog Theatre cranks it up to 11 with an enthusiastic take on Rock of Ages that really rocks the rafters at Tower Grove Abbey. The search for stardom and love gets the 80’s pop rock treatment in an energetic production that makes up for the musical’s transparently thin plot with affection and humor, as well as catchy hits, impressively tight harmonies, and big power chords. Sharp direction by Justin Been, fun choreography with costumes, wigs, and set design that capture the era, and a compelling and vocally impressive cast ensure the show exceeds this reviewer’s expectations.
Sherrie, a small-town girl with dreams as big as her voice, arrives in the big city to pursue an acting career and is almost immediately overwhelmed by the hustle and cruel reality of the grind. She stumbles into Drew, an aspiring musician from south Detroit with a knack for a good tune and a loss for lyrics and changes her fate. With Drew’s assistance, Sherrie finds solace, and a job, at a club run by aging rock promoter and proprietor Dennis and his trusted sound guy – and our narrator – Lonny. The sparks between Sherrie and Drew are immediate and mutual; but a slip of the word “friends,” two greedy developers named Hertz and Franz, and the arrival of superstar Stacee Jaxx and his soon to be former band complicate the couple’s budding romance. While the happy ending looks a little different than one might first expect, the destination is worth the ride in this affectionately quirky rock and roll fantasy.
Bradley Bliven, as Lonny, sets up the story with a reverent overview of the rundown venue on the strip, dishing on the proprietor’s long history with Jaxx and the need of a romance to really make this story sing. Cue Sherri and Drew’s meeting, which is naturally cute, a little awkward, and winningly portrayed by Dawn Schmid and Drew Mizzell, whose vocals and charisma are wonderfully complementary. Schmid has fantastic range, perfect intonation, and plenty of power – this Sherie would be wasting her time if she only focused on acting. As the aspiring rocker Drew, Mizzell’s voice easily moves from ballad to anthem with power and control while infusing the character with a kind, amiable personality that distinguishes him as a nice guy, in addition to a talented musician. Schmid and Mizzell’s voices blend so satisfyingly on their duets, while their stubbornly self-reliant personas add surprising texture to a cookie cutter romance.
Clayton Humburg brings the perfect sneer and smug confidence to Stacee Jaxx’s bad boy rockstar, adding hints of vulnerability in later scenes that keep Jaxx from being thoroughly insufferable. Jeffrey M. Wright is personable, with just the right touch of hard partying, working class struggle as proprietor Dennis Dupree. Sarah Polizzi is adorably daft and admirably committed to saving the strip from gentrification as Regina Koontz, and her budding relationship with Luke A. Smith’s gentrifier-in-waiting Franz Klinneman is endearingly sweet, while Rubin Medina-Perez’s turn as Jaxx’s replacement in the band and his solo on the pole at the strip club near the bar are decidedly spicy. Jade Anaiis, Corrinna Redford, Jacob Wilkinson, and Sara Rae Womack fill out the ensemble, while Mallory Golden leads a tight band that’s genuinely reminiscent of the original artists. The songs are all rock hits and it’s tempting to sing along if you know the words. But please don’t – you’ll miss the impressive harmonies that kick this production up a notch.
Director Been and the cast lean into comedy and exaggeration with an affectionate sense of humor, and those harmonies and fun but not overly technical choreography give Stray Dog Theatre’s Rock of Ages, by Chris D’Arienzo with orchestrations by Ethan Popp, a joyful exuberance. The plot may be bare to the point of transparency – the performances make up for that shortcoming in a way that’s easy to enjoy, particularly for fans of classic 80s pop rock. It’s nostalgia with a beat you can dance (or bop along in your pew) to. If you’re looking for nothing but a good time, you don’t want to miss this show.
