Rock of Ages
by Chris D’Arienzo
Arrangements and Orchestrations by Ethan Popp
Directed by Justin Been
Choreographed by Mike Hodges
Stray Dog Theatre
April 3, 2025
Dawn Schmid, Drew Mizell
Photo: Stray Dog Theatre
Where were you in 1987? I know some of my readers probably weren’t even born, and answers to that question will vary among those who were around. For me, I was in high school, and the subject of Stray Dog Theatre’s latest production, the jukebox musical Rock of Ages, is quite familiar to me. Still, the “affectionate parody” route that the script takes comes across as hit or miss, and the plot is aggressively silly. Still, what this show does have going for it is an excellent, enthusiastic cast, a memorable band, and a well-established sense of time and place.
As I mentioned, I was in high school during the time this show is set, although I was more into “classic rock” (from the 60s and 70s) at the time, and the “hair metal” bands and performers that this story mostly focuses on were not among my favorites. I think that audience appreciation of this show will depend largely on what you think of the music and culture of the hard rock/heavy metal scene in the 1980s, although not all of the music in this show fits neatly into that category, and there are some hits that I think transcend the genre and have more wide appeal. The characters are also largely stereotypes, but the broadly comic tone does provide a good platform for performers to go all out, in both vocals and acting.
The story focuses mainly on Drew (Drew Mizell), who works as bar staff for the Bourbon Room, a rock club on LA’s Sunset Strip. Drew is an aspiring musician who hopes to make it big. There’s also Sherrie (Dawn Schmid), a “small town girl” from Kansas who heads to LA to pursue an acting career, who meets Drew and becomes a waitress at the club. The two share an attraction, but of course there are obstacles–most of which seem obviously manufactured. Soon, fading rock star Stacee Jaxx (Clayton Humburg), who got his start at the Bourbon Room, is persuaded by the club’s owner Dennis (Jeffrey M. Wright) to perform his last show with his band, Arsenal, before launching a solo career. Jaxx turns out to be a Grade A jerk, to put it mildly, although Sherrie is too starstruck to notice this at first. Meanwhile, German businessman Herz (Jacob Wilkinson)–along with his meek son Franz (Luke A. Smith)–has arrived in town with a plan to redevelop the Sunset Strip, which would include the demolition of the Bourbon Room. Activist Regina Koontz (Sarah Polizzi), who was fired from her position at the mayor’s office for her opposition to the plan, leads a protest and attracts the attention of Franz. There are a few other subplots mixed in as well, all narrated by Dennis’s protege and Bourbon Room sound guy Lonny (Bradley Bliven).
As you can probably see, there are a whole lot of plots here. There are also a lot of cliches and stereotypes, and jokes that range from silly to crass, and the cast does seem to be having a lot of fun here. Mostly, the singing is great, with Mizell, Schmid, Humburg, and Jade Anaiis as Venus Gentleman’s Club proprietor Justice as standouts. Mizell and Schmid make a believable couple, and both give their all to their roles, although the role of Drew is somewhat bland as written. Schmid especially manages to inject a great deal of personality into her role, and Polizzi is also an acting standout with strong comic abilities. Bliven and Wright are also memorable as Lonny and Dennis, and Smith has some memorable moments as Franz, and the ensemble is strong as well, for the most part, especially vocally. Some of the roles are particularly underwritten or stereotypical, like Herz and especially Stacee Jaxx, who comes across as a completely one-note jerk despite Humburg’s excellent vocals and energy. There is dynamic choreography by Mike Hodges that lends pizzazz to the production numbers and memorable songs like “Here I Go Again”, “Don’t Stop Believin'”, “We’re Not Gonna Take It”, and more.
The visuals here are especially strong, with a marvelously detailed set by Rob Lippert that evokes the look and vibe of a 1980’s hard-rock nightclub with remarkable effect. There are also colorful costumes by Collen Michelson that suit the characters well and effectively reflect the time and subculture. The wigs by Sarah Gene Dowling are fun, as well, and Tyler Duenow’s lighting is fantastic. There’s also a great onstage band led by music director Mallory Golden.
Ultimately, Rock of Ages at SDT manages to entertain despite the uneven script. I think it will especially appeal to people who not only remember this era firsthand, but who also love this style of music and these songs especially. It’s a goofy story, but the cast seems to be having a lot of fun. If you have fond memories of 1980s hard rock and heavy metal, I imagine you’ll enjoy this show.
Cast of Rock of Ages
Photo: Stray Dog Theatre
Stray Dog Theater is presenting Rock of Ages at Tower Grove Abbey until April 26, 2025
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