BWW Reviews: ROCK OF AGES Rocks Cincinnati
By: Jill Siekman Oct. 31, 2010
The popular Broadway musical Rock of Ages is currently rocking out at the Proctor and Gamble Hall at the Aronoff Center now through November 7th.
The show centers on two people, Drew (Constantine Maroulis) and Sherrie (Rebecca Faulkenberry) as they live and work on the Sunset Strip in Hollywood during the 1980s. Both have dreams of making it big. The plot is peppered with classic rock songs, including "We're Not Gonna Take It," when the crew comes together to try to save their beloved Bourbon Room on the Strip from developers, "Wanted Dead or Alive," "Here I Go Again," and the particularly crowd-pleasing "Don't Stop Believing" by Journey.
There is a plot that moves the show along, but most of the audience seemed to be more excited about the songs and the cast and musicians do an amazing job recreating the hits. An on-stage house band provides the music and the cast sings the heck out of the songs.
Many may be familiar with Maroulis from his American Idol days, but he does a great job acting as the slightly awkward Drew too (and earned a Tony nomination for the role on Broadway as well). Faulkenberry deserves an additional nod as Sherrie, as does MiG Ayesa, as another rocker Stacee Jax, Patrick Lewallen as Lonny, and Casey Tuma as Regina.
Rock of Ages provides a fun escape for a few hours. The show doesn't take itself too seriously ("I'm no Andrew Lloyd Sondheim," says Lonny) and also breaks down the theatrical fourth wall to interact with the audience a bit and creates a more casual experience. If you like the style of music and don't mind the loud music that tries "to melt your face off," then wave the pretend lighters the ushers give you at the door in the air and enjoy.
Rock of Ages is playing The Aronoff Center now through November 7, 2010: Tuesdays-Fridays at 8:00PM, Saturdays at 2:00PM and 8:00PM, and Sundays at 1:00PM and 6:30PM. Tickets range from $22.50 to $64.50 and may be purchased online at BroadwayAcrossAmerica.com, in person at the Broadway Across America Box Office downtown in the Mercantile Center at 120 East 4th Street and the Aronoff Center Box Office or by phone at 1-800-982-2787. For groups of 10 or more, contact the group sales department at 513-369-4363.
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