Review: ROCK OF AGES at Sioux Empire Community Theatre

One of my favorite things about musicals is that, at their core, they are designed to be fun. Singin' in the Rain and The Music Man were created to give audiences a great night out. Although it is difficult to compare Rock of Ages as a show to those classic pieces, this particular production of Rock of Ages at Sioux Empire Community Theatre will give audiences one of those great nights we're all searching for.

Rock of Ages is a rock musical built around metal songs from the 1980's, including well-known bands like Journey, Styx, and Twisted Sister. The show opens on Drew, a busboy on the Sunset Strip dreaming of rock and roll fame. However, he's distracted by the arrival of Sherrie, a Kansas girl who moved to California to become an actress. After Drew gets Sherrie a job, their hopes of stardom begin to conflict (humorously) with pompous rock stars, sleazy German developers, and a group of protesters trying to the Strip from being torn down.

Rock of Ages is less of a musical and more a concert strung together by scenes. The amazing musical talent made me impatient to move past many of the scenes and get back to the important part - the singing. Because SECT's Rock of Ages is one of those rare, true ensemble musicals driven by a strong cast who seemed to work as one.

Normally the Orpheum's main theatre space feels huge. But my immediate impression upon walking into the space this past week was that it felt almost...cozy. The set was reminiscent of a grungy 80's nightclub. But there was nothing grungy about the special effects: fogs machines that blasted six feet into the air, rotating set pieces, and a microphone reverb that put us all into a Pat Benatar mood.

The show opens on Lonny, the show's narrator, played hilariously by Mike Richards. I was particularly impressed with his comedic chemistry, his ability to set up jokes for others just as well as he could land them. Sydney Place-Sallstrom dominated our attention from the first moment she stepped onstage as Sherrie, the female lead, her strong voice sailing across the drums and guitar. The male lead, played by Paul Ridgeway, sometimes lacked the energy of the rest of the cast, but his adoring love for Sherrie had us all rooting for him.

And speaking of the rest of the cast: this is what community theatre dreams are made of. The group music numbers, like "We Built this City" or "Here I Go Again", had the audience laughing and clapping along from the first chord. Director Matt Nesmith deserves congratulations for building a strong cast, along with some stellar blocking decisions: a slow-motion scene was particularly impressive. But the cast also deserves praise for injecting purpose and fun into every moment. Devin Basart and Andy Heller, as the German villains, displayed a particularly impressive ability to invite the audience to laugh along at every joke.

The cast was perfectly supported by an amazing live band. Although the musical mix between singers and band was on point, many of the spoken lines during songs (including some important plot points) were missed over the volume of the accompanying artists.

If you love head-banging, glitter, and spectacular music, hustle over to SECT and get your tickets for Rock of Ages. The show will be playing now through October 2nd, 2016. Please note that the show contains language and adult themes.

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