Consider the memories—the music, the hair, the Reaganomics. Now consider that you can revisit it all—well, minus the Gipper’s economic arithmetic—at Rock of Ages, a rockin’, mockin’ jukebox musical that proves you can’t keep a wacky decade down.
In this show, hits from some of the era’s hottest artists—including Styx, Journey, Bon Jovi, Pat Benatar and Poison—are melded into a rollicking score. All that metal-rock madness propels a cute-boy-meets-saucy-girl story—he’s Drew, a wannabe rocker, she’s Sherrie, a wannabe actress—set on L.A.’s Sunset Strip against the backdrop of the Bourbon Room club, which is under threat from developers.
Among the gallery of other characters: whacked-out rocker Stacee Jaxx; middle-aged club owner Dennis; and—in a hilarious performance—Mark Shunock as Lonny, the club’s mullet-wearing, fourth wall-breaking assistant who functions as show narrator and endless wellspring of sassy quips and slapstick sight gags.
Big laughs. Big hits. Bigger hair. A rock-out for the ages.
The Venetian, 8 p.m. daily, $55.90-$115 plus tax and fee. 702.414.9000
