August 9, 2023
Rock of Ages at Huron Country Playhouse
Fans of ’80s arena hard rock music will dig this awesomely hilarious musical comedy that wails with big chords, big hair … and an even bigger heart.
It’s 1987, and aspiring rocker Drew Boley meets and falls madly in love with Sherrie, a fresh-faced Midwesterner who has recently moved to Los Angeles to chase her movie star dreams. Will their stars rise? Will their love last? Find out in the worldwide phenomenon featuring 28 classic rock tunes like “Don’t Stop Believin’,” “We Built This City,” “The Final Countdown,” “Wanted Dead or Alive,” “Here I Go Again,” “Harden My Heart,” “Can’t Fight This Feeling,” and “I Want To Know What Love Is.”
Don’t stop believin’ … the music that ignited a generation is now rocking Grand Bend!
Running Time: 2 hours and 30 minutes including a 20 minute intermission.
Audience Recommendation: This production contains language and mature themes. Recommended for ages 13 and up. There is no official rating system for live theatre. We encourage you to use your judgment based on your child's age and maturity level.
A Note from the Director:
Are you ready to rock? When writer Chris D’Arienzo was asked to identify some of the greatest classic rock songs of all time in order to weave them into a story for a new Broadway musical comedy, he knew it was a monumental task. An avid fan of 80s culture, he set out to create a campy homage to the glam rock era in all its heavy metal glory complete with big hair, big chords, big dreams, big laughs and an even bigger heart.
D’Arienzo used two particularly iconic songs to create the plot – Journey’s “Don’t Stop Believin’” and Starship’s “We Built This City.” Thus the story of “a small town girl” and “a city boy” falling in love and banding together (with some colourful characters) to save an iconic club on L.A.’s nefarious Sunset Strip, was born. His crudely comedic parody of hair metal culture packed with screaming guitars and epic rock anthems was an instant hit becoming one of the most successful jukebox musicals in history, playing for over seven years on Broadway, and eventually becoming a blockbuster Hollywood movie.
The wonderful thing about the power ballads and hard rock tunes of the 80s is that they’re still as popular as ever, appealing to music lovers of all generations – who doesn’t love belting out “Can't Fight this Feeling” or “More Than Words” in the car or in the shower at the top of their lungs? That being said, the hard-living lifestyle depicted on stage in this production includes behaviors associated with the time – like explicit language, bathroom humour, the mention of casual drug use, and sexual innuendo – and they’re essential to do justice to the raunchiness of the era. Rock of Ages is really geared to adult audiences who can laugh at this piece of nostalgic fun.
To get the most out of this performance, you will need to view the show as a tongue-in-cheek tribute to the over-the-top “sex, drugs and rock ‘n’ roll” lifestyle of the time. Rock of Ages is fun and flirtatious, so I encourage you to let loose, not take things too seriously, and have a good laugh at all the gloriously ridiculous stereotypes of the 80s – wild rock stars with even wilder behaviour, silly scantily-clad groupies, crazy club culture with larger than life characters who are loud, crass, and playfully suggestive, and more. Remember, these are actors on stage poking fun at the fabulously funny fads of a bygone era. Aren’t you glad leather pants, shoulder pads, hot pink spandex and mullets are things of the past? We’re so much cooler today… right? Only time will tell.
At Drayton Entertainment, we believe it’s important to present a wide range of theatrical offerings, so that we may continually introduce new audiences to the magic of live theatre and engage people at every age and stage of life. Rock of Ages is a little more risqué than our traditional musical and comedy programming, but we know that it will bring new people to the theatre and that audiences will have a blast. So, whether you’ve visited us before, or you’re here for the first time, welcome – and rock on!
Alex Mustakas,
Director
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