Rock Of Ages Rocks Critics

Come on feel the Noize! Rock Of Ages has just celebrated its opening night, and the critics are loving it. With a cast that includes American Idol Constantine Maroulis, and rapidly rising "Hair" star Will Swenson, this juke-box musical taps the riotous fun of the 1980s hair-band hits, the people who put the "hero" in Guitar Hero. According to the critics, the show's plot may be simple, but the entertainment value is high as the show mines the theatricality of the 80's hit makers with their stylized make-up, colorful costumes, and big hair.

Written by Chris D'Arienzo, the story focuses on an LA club in the 1980s that is being threatened with demolition. An early sampling of reviews from the New York Times, Variety, AP, Daily News, and others are undisputed in their praise for the production, which is currently playing off-Brodway at New World Stages. While Andy Webster of The New York Times lamented that there were not enough slashing guitar solos, he found much to praise in the production from Maroulis' performace ("appealingly self-effacing") to the production itself ("The flash-and-trash ambience - in Beowulf Boritt's sets, Gregory Gale's costumes and Jason Lyons's lights - is on the mark, and Kristin Hanggi's direction never lags).

Variety's Mark Blankenship was also enthusiastic. "Somewhere between the Styx dance break and the Twisted Sister reprise, this jukebox tuner transcends its hoary parts to become a legitimate artistic achievement. Auds may even wave their lighters out of genuine enthusiasm," he wrote. Jennifer Farrar of AP called the show "crazy fun" and Patrick Lee of Theatermania said the show was "hugely enjoyable."

Tunes from Twisted Sister, Damn Yankees, Foreigner, Whitesnake, Poison, Styx, Journey, and more make up the set list for the production. On hand to celebrate the shows opening night were Dee Snider and Jay Jay French from Twisted Sister, Counting Crows' poet Adam Duritz, and actor Colin Hanks. Of course the cast was on hand too, including Will Swenson, who earned one of the most unique positive reviews of the season from Patrick Hugeuenin of the New York Daily News who writes: "Will Swenson steals his scenes as a rocker with an ego as big as his uncomfortable-looking bulge." Rock on, everybody!

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Tags:
American Idol, Constantine Maroulis, Will Swenson, Chris D'Arienzo, New York Times, Variety, AP, Daily News, Mark Blankenship, Kristin Hanggi, Twisted Sister, Damn Yankees, Foreigner, Whitesnake, Poison, Styx, Journey, Dee Snider and Jay Jay French from Twisted Sister, Counting Crowrs, Adam Duritz, Colin Hanks