"Cum On Feel The Noize" at Stray Dog Theatre's Raucous "Rock of Ages"
Director Justin Been and his vocally talented cast are shredding the rock anthems of the 1980's hair bands with gritty vocal performances through April 26th at The Tower Grove Abbey
“Rock of Ages” premiered on Broadway in 2009 and was spawned from the success of long-running predecessor jukebox musicals “Mama Mia” and “Jersey Boys.” The loosely scripted show features 1980’s rock anthems and ballads from Journey, Styx, Quiet Riot, Bon Jovi, REO Speedwagon, Twisted Sister, and more.
Written by Chris D’Arienzo, with arrangements and orchestrations by Ethan Popp, “Rock of Ages” never takes itself too seriously. The story is constructed from the Journey songs: “Don’t Stop Believing” and “Oh Sherrie,” and tells of two dreamers, Drew and Sherrie, who have moved to Los Angeles. Drew is a singer, musician and wannabe rock star from Detroit. His love interest, Sherrie, is a small-town girl who’s moved to Los Angeles to become a film actress.
D’Arienzo’s silly and oversimplified script isn’t what drove packed houses to see the original Broadway production. It was musical nostalgia that filled the seats with late Baby Boomers and early Gen-Xers. “Rock of Ages” ran for nearly six years with an impressive 2,238 total Broadway performances. It was nominated for five Tony awards including Best Musical and was the Broadway debut for American Idol’s Constantine Maroulis.
Stray Dog Theatre’s current production of “Rock of Ages,” directed by Justin Been, smartly recognizes that it is the hair band nostalgia that drives this show. In a very cheeky production, with plenty of wink-nods to the audience, Been and his cast never take themselves too seriously until they are delivering powerful renditions of the music people came to hear.
The music propels this fun production of “Rock of Ages” at The Tower Grove Abbey. Music Director Mallory Golden, just off their fantastic musical direction of [title of show] at Prism Theatre Company, leads the band with another fantastic effort. Golden on keyboards is joined by Jonathan Beck and Johnny Reitano on guitars, Jake Luebbert on drums, and M. Joshua Ryan on bass playing solid cover versions of instantly recognizable rock classics. Golden and their band handle Ethan Popp’s arrangements, with some of its challenging mashups, skillfully.
Golden and the band’s musical accompaniment aside, the 80’s rock high tenor and falsetto vocal challenges of this score are immense and Been’s cast is spot on with gutsy vocal performances. Drew Mizell (Drew), Dawn Schmid (Sherrie), Clayton Humburg (Stacee Jaxx), and the rest of the cast shred the 80’s hit songs with rockstar belt and grit. Once they had nailed the music with bold confidence the likeable cast easily settled into the script’s antics to milk the cheesy jokes for hearty laughs.
Mizell, Schmid, and Humburg have excellent chemistry as the three rockers caught in a quasi-love triangle. Mizell and Schmid quickly harden from their youthful naivete as they get caught up in the Rock ‘n Roll world of the famed Sunset Strip but never lose their innocent charm. Humburg’s Stacee Jaxx is an ostentatiously overconfident glam-rocker front man in an amusing Dee Snyder ratty bleached wig and a much too small cowboy hat. The wig/hat combination is a perfect fit, or lack thereof, for the production's frivolity.
Bradley Bliven narrates the show as Lonny and continually breaks the fourth wall reminding the audience, and the actors, that they are in a musical theater production. It’s Lonny’s banter that informs the audience that the script is in on the joke. The narrative is secondary to the rock music performances. Bliven is amusing, engaging, and works terrifically with Jeffrey M. Wrigth as bar owner Dennis. He and Wright share the most comedically entertaining musical moment with their bromance duet on REO Speedwagon’s “Keep on Loving You.”
Sarah Polizzi (Regina Koontz), Luke A. Smith (Franz Klinneman), and Jacob Wilkinson (Hertz Klinemann) chew scenery in campy roles as a protester and real-estate developers. All three fearless throw themselves into over-the-top comedic portrayals. Smith is a sight courageously donning an ill-fitting jazzercize leotard while singing Pat Benatar’s “Hit Me With Your Best Shot.”
Jade Anaiis (Justice Charlier/Mayor/Mother) rounds out the cast as a judge, the town mayor, and a strip club owner. Anaiis slays her vocals with her big bold disco diva voice and offers Sherrie a bit of empathy as the strip club owner with a heart of gold.
Costume designer Colleen Michelson, wig designer Sarah Gene Dowling, scenic designer Rob Lippert and lighting designer Tyler Duenow create a stagy rock ‘n roll inspired world reminiscent of the seedier side of the 1980’s Sunset Strip’s dive nightclubs. Dowling’s dozens of wigs harkened back to reason these bands were called the ‘Hair Bands’ of the decade. She nailed the looks with sensational oversized comical creations.
Mike Hodges’ playful choreography added to the frivolous levity. He leaned into the strength of the cast, especially dancers Ruben Medina Perez, Corrinna Redford, and Sara Rae Womack. Hodges and Perez collaborated on an athletic eyebrow raising stripper pole routine that won’t be soon forgotten. Perez is a talented dancer.
Justin Been has directed a playfully giddy production of “Rock of Ages” led by Clayton Humburg, Drew Mizell, and Dawn Schmid’s powerfully gritty vocal performances. The cast and crew are having the time of their lives throwing themselves into exaggerated performances bursting with rock ‘n roll energy. Afterall, “Rock of Ages” is really a show that is about the music, and Been and company get the music right.
“Rock of Ages” continues at Stray Dog Theatre through April 26, 2025. More information can be found, and tickets can be purchased at straydogtheatre.org/.