'Rock' on: '80s jukebox musical launches tour in Chicago

The 2009 Broadway musical "Rock of Ages" is a load of dumb fun, and it's not at all ashamed to be so. And what would you expect from a jukebox musical that draws its inspiration from 1980s hair-metal hits by the likes of Twisted Sister, Bon Jovi and Poison?

Let's just say that admirers of sophisticated musical theater with original scores should steer clear of Chicago's Bank of America Theatre for the next couple of weeks. That's where "Rock of Ages" has launched its blaring national tour featuring a few indispensable actors imported from its original Broadway company.

Former "American Idol" contestant Constantine Maroulis reprises his Tony Award-nominated turn as Drew (aka Wolfgang von Colt), a wannabe rocker who tries to hit it big while working at the Bourbon Room, a grimy music club along Los Angeles' Sunset Strip.

Drew falls for a fresh-off-the-midnight-train wannabe actress named Sherrie (yes, just like the Journey song) played by a vivacious Rebecca Faulkenberry. But their budding romance is thwarted when egocentric rock star Stacee Jaxx (a very chiseled MiG Ayesa) arrives to turn Sherrie's head as he embarks on a solo career.

"Rock of Ages" also has a subplot involving former hippie Bourbon Room owner Dennis Dupree (a hilariously spacey Nick Cordero) and his smarmy sound guy/narrator Lonny (a very comically hopped-up Mitchell Jarvis from the original Broadway cast temporarily taking over for Patrick Lewallen) as they battle father-son German developers Hertz and Franz (respective Chicago actors Bret Tuomi and Travis Walker), who want to tear down the club and turn it into a strip mall.

Chris d'Arienzo's script is just a lot of self-aware silly stuff that serves as setups to shoehorn in rock numbers (at least the ones that they could get the rights to, since they don't sing the show's title song by Def Leppard). Just like so many jukebox musicals, songs get entrance applause by nostalgic rock fans, even if their original intensions and contexts end up distorted in the show.

But as artistically dubious as "Rock of Ages" is with all its blatant product placements (Arby's, Miller Lite) and its pedestrian love plot, you do have to admire how slickly this show is produced and all-out performed by the vocally melismatic and pelvic-thrusting ensemble under Kristin Hanggi's amusing direction. Also of note is the rocking onstage band led by conductor/keyboardist Brandon Ethridge and featuring the smoking guitar playing of Chris Cicchino.

Great art it ain't, but there's no denying how entertaining "Rock of Ages" can be as a campy look back at 1980s trends and tragic fashions. And just think, "Rock of Ages" does its part to help line the pockets of your favorite aging rock stars with residual song royalties.