|
PERFECT UNION PRESENTS:
ROCK OF AGESBook by CHRIS D'ARIENZO
Arrangements and Orchestrations by ETHAN POP October 9-24, 2026
Week 1: Friday and Saturday at 7:30 p.m., Sunday at 2:00 p.m.
Week 2: Thursday and Friday at 7:30 p.m.,
Saturday at 2:00 and 7:30 p.m., Sunday at 2:00 p.m. Week 3: Thursday and Friday at 7:30 p.m.,
Saturday at 2:00 and 7:30 p.m. |
"ROCK OF AGES" is presented by arrangement with Concord Theatricals. www.concordtheatricals.com
Show Summary
It’s 1987 on Los Angeles’ legendary Sunset Strip, where the Bourbon Room is at the center of the city’s rock-and-roll scene. When aspiring musician Drew meets Sherrie, a small-town newcomer chasing her Hollywood dreams, the two quickly find themselves caught up in a whirlwind of romance, music, and big ambitions. But the future of the Bourbon Room (and the entire Strip) is threatened when developers set their sights on transforming the neighborhood into a sanitized commercial district. With the club fighting for survival and a larger-than-life rock star booked for one unforgettable performance, Drew, Sherrie, and a colorful cast of characters find themselves caught in a hilarious, high-energy battle over love, dreams, and the true spirit of rock and roll, all set to an unforgettable soundtrack of classic ’80s hits.
Meet the Creative Team
Director
|
Choreographer
|
Music Director
|
Vocal Director
|
Stage Manager
|
About the Show
Rock of Ages is the ultimate jukebox musical, serving as a loud, proud, and wildly unapologetic love letter to the 1980s glam metal scene. Featuring a book by Chris D'Arienzo, the show premiered on Broadway in 2009 and ran for an astonishing 2,328 performances by doing something revolutionary: it tore down the traditional boundaries of musical theater and transformed a Broadway house into a raucous Sunset Strip rock club.
While the show is built around the soul-melting anthems of Journey, Styx, Bon Jovi, Pat Benatar, and Twisted Sister, it also boasts a sharp, self-aware wit. It is packed with meta-theatrical winks and references designed to delight seasoned theatergoers. Yet, it wears this dramaturgical pedigree like a glorious, teased-out mullet—business in the front for the theatre nerds, absolute party in the back for everyone else. It never asks the audience to overthink; instead, it uses its cleverness entirely in service of delivering an unforgettable, interactive, and joyous escape. It is a brilliant piece of comedic theater masquerading as a rock concert.
While the show is built around the soul-melting anthems of Journey, Styx, Bon Jovi, Pat Benatar, and Twisted Sister, it also boasts a sharp, self-aware wit. It is packed with meta-theatrical winks and references designed to delight seasoned theatergoers. Yet, it wears this dramaturgical pedigree like a glorious, teased-out mullet—business in the front for the theatre nerds, absolute party in the back for everyone else. It never asks the audience to overthink; instead, it uses its cleverness entirely in service of delivering an unforgettable, interactive, and joyous escape. It is a brilliant piece of comedic theater masquerading as a rock concert.
Deep Dive: For the Theatre Nerds
A Secret Reward for the Dramaturgs: For the seasoned theatergoer looking for Easter eggs, the show is secretly a rock-fueled retelling of the Orpheus and Eurydice myth. Drew is Orpheus (the boy with a guitar), Sherrie is Eurydice (who falls into the dark), Stacee Jaxx is the viper that poisons her path, and the Venus Club functions exactly like the Underworld, ruled by Justice Charlier (a Persephone figure). Lonny acts as Hermes, the trickster god who guides the audience through the story. It's a brilliant structural nod that theater nerds will eat up, while everyone else just enjoys the ride.
The "Ghost" Title Song: The show is named after the 1983 hit song "Rock of Ages" by Def Leppard. However, Def Leppard originally refused to grant the rights to their music for the Broadway production. The creators kept the title anyway because the phrase (originally from an 18th-century Christian hymn) perfectly encapsulated the Bourbon Room as a "sanctuary" for lost souls.
The Real Threat of 1987: The villains might be hilarious caricatures, but their threat is based on real history. The late 1980s saw a massive wave of corporate deregulation and urban gentrification in Los Angeles. The threat of iconic, independent music venues being bulldozed to make way for sanitized retail spaces was a very real fear for the Sunset Strip community.
The "Ghost" Title Song: The show is named after the 1983 hit song "Rock of Ages" by Def Leppard. However, Def Leppard originally refused to grant the rights to their music for the Broadway production. The creators kept the title anyway because the phrase (originally from an 18th-century Christian hymn) perfectly encapsulated the Bourbon Room as a "sanctuary" for lost souls.
The Real Threat of 1987: The villains might be hilarious caricatures, but their threat is based on real history. The late 1980s saw a massive wave of corporate deregulation and urban gentrification in Los Angeles. The threat of iconic, independent music venues being bulldozed to make way for sanitized retail spaces was a very real fear for the Sunset Strip community.
Curatorial Insight: Why this Show?
We selected Rock of Ages for the 2026/27 season because it is an unapologetic rock and roll party. It is a masterclass in comedic structure that satisfies the intellect of the seasoned patron, but its highest ambition is simply to take the FUN volume up to 11. It offers an electric, fist-pumping night of pure entertainment where the audience is in on the joke. The mythic parallels and theatrical Easter eggs are a fantastic hidden layer, but ultimately, this production is about delivering a raucous, high-energy celebration that our community will love.
LINKS TO LEARN MORE ABOUT...
THE SHOW
VIDEO: Rock of Ages at the Tonys - 2009 PerformanceThis is the official upload of Constantine Maroulis and the cast performing the "I Wanna Rock" and "Don't Stop Believin'" medley at the 63rd Annual Tony Awards.
THE MUSIC
AUDIO: Rock of Ages Original Broadway Cast Recording
THE STORY
WEBSITE: Rock of Ages - History and Context by Concord Theatricals
THE SHOW
VIDEO: Rock of Ages at the Tonys - 2009 PerformanceThis is the official upload of Constantine Maroulis and the cast performing the "I Wanna Rock" and "Don't Stop Believin'" medley at the 63rd Annual Tony Awards.
THE MUSIC
AUDIO: Rock of Ages Original Broadway Cast Recording
THE STORY
WEBSITE: Rock of Ages - History and Context by Concord Theatricals