The Rockae: I Am A Golden God

Taking it's cue from Euripides' The Bacchae, Peter Mills' The Rockae has burst onto the Hudson Guild Theater with all the energy and intensity of a Bacchanalian bash. The first of Mills' two new musicals for Prospect Theatre Company's season is a fierce, loud and heart-pounding rock musical that blends classic with contemporary for a unique and very modern sound.

Following Euripides' original storyline and structure, The Rockae recounts the myth of Dionysus, a young god who extracts a cruel revenge when the king of Thebes refuses to acknowledge his divinity. But where Euripides used poetry and verse to tell his story, Mills uses old-school, knock-you-on-your-ass, 180-proof (and other such phrases that require dashes) glam rock and heavy metal music, turning the gods of one era into the thoroughly American idols of another.

And, perhaps not as surprisingly as you might think, it all works out quite well. The comparison is hardly a stretch-- plenty of rockers have compared themselves to various religious entities, and nothing evokes the revelries of old like hysterical, screaming fans at a concert. And it is with this spirit firmly in mind that Mills and director (and co-adaptor) Cara Reichel tackle the project, focusing on the universal emotions that drive the plot. Pride, vanity, vengeance and wild abandon are just as powerful today as they were 2,500 years ago, and the show never feels old, especially when rock music is driving the narration.

But it isn't merely force-of-will that makes the two contrasting genres fit so well together: Mills' and Reichel's script emphasizes the timeless qualities in the ancient story, and lets the wild excesses of the Olympian gods and their revelers become the excesses of 80's rock stars. Wisely, Mills avoids applying ancient morals on contemporary situations (or vice versa): the story may be ancient, but this new interpretation is utterly fresh and vibrant. One could easily forget that the man who composed the dreamy melodies of Illyria and the smart jazz of The Pursuit of Persephone created these pulse-pounding songs. Like Jonathan Larson before him, Mills comes at his rock music from a musical theatre perspective, trusting his songs to tell the story and convey all necessary emotion. The result is an authentic rock musical that can appeal to both punks who hate musicals and theatre fans who hate rock. There's something for everyone in this tragicomedy tonight.

The large ensemble works wonderfully together, dancing in strong unity whether gyrating like groupies or possessed followers of a Greek god (cheers to choreographer Marlo Hunter for that). Michael Cunio is appropriately beautiful and ethereal as the god of wine and music, complete with a wig of cascading blonde curls. Mitchell Jarvis manages to avoid chewing scenery by this much as the proud king, and Gordon Stanley provides some excellent comic relief as the wise and surprisingly hip former king. Simone Zamore, Rashidra Scott, and Jaygee Macapugay sing in excellent harmony as a punk Greek chorus, and Meghan McGeary goes from feisty to heartbreaking as the king's besotted (in every sense of the word) mother. Cara Reichel's direction is, as ever, sharp and well-paced, keeping the story's humor and tragedy in balance. 

For all the fuss surrounding Duncan Sheik and Spring Awakening this past year, Peter Mills seems to have created the best combination of rock and theatre in recent memory, and one can only hope that this season will bring greater attention to his work and to Prospect Theatre Company in general. He, and they, are long overdue for the recognition.