Rock of Ages

Rock of Ages
BDT Stage
Boulder, CO
August 25 - November 11, 2017

Rock of Ages seems like an odd musical - a showcase of eighties songs wrapped around a story. This season, BDT Stage tackled this challenge for their season opener.

Unlike many “jukebox musicals,” this show didn’t force songs to fit into the story line. Instead, only the relevant parts were used. In some cases that many mean that the audience members may not hear the entirety of their favorite song, but it kept the action moving along nicely.

Another nice feature was the medley of songs at parts in the show to show the stream of consciousness of multiple characters. (It would be called a “mash-up” today.) While the blending may not have been perfect, it was interesting to hear these familiar songs used in a completely new way.

The costumes were also a fun reminder of the era. The women’s outfits were decidedly Madonna inspired and the men mostly wore jeans. But there were brilliant touches by someone who vividly remembers the time. Lonnie’s “Frankie Says Relax” t-shirt was fantastic to see. And the gaudy European jacket worn by Franz took me back to the flamboyant fashion of that era.

The poster outside the theater mentioned the “big hair” of the eighties and it was on display. The actors who grew out and teased their hair captured the right looks. Those who wore wigs gave us the mullet style in a way most of us would like to forget.

The talent of the cast was undeniable. While the characters in the show may be somewhat superficial, they do evoke real people. While Lonnie was a bit over the top in his antics, I was constantly reminded of the behavior I saw in the eighties. The songs were performed in a way that didn’t leave the audience longing for the original version. 

The storyline was simple, but uplifting. The cast seemed to have a good time performing it and it was contagious. Rock of Ages was at times over-sexualized and vulgar, but it was appropriate for the show. It was a fun evening of theater and music that felt like a party.