Jessica Pucek

It seems that since the dawn of the new millennium, there has been an incredible surge in the appearance of new 'jukebox musicals.' This genre is comprised of shows made up of previously recorded and released songs, usually by a single band or artist, or connected to a specific theme. While there were a few of these in the late 1900's, the genre took off once the clock turned to 2000. Now, theaters are filled with them, showcasing the music of anyone from Billy Joel to Queen to Janis Joplin and Bob Dylan. After seeing the touring production of the jukebox musical Rock of Ages at Providence Performing Arts Center, it's hard to imagine that anything in the genre is as exciting, fun and perfectly pieced together as this spectacular musical combination of the glam-band hits of the late 1980s.