ROCK ‘N’ ROFL

Rock of Ages Toronto hits us with their best shot

The Cast of the Original Toronto Production of Rock Of Ages. Photo Credit: Joan Marcus.

[Living room of Lulu’s apartment on a warm evening in May. Q107 plays in the background.]

Lulu: It’s about time we write this Rock of Ages post.

Kitty: I know, we saw it almost a month ago and I’ve been singing the songs ever since.

Lulu: Me too! It’s good material for our first review. [Leans forward.] So, what did you think about the show?

Kitty [cocks head]: Well, I went in expecting big hair, lots of denim and cheesy one-liners, and that’s exactly what I got. But in a good way!

Lulu: I know! I was afraid it was going to be like watching drunken karaoke in a dive bar.

Kitty [excitedly]: Yeah, it’s amazing that a jukebox musical featuring 80s rock covers could garner so much critical acclaim. They really pulled it off though. What a talented cast!

Lulu [rising]: I was blown away by how well they captured the sentiment of that musical era. And it’s surprising how well rock anthems fit into the structure of musical theatre [sits]. I think these songs actually heighten the vocal talents of some of the performers.

Kitty: Absolutely. Any play that includes a mashup of two of my all-time favourite rock ballads, “More Than Words” and “To Be With You,” is a good one in my books! Plus, I’m a sucker for an old-fashioned love story.

Lulu: Yeah, it helps that there’s a great storyline. The narrator, Lonny (Aaron Walpole), is hysterical. He really carries the plot while poking fun at the musical theatre genre itself.

Kitty: One of the comedic highlights for me was Stacee Jaxx (Peter Deiwick) performing Bon Jovi’s “Wanted Dead or Alive.” His commentary and innuendo throughout the song had me in stitches.

Peter Deiwick (Stacee Jaxx) in the Original Toronto Production of Rock Of Ages. Photo Credit: Joan Marcus.

Lulu: Totally. His character is so dead on. And of course Drew (Yvan Pedneault) was impressive, too. But in my opinion, Sherrie (Elicia MacKenzie) stuck out as the star of the show. Her character is so heartfelt and exposed. What a far cry from the last role she played in The Sound of Music. MacKenzie’s no Maria in those red thigh-high leather boots, that’s for sure! During the intermission I overheard a few girls saying they prefer her in this production. They said her voice is made for rock songs.

Kitty: I agree. She was wonderful. Everything about the show was fantastic. It was like being at a concert without the bad acoustic or crowd surfing.

Lulu: Ha! Yeah, it was so high energy. Everyone bobbing their heads, dancing in their seats, and the whole place jumped to their feet at the end. I think it was the most enthusiastic standing ovation I’ve ever seen.

Kitty: It was! Such a fun night out. Oh, don’t forget about the band! They were awesome. [Points to computer screen.] According to Wikipedia, one of the guitarists (Joel Hoekstra) is in the band Night Ranger. [Raises left eyebrow.] I thought that was a cool little fact.

Lulu: That is a cool fact! God, I could go on and on about this show. It was jam-packed with 80s nostalgia and cultural references.

Kitty [rising]: Yes! Like the Falco reference. Watch for it, people.

Starship’s “We Built This City” comes on the radio. Lulu starts dancing and Kitty runs to turn it up.

Lulu and Kitty: We built this city on rock and roll!

Lulu: Go see Rock of Ages!

Kitty: Woo! Rock on, Toronto!

Rating:

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