(Photo by Mike Kitaif)
In a time of big bands playing 80s rock with even bigger hair, “Rock of Ages” is a jukebox musical built around classic rock songs of the decade.
This Tony Award-nominated Broadway musical features the hits of bands like Styx, Journey, Bon Jovi, Whitesnake and more. It’s currently playing at Theater West End in Sanford through Aug. 17.
Based in Hollywood in the Sunset Strip, a small-town girl meets a big-city boy chasing his rock star fantasies. But the rock ’n’ roll fairy tale is about to end when German developers sweep into town with plans to turn the Strip into just another capitalist strip mall. The only answer to save it lies in the music.
Justin Adams, the show’s music director, teaches music to the cast and played piano for all the rehearsals and performances. He says he gives notes to the actors to make sure everyone is doing their part. Part of his role includes wearing many different hats in the theater world as he conducts each show.
Adams was kind enough to speak with Watermark Out News by phone ahead of its closing.
WATERMARK OUT NEWS: What are some of the best aspects of having “Rock of Ages” play in Sanford?
Justin Adams: This theater is so unique in the way that it is set up. Just the look of it, with it being an older building, having this rustic element, the exposed brick everywhere, the more intimate space … lends itself to “Rock of Ages” because it is a show that primarily takes place in the bourbon room in a bar. So the feel of the room I think, is very emblematic of the feel of the show.
When Central Florida audiences go and see it, what are some things that you want them to feel as they connect to the themes?
I think one of the biggest themes in “Rock of Ages” is probably love, finding your space with someone else but on top of that, I think the show is just a really fun way to spend an evening out. Although the themes are generally about love, there’s a lot of humor and a lot of nostalgia built into the script. The way the costumes help that the lighting, the sound and everything kind of contribute to this. Let’s go back to the 1980s and just kind of relive what that felt like. I think being in Florida, especially since this is the state with a large retirement community, I think it kind of lends itself to the people that are in this area.
Do the actors put their own personal twist onto their characters?
I don’t deal a ton with character development as the director would, but I would say that this show definitely lends itself more to let the actors express a lot of themselves in the show. We have one character, Lonnie, who is our narrator and comes in and out of scenes throughout the show. I think that actor, Cameron, has brought a lot of himself into that. He’s a very outgoing person and you definitely see that within his character. So I would say, absolutely, that actors bring themselves into these roles for sure.
When you reflect on some of the work that you have done for the show, how do you personally feel toward seeing it take off?
It’s exciting. I’m relatively new to the Orlando theater scene. I’ve only been here for about four years. This is one of my favorite shows. I’ve done it before and I always like revisiting shows because I feel like I learned so much on the first one. I’m very proud of this production, the creative team, the actors and the crew for putting on such a challenging show in a very small space that I think really connects to the audience.
Do you usually stand from the sides and watch the audience’s perspective for reactions or do you watch more of the actors and the performance?
I think it’s a combination of both. I’m kind of in a lovely situation where I’m on stage the entire time with the band, so I’m facing the audience. I see how the audience is really reacting to the show in real time. I see their faces, I see what they whisper about and I also can see backstage, so I can see when the actors are feeling the energy from the audience and vice versa. So from my position, it’s really cool to see how both are reacting and flowing with each other throughout the show.
“Rock of Ages” plays at Theater West End in Sanford through Aug. 17. Tickets start at $40 and are available at TheaterWestEnd.com
