REVIEW: Circa 21’s ‘Rock of Ages’ Shows Big Hair, Big Emotion, Big Voices, Big Talent
There is so much to love about the latest production at Circa ’21 Dinner Playhouse, Rock Island, “Rock of Ages.” It’s literally like a jukebox full of some of your favorite songs.
The Tony Award-nominated Broadway smash jukebox musical, running through Nov. 7, is a nonstop party, rousing and exhilarating, that had the appreciative audience I shared it with Sept. 25 on its feet by the bows, for a well-deserved standing ovation.
As the self-referential, silly (with its tongue firmly in cheek) “Rock of Ages” begins, it’s the tail end of the big, bad ’80s in Hollywood, and the party has been raging hard. Aqua Net, Lycra, lace and liquor flow freely at one of the Sunset Strip’s last legendary venues – The Bourbon Room, a place where rock icon Stacee Jaxx takes the stage and groupies line up to turn their fantasies into reality.
Amid the madness, aspiring musician and resident janitor Drew longs to take the stage as the next big thing and also longs for Sherrie, a starry-eyed small-town girl fresh off the bus from Kansas. But the rock-and-roll fairytale looks about to end after ridiculous German developers sweep into town with plans to turn the fabled strip into just another capitalist strip mall. Can Drew, Sherrie and the gang save the strip before it’s too late?
Including the music of such iconic bands as Styx, Journey, Bon Jovi and Whitesnake, the show delivers a cornucopia of classics from the ’80s, with the musical’s characters belting out such unforgettable hits as Night Ranger’s “Sister Christian,” Foreigner’s “I Want to Know What Love Is,” REO Speedwagon’s “Keep on Loving You” and the Twisted Sister anthem “We’re Not Gonna Take It.” The original 2009 Broadway production of “Rock of Ages” ran for 2,328 performances and is among the longest-running shows in Broadway history.
Directing and choreographing Circa ’21’s season-ending production is frequent director/choreographer Ashley Becher, whose recent productions for the Rock Island dinner theater have included “Chicago,” “The Addams Family” and this past winter’s QC debut of “Lucky Stiff.” Area favorite Ron May serves as music director, with romantic hopefuls Drew and Sherrie portrayed with full-throated passion and fervor by Tate Milton and Avery Gallagher.
Becher’s great choreography is consistently stylish and stunning, performed with seemingly tireless energy by the top-notch cast. Circa ’21 Bootlegger and busy local performer Chase Austin (Quad City Music Guild’s “Jesus Christ Superstar” and Spotlight Theatre’s “The Wedding Singer”) makes a wonderful mainstage debut as the flamboyant rock legend Stacee Jaxx.
“Wanted Dead or Alive” and “I Want to Know What Love Is” are among Austin’s highlights in the show. He naturally blends bombast and vulnerability in the rock-god role.
Like much of Judd Apatow films, “Avenue Q” and “Book of Mormon,” the “Rock of Ages” vibe is often crass, raunchy, bathroom humor, laced with profanity and skin, but also with underlying innocence and a pulsing heart of gold. Part of that is due to the fourth-wall breaking narrator Lonny, lovably played by Bear Manescalchi, who was Frankie Valli in Circa’s “Jersey Boys” in 2024. With his big hair and prowling for good times, this mangy, animalistic part is just about the opposite in every way.
Another show highlight is a plot twist during an Act II duet between Lonny and bar owner Dennis (the always spot-on Kyle DeFauw) in “Can’t Fight This Feeling,” which is hilarious, and features another perfect dance number.
The nearly comic-book characters are taken to their cartoonish extreme with the duo of German villains, Hertz (Tristan Tapscott) and Franz (Owen Espinoza), and the loud Regina (Hanna Marie Felver), who shine in “We Built This City,” near the top of the show. They ham it up in playing their big roles to the hilt, and Espinoza makes a key, wild transformation near the story close.
The supremely solid supporting ensemble also includes Bobby Becher, Jordan Bee, Kelsey Sylvia Flowers, Nicolette Mayer, Chandler James, Ellie Rebeka, Aĭssatou Thiam and Tariq Woods.
In addition to the big hair, big voices and big harmonies, the emotions here are outsize and deeply felt – the power ballads are truly powerful. Kudos definitely go to set designer Becky Meissen for filling the stage with appropriate logos, stickers, and other eye-popping visuals (including lots of graffiti in the bathroom stall), and costume designer Jeanne Nugent for outfitting everyone to the nines (especially love Lonny’s T-shirt “Disco Sucks,” though I might not agree).
It may be a first (in Circa’s 49th season) to see a strip club – basically PG rated — on the hallowed stage here, but “Rock of Ages” fits snugly in the dinner theater’s mission to serve up nostalgia, in all its forms, with tender-loving care, and the highest level of professionalism. Again reflecting the joys and struggles of a specific time and place, this “Rock of Ages” triumphs with expert, enthusiastic performances, and another uplifting, inspiring message at the end – “Don’t Stop Believin’.”
“Rock of Ages” will be presented at Circa ’21 (1828 3rd Ave., Rock Island) through Nov. 7, with performances on Wednesday, Friday and Saturday evenings at 7:30 p.m., Sundays at 5:30 p.m. and Wednesday. matinées at 1:15 p.m. Pre-show entertainment featuring the theatre’s waitstaff the Bootleggers also will precede all performances. Ticket prices are $70 for the Friday-Sunday productions and $63 for the Wednesday matinee and evening shows.
There will be an extra show-only performance, on Thursday, October 8th, at 7 p.m., where the bar will be open and popcorn for sale. Tickets for that are $40 for adults and $25 for children.
Reservations are available through the Circa ’21 ticket office, or by calling 309-786-7733 ext. 2. Online reservations also may be made at the theater’s website circa21.com.
