![\"Lizzy](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/sut-l-stage-rockofages2.jpg\")
Lizzy Sheck stars as small-town girl Sherrie in San Diego Musical Theatre\u2019s \u201cRock of Ages.\u201d (Julie Licari)<\/p>\n\u201cSister Christian\u201d by Night Ranger, No. 5 on the Billboard charts in 1984. \u201cDon\u2019t Stop Believin\u2019\u201d by Journey, No. 9 on the Billboard charts in 1981. \u201cHeaven\u201d by Bryan Adams, No. 1 on the Billboard charts in 1983.<\/p>\n
All of them are in the jukebox musical \u201cRock of Ages.\u201d All of them were hits before the stars of San Diego Musical Theatre\u2019s production of the show, Aaron Gibbs and Lizzy Sheck, were even born.<\/p>\n
But none of those \u201880s hits or others like Whitesnake\u2019s \u201cHere I Go Again\u201d or Pat Benatar\u2019s \u201cHit Me With Your Best Shot\u201d are brand new to either Gibbs, who plays \u201cRock of Ages\u201d\u2019 rock star hopeful Drew Boley, or to Sheck, playing aspiring actress Sherrie Christian at the Kearny Mesa theater.<\/p>\n
Lizzy Sheck stars as small-town girl Sherrie in San Diego Musical Theatre\u2019s \u201cRock of Ages.\u201d (Julie Licari)<\/p>\n
\u201cI have my parents to thank,\u201d said Sheck. \u201cThey were having some of their best years during the \u201880s. I\u2019m pretty familiar with quite a few of the songs. (There are more than 20 in the production.) \u201cI talked with my mom before rehearsals started and listed every song that\u2019s in it, and she knew every one.\u201d<\/p>\n
Gibbs, who gets to sing Steve Perry\u2019s \u201cOh Sherrie\u201d and is part of the company finale, \u201cDon\u2019t Stop Believin\u2019\u201d, recalls Journey as \u201cone of the first bands my parents introduced me to. My mom had me sing \u2018Faithfully\u2019 to her in my little soprano.\u201d<\/p>\n
SDMT\u2019s production of \u201cRock of Ages,\u201d 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.<\/p>\n
The book for \u201cRock of Ages,\u201d which earned five Tony Award nominations in 2009, was written by Chris D\u2019Arienzo, 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.<\/p>\n
![\"Cast](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/sut-l-stage-rockofages3.jpg\")
Cast members of San Diego Musical Theatre\u2019s \u201cRock of Ages,\u201d from left, Tim Roberts, Zane Camacho, Aaron Gibbs, Lizzy Sheck, Amber St. James and Michael Pinning. (Julie Licari)<\/p>\n
\u201cThe music is so iconic,\u201d said Gibbs. \u201cIt holds its own place in time. We have to respect that. It\u2019s always going to be there.\u201d<\/p>\n
Not the musical\u2019s narrative is unimportant. \u201cThe basic story line is about finding yourself, which even younger audiences can definitely relate to,\u201d said Sheck. \u201cIt\u2019s about coming out with different dreams than the dreams you started with. The music? It caters to an audience that was there.\u201d<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
Neither Sheck nor Gibbs, who grew up later, had rock dreams in their youth.<\/p>\n
\u201cI played the flute when I was younger and had some interest in guitar and piano, too, but I actually grew up a dancer,\u201d said Sheck. \u201cI was too afraid to sing in front of anyone. When I was 17 I started taking voice lessons and that\u2019s how I found musical theater. It helped me step out of my shell.\u201d<\/p>\n
Gibbs remembered \u201cGrowing 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\u2019s pretty much all.\u201d<\/p>\n
Seems like a good time to mention that the original Drew in the the musical\u2019s 2006 Broadway premiere, Constantine Maroulis, first played the trumpet in middle school, and that production\u2019s Sherrie, Amy Spanger, began as a dancer.<\/p>\n
\u2018Rock of Ages\u2019<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
Where: San Diego Musical Theatre, 4650 Mercury St., Kearny Mesa<\/p>\n
Tickets: $44-$69<\/p>\n
Phone: 858-560-5740<\/p>\n