Nothing succeeds like 1980s excess in Metropolis’ ‘Rock of Ages’ revival

“Rock of Ages” — 2.5 stars

The good thing about “Rock of Ages,” the jukebox tuner running through May 25 at the Metropolis Performing Arts Centre, is its abundance of 1980s chart-topping tunes. With a score consisting of 33 songs (in some cases, excerpts) from Journey, Poison, Whitesnake and other glam rockers, audience members don’t have to wait long for the next hit.

The bad thing about “Rock of Ages” is that many tunes push the show’s run time to nearly 2½ hours (including intermission). Frankly, that’s longer than this predictable boy meets girl, boy loses girl, boy gets girl tale warrants.

Negligible plot, thinly drawn characters and attempts to wrench into the narrative songs that don’t suit the sentiment aside, this show has a certain appeal.

A sly, self-aware send-up of 1980s glam metal and its devotees, it recognizes what it is (a snapshot of an era and a rockin’ good time) and does not try to be what it is not. To that end, “Rock of Ages” — written by Chris D’Arienzo with tongue firmly implanted in cheek — faithfully conjures the era’s musical bombast (power ballads and shred guitars) and over-the-top fashion (big hair and kohl-lined eyes, spandex and mesh tops).

Narrated by sound guy and self-styled “dramatic conjurer” Lonny (the affable Christopher Johnson), the story begins on Los Angeles’ Sunset Strip, where aspiring rock musician and Detroit native Drew (Mack Spotts) meets Sherrie (Dani Pike), an aspiring actress from a small Kansas town.

She gets a job waitressing at The Bourbon Room (a stand-in for L.A.’s famed Whiskey a Go Go flanked by giant, neon palm trees), where Drew works as a barback and janitor for owner and former drummer Dennis Dupree (Victor Lopez).

Rock fans who frequented clubs during the 1980s will recognize designer Jonathan Berg-Einhorn’s no-frills, postindustrial nightspot with its chain link backdrop, poster covered walls and haphazardly strung, multicolored lights.

The club’s future is threatened by German developer Hertz Klinemann (Quinn Kelch) and his son Franz (Sam Hook), who convince the mayor (Joseph Yanez) to raze the Strip and replace The Bourbon Room and its neighboring nightspots with a strip mall. Rock ’n’ roll-loving city planner Regina (Emily McCormick) opposes the redevelopment and rallies locals in protest.

Meanwhile, debauched rock star Stacee Jaxx (a suitably glammed Nathe Rowbotham) returns to the club to play a farewell concert with his band (music director/keyboardist Ken McMullen, guitarists Jared Forth and Michael Lockler, bassist Kara Olander and drummer Colin Rambert).

Stacee seduces Sherrie, upending her budding romance with Drew, who quits his job to pursue his rock ’n’ roll dreams. Following their brief tryst in a men’s room, Stacee dumps Sherrie and gets her fired.

She winds up dancing at a gentleman’s club owned by Justice Charlier (a maternal Natalie Henry) while Drew gets tapped for a prefab “boyz band” managed by Ja’Keith Gill (also played by Yanez).

Director Derek Van Barham’s young, enthusiastic cast have some fine moments. Pike is quite funny as a novice stripper learning the moves in the “Pour Some Sugar” medley. Her delicious “High Enough” duet with Spotts (during which Johnson’s Lonny frantically sets microphones) is over-the-top in the best possible way. So is Rowbotham’s version of Bon Jovi’s ode to life on the road, “Wanted Dead or Alive.”

Overall, the singing is solid, especially from principals Spotts, Pike, Rowbotham, Johnson, Lopez and Henry. And the full chorus’ a cappella sections sounded fine on opening night. Some individual vocals sounded strained and several actors appeared too young for their roles.

Still, the unabashedly nostalgic “Rock of Ages” is good fun and Metropolis’ energetic revival put smiles on the faces of its opening-night crowd, who I imagine would have raised their lighters in tribute.

Unfamiliar with the tradition? Ask an aging rocker grandparent to enlighten you.

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Location: Metropolis Performing Arts Centre, 111 W. Campbell St., Arlington Heights, (847) 577-2121, metropolisarts.com

Showtimes: 7:30 p.m. Thursday and Friday; 2 and 7:30 p.m. Saturday; 2 p.m. Sunday through May 25

Running time: About 2 hours, 20 minutes, with intermission

Tickets: Start at $24 for students, $45 for adults

Parking: Nearby garage and street parking

Rating: For older teens and adults; contains mature subject matter, sexual situations