by Guest blogger: Angela Henderson-Bentley
“Just a small town girl. Living in a lonely world…”
That line from a classic Journey song immediately takes you to a story of two people—the small town girl and the city boy—and the dream in which they just won’t stop believing.
But what if someone took that little story and brought it to the stage? And what if to help tell that story they added in 29 other big hair hits from the 80s?
Then you would have “Rock of Ages,” the musical that hits the Paramount stage Wednesday night.
The small town girl is Sherrie Christian (So right there you know you’ll hear “Oh Sherrie” and “Sister Christian.”), who moves to the Sunset Strip to be a star. In the popular nightclub/bar, The Bourbon Room, she meets the city boy, Drew Foley, who has dreams of being a rock star (Cue “I Wanna Rock.”) It looks like Drew and Sherrie are destined to be together, until rock star Stacee Jaxx rolls into town. He and his band, Arsenal (the band for the entire show), are performing their last concert at the club to try and make enough money to keep it from being torn down by German businessmen.
Stacee’s rock star persona completely dazzles Sheree and her actions not only put the brakes on her relationship with Drew, but also lead her down a path that takes her in the complete opposite direction of her dreams.
If you’re a child of the 80s, then you’ll absolutely love the music in the show. But what you’ll love more is how creatively these songs are used. Starship’s “We Built This City” is used as a protest song for a rally against tearing down the club (“Don’t you remember we built this city on rock and roll?”). And of course, no protest would be complete without Twisted Sister’s “We’re Not Gonna Take It.” Joan Jett and the Blackhearts’ “I Hate Myself for Loving You” becomes Sherrie’s song of regret for her tryst with Stacee, while Stacee tries to explain his actions with Asia’s “The Heat of the Moment.” And in my favorite musical number of the show, Quarterflash’s “Harden My Heart” and Pat Benatar’s “Shadows of the Night” are mashed together as Sherrie tries to move on from her mistake and come to terms with the seedy turn her life is taking.
And is there any better 80s love song to bring a couple together than Survivor’s “The Search Is Over”?
“Rock of Ages” is a show that will have you dancing, singing along and cheering as you’re transported back to that magical time of the big hair—the 1980s. I should warn you, though, that the musical is not for children because of some suggestive scenes. But it is definitely for those of you who are children of the 80s.
It may even inspire you to think about bringing that big hair back. Okay, maybe not…