BWW Reviews: ROCK OF AGES Rocks the City by the Bay - Now thru April 9th

The Tony-nominated musical, Rock of Ages, is rocking stages across the country as it continues its Constantine Maroulis-led national tour. The Broadway favorite found its way into San Francisco's Curran Theater last week and promptly brought down the house. Playing now through April 9th in the city that was built on rock-n-roll, Rock of Ages, is a not-to-be-missed, fun ride of a musical.

Book writer Chris D'Arienzo penned "ROA" as a time-machine blast from the 80's past, complete with big hair, leg warmers, wine coolers and, of course, timeless, distilled (served up loud and proud) classic rock. Kelly Devine's 80's choreography captures the decade while Ethan Popp's musical arrangements give us a veritable mixed-taped fusion of some of the best that rock had to offer that generation.

The retro show has the good sense to take itself lightly, making for a night of guilty pleasure, glam rock indulgence. Self-aware silliness and liberal doses of fourth wall shattering asides by the clever narrator, Lonny (played to perfection by Patrick Lewallen) turn would-be groaners into campy retro-fun, while mini-lighters passed out by the ushers, give the effect of being at a rock concert instead of the confines of the stately Curran Theater.

Aiding in this transformation is Beowulf Boritt's palm tree backed set, which features a concert jumbo screen (that's used to great effect during the show), and a turnout set that is variously the bar's men's room and a girlie club dressing room. Line of sight is difficult if you're seated left or right of center but luckily the storyline is easy to follow. The seedy Bourbon bar is front and center, with an onstage house band made up of some heavy hitter musicians (David Gibbs, Chris Cicchino, Alan Childs and Jonathan Skibic).

The story centers on wannabe rocker and busboy, Drew (the aforementioned Maroulis) and star struck wannabe actress and waitress, Sherrie (Elicia MacKenzie), a young girl fresh off the midnight train from Kansas. Both are working at the Bourbon Bar on the Sunset Strip hoping for a break and dreaming of the big time.

Musical chops kudos go to Maroulis who effortlessly slides between sexy ballads and screeching rock punctuations. His match is MacKenzie whose sweet and tender vocals give way to torrid, rocker girl cool as the music ramps up, along with the boy meets girl storyline.

Nick Cordero could not have been better cast as the long-haired, hippy-type bar owner, Dennis. Clearly Dennis has smoked one too many blunts if the ease with which he signs away the deed to his club is any indication. Costume designer Gregory Gale dresses Cordero in fringed suede and sunglasses - a nice counterpoint to the over-the-top (and meant to be that way) 80's costume extravaganza that the rest of the cast is decked out in.

Love and music rule the day as Drew takes Sherrie up to a Mulholland Drive-like lookout point. He longs for her to see him as something more than a friend. She feels the same way but somehow Drew stammers his way into the friend zone leaving the playing field wide open for rocker Stacee Jaxx (a hilarious Peter Deiwick).

Will love or friendship prevail? Will the dreams that everyone started out with be the life-defining realizations that they all end up with? Come see for yourself and rock on with the Curran Theater's Rock of Ages.

TAKE THE MIDNIGHT TRAIN
TO ROCK OF AGES
A very special MIDNIGHT performance of ROCK OF AGES, is now on sale. Tickets for the Friday Night, April 8 midnight show are just 50 BUCKS EACH.

Photo Credit: Joan Marcus