“Sister Christian” by Night Ranger, No. 5 on the Billboard charts in 1984. “Don’t Stop Believin’” by Journey, No. 9 on the Billboard charts in 1981. “Heaven” by Bryan Adams, No. 1 on the Billboard charts in 1983.
All of them are in the jukebox musical “Rock of Ages.” All of them were hits before the stars of San Diego Musical Theatre’s production of the show, Aaron Gibbs and Lizzy Sheck, were even born.
But none of those ‘80s hits or others like Whitesnake’s “Here I Go Again” or Pat Benatar’s “Hit Me With Your Best Shot” are brand new to either Gibbs, who plays “Rock of Ages”’ rock star hopeful Drew Boley, or to Sheck, playing aspiring actress Sherrie Christian at the Kearny Mesa theater.
Lizzy Sheck stars as small-town girl Sherrie in San Diego Musical Theatre’s “Rock of Ages.” (Julie Licari)
“I have my parents to thank,” said Sheck. “They were having some of their best years during the ‘80s. I’m pretty familiar with quite a few of the songs. (There are more than 20 in the production.) “I talked with my mom before rehearsals started and listed every song that’s in it, and she knew every one.”
Gibbs, who gets to sing Steve Perry’s “Oh Sherrie” and is part of the company finale, “Don’t Stop Believin’”, recalls Journey as “one of the first bands my parents introduced me to. My mom had me sing ‘Faithfully’ to her in my little soprano.”
SDMT’s production of “Rock of Ages,” last staged locally in 2019 at Cygnet Theatre, is being directed by Jonathan Sangster. The large cast includes Zane Camacho as narrator character Lonny, Tim Roberts as Dennis Dupree, owner of the Bourbon Room on the Sunset Strip where much of the action takes place, Michael Pinning as Stacee Jaxx, the rock star villain of the show, and Amber St. James as Justice, a strip club owner.
The book for “Rock of Ages,” which earned five Tony Award nominations in 2009, was written by Chris D’Arienzo, who also co-wrote the screenplay for a 2012 film adaptation that did not prove successful. But this is a show that thrives on its songs.
Cast members of San Diego Musical Theatre’s “Rock of Ages,” from left, Tim Roberts, Zane Camacho, Aaron Gibbs, Lizzy Sheck, Amber St. James and Michael Pinning. (Julie Licari)
“The music is so iconic,” said Gibbs. “It holds its own place in time. We have to respect that. It’s always going to be there.”
Not the musical’s narrative is unimportant. “The basic story line is about finding yourself, which even younger audiences can definitely relate to,” said Sheck. “It’s about coming out with different dreams than the dreams you started with. The music? It caters to an audience that was there.”
That was the 1980s, when hair bands, enjoying added exposure from emerging MTV, vied for rock supremacy with glam, New Wave, power pop and more.
Neither Sheck nor Gibbs, who grew up later, had rock dreams in their youth.
“I played the flute when I was younger and had some interest in guitar and piano, too, but I actually grew up a dancer,” said Sheck. “I was too afraid to sing in front of anyone. When I was 17 I started taking voice lessons and that’s how I found musical theater. It helped me step out of my shell.”
Gibbs remembered “Growing up, I was very shy and not confident, which is what Drew is. I taught myself guitar. When I was like 15 I started voice lessons with my coach, but that’s pretty much all.”
Seems like a good time to mention that the original Drew in the the musical’s 2006 Broadway premiere, Constantine Maroulis, first played the trumpet in middle school, and that production’s Sherrie, Amy Spanger, began as a dancer.
‘Rock of Ages’
When: Preview, 7 p.m. Friday, Aug. 21. Opens 7 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 22, and runs through Sept. 13. 7 p.m. Thursdays and Fridays; 2 and 7 p.m. Saturdays; 2 p.m. Sundays.
Where: San Diego Musical Theatre, 4650 Mercury St., Kearny Mesa
Tickets: $44-$69
Phone: 858-560-5740
Online: sdmt.org