Rock of Ages: Ah, My Youth

For better or for worse, I attended junior high and high school on Long Island from 1986-1992. So yes, the hair was big, the clothes were pretty awful and the music was cheesy and loud. Which makes me the perfect target audience for the new musical Rock of Ages at the New World Stages. My friend Zoe took me as a belated birthday present and although it is not the greatest musical ever, there is no denying it hits the nostalgia spot! The show features retreads of many songs of the era including music by Poison, Bon Jovi, Journey, Pat Benatar and many others performed by a big hair/tight clothes cast and a live rockin' band.

There is ostensibly a story about two young dreamers who meet at a rock bar on the Sunset Strip that is threatened by developers but since the main young woman is named Sherrie I think you know where the musical is really going. Kelli Barrett did a winning job as Sherrie playing against Constantine Maroulis' Drew (who wants to be called Wolfgang Von Colt) - I understand Maroulis is an American Idol finalist but since I do not follow that show, all I can say is that he has a fine voice but not so much of the acting skills. For the most part, the secondary players stole the show including Mitchell Jarvis as the story's mullet-equipped narrator and Wesley Taylor as the sweet, naive Franz. The most commanding performance of the night, however, had to be Will Swenson as Stacee Jaxx, a Bret Michaels-esque rock star. I saw Swenson in this summer's park production of Hair and thought he was good then but no matter what he does in this show, you just can't take your eyes off him (that may be in part because of the really tight pants).

All in all I would say if you like the idea of Mamma Mia! but ABBA just doesn't feed your nostalgia needs, Rock of Ages may be the way to go. By the end of the night I was clapping and grooving along and, heaven help me, speaking with that buried Long Island accent. Go ahead, just own that past.

Here is a promo for the show so you can get a better sense of it - wear your acid washed denim if it still fits: