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By Annie Lanning
hile not a well-known malady, ‘80s syndrome affects untold throngs of people around the globe. Common symptoms include long-term use of shoulder pads and AquaNet, as well as an obsession with “hair bands” such as Poison, Journey, and Whitesnake. Local sufferers are in luck, however, because they are about to get an ‘80s “fix” in the form of Rock of Ages, the Broadway hit musical about to take the stage at the Mary W. Sommervold Hall of the Washington Pavilion at 3 & 8 p.m. on Saturday, October 20, 2012.
Rock of Ages is a jukebox musical invoking the greats of 1980’s arena rock, including Warrant, Survivor, Foreigner, Styx, and many, many more. Set in 1987, the musical blends multiple love stories with a tale of saving a cornerstone of rock ‘n’ roll history from gentrification. The musical is set to a wide range of ‘80s hits, from “Here I Go Again” and “Don’t Stop Believin’,” to “Sister Christian.” The story, as narrated by a character named Lonny Bartlett, begins at The Bourbon Room on the Sunset Strip of West Hollywood. A team of German developers, Hertz Klinemann and his son Franz, have proposed demolishing much of the Strip to put an end to the “sex, drugs, and rock ‘n’ roll” lifestyle, in favor of clean living. Regina, the City Planner, and Dennis Dupree, owner of The Bourbon Room club, are at odds with the developers. Dennis hatches a plan to bring the band Arsenal back to their roots at The Bourbon Room for their final show. The aspiring young rock star (and Bourbon Room busboy) Drew Boley and Oklahoma transplant Sherrie Christian, a new Bourbon Room waitress, strike a spark that is quickly extinguished by miscommunication and rock star Stacee Jaxx. By the end of the first act, Arsenal’s producer has signed Drew to replace Stacee, who has
been unceremoniously ousted from the band in the sordid aftermath of a restroom tryst with Sherrie. Finding herself fired from The Bourbon Room, Sherrie begins working at a nearby “gentleman’s club,” The Venus Room. The second act follows Sherrie adapting to her new job, while Drew feels like the record company is trying to change his persona. Sherrie finally admits her feelings for Drew, explaining that she thought that he considered them only friends. After Stacee returns and forces Sherrie into an awkward situation, she beats him up, not knowing that Drew was watching and had assumed the worst when he saw their precarious position. Regina continues to resist the redevelopment efforts, while also falling for Franz, the son in the German development team, who dreams of returning to Germany and opening a confectionery. Lonny and Dennis admit their feelings for each other, while joining forces to