Theatre Chit Chat
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Rock of Ages
Rock of Ages is playing at the New World Stages located at 340 West 50th Street. It runs two hours thirty minutes with one intermission. The musical closes on January 12, 2020.
It ran at the New World Stages from October 16, 2008 to January 4, 2009. It then transferred to Broadway at the Brooks Atkins Theatre officially opening April 7, 2009. It temporarily closed on January 9, 2011 when it moved to the Helen Hayes Theatre and resumed performances on March 24, 2011. The show closed on January 18, 2015 after 22 previews and 2,328 regular performances. It tied with Man of La Mancha as Broadway’s 29th longest running show. It was nominated for five Tony Awards in 2009.
Kristin Hanggi is the director. She was nominated for a Tony Award in 2009 for Rock of Ages.
Beowulf Boritt is the scenic designer. He won a Tony Award in 2014 for Act One and was nominated for two Tony Awards for Therese Raquin (2016) and The Scottsboro Boys (2011).
Gregory Gale is the costume designer. He was nominated for two Tony Awards for Rock of Ages (2009) and Cyrano de Bergerac (2008).
Sherri (Kristen Scott) is in Hollywood. She wants to be an actress. Sherri steps into a famous bar her tourist book mentions. They have rock concerts in the bar. While in there she meets Drew (C J Eldred). He wants to be a rock star. They hit it off. Lonny (Justin Colombo) one of the owners offers her a job as waitress.
Dennis (Matt Ban) is trying to organize a show starring Stacee Jaxx (P J Griffith). After the show Sherri and Stacee are intimate. Stacee has her fired.
In the meantime the shady Mayor (Mekhai Lee) strikes a deal with a developer Hertz (Tom Galantich) and his son Franz (Dane Brien) to allow them to knock down the buildings in West Hollywood, that house the famous bars. Of course, he’s getting a kick back.
Regina (Leah Read) holds protests rallies to help save the buildings!
Sherri gets a job in a strip bar run by Mother (Teresa Stanley).
Drew is approached by an agent Ja’Keith Gill (Mekhai Lee) and transforms him from a rocker to rapper. He’s not happy.
Things happen but all I’ll say is go see this show. Ten years later it still Rocks!
Justin Colombo took over Mitchell Jarvis role the day I saw it. It’s eerie how close Justin looks like Mitchell. The whole cast is outstanding. I like the way the character Lonny inter acts with the audience. This was the last performance Katie Webber Waitress # 1. She was great and will now be in The Tina Turner show.
The set (Beowulf Boritt) and costumes (Gregory Gale) enhance this wonderful production.
No matter what generation you are in you will enjoy the show.
Review by Rozanna Radakovich.
Photos by Annazor.
To read a candid interview with the cast, scroll down to the left for photos. Click on photos for this and other shows.