The Community Theatre of Howell’s new musical, the 1980s-themed “Rock of Ages,” continues this weekend at the Howell High School Freshman Campus, 1400 W. Grand River Ave., Howell.
Performances are Friday and Saturday at 7:30 p.m., and Sunday at 2 p.m. Tickets are available by clicking HERE.
The musical is directed by Tracy Pasfield and Theresia Rogers and produced by Linda Peasley.
“Rock of Ages” is set in the 1980s in Los Angeles, taking you back to the time of big bands with big egos playing big guitar solos and sporting even bigger hair.
The musical follows a small-town girl who moves to Los Angeles to pursue her dreams of becoming a rock star, and a city boy who falls in love with her. The musical features classic rock songs from Journey, Bon Jovi, REO Speedwagon, Pat Benatar and more. It is an uplifting and heartwarming story about following your dreams and never giving up on love.
As the show enters its second weekend, here’s a look at two of the cast members, Kylie Scarpace of Canton and Kevin Rogers of Brighton.
Kylie Scarpace as Sherrie
Before this show, what’s been your favorite CTH role or other role that you’ve played in the past for another group?
Last November, I played Doralee, the Dolly Parton character, in CTH’s “9 to 5.” This was my first show with CTH, and it was definitely a memorable experience.
Tell us about your character in “Rock of Ages” and why you like playing this role.
Sherrie Christian is a small-town girl from Kansas, and she moves to L.A. on the Sunset Strip with dreams of becoming an actress. There, she meets a boy named Drew. They form a friendship, and together they navigate what it really means to follow your dreams.
I love playing Sherrie because of how multi-faceted she is; she’s cute, she’s sweet, but yet she’s fiery. Getting to play with her transition from being a little more naive in the beginning to a more-empowered version of herself at the end is just so much fun.
What can the audience expect when they come to see this show?
The goal is to make the audience feel fully immersed in the 1980’s through the costumes, the songs (that even younger folks from my generation will know and love), and the humor embedded into this hilarious script. Audiences should expect some risque content, but deep at the center of this show there’s a lot of heart.
What’s been your favorite part of the “Rock of Ages” experience?
We have such a fun-loving cast and crew in this show, so they’re all my favorite part of this ordeal. Of course it’s fun to step outside of our comfort zones and take-on songs that are vocally challenging, but it can also be a little nerve-wracking. We’re lucky to have such a supportive group dynamic to raise each other up. We all have such a great time in rehearsals, and we hope to bring that joy to the audiences who come to see our production of “Rock of Ages.”
Kevin Rogers as Lonny
Before this show, what’s been your favorite CTH role or other role that you’ve played in the past for another group?
I would have to say it’s a tie between Donkey in “Shrek” and Colonel Jessup in “A Few Good Men.”
Tell us about your character in “Rock of Ages” and why you like playing this role.
Lonny is the narrator, dramatic conjurer, and basically sets each scene in motion…I love playing him because he interacts with almost every character, and he’s so outrageous and funny that he fits with my care-free attitude in life.
What can the audience expect when they come to see this show?
They are going to want to sing along with every song, as well as remember just how crazy the 80’s actually were. For music lovers, there was no better decade. And hopefully, no one is offended by the humor…lol
What’s been your favorite part of the “Rock of Ages” experience?
Working with such a talented and fun group….but the biggest part has been watching my wife direct her first full musical….it’s been a lot of fun watching her, but it’s been hard for me to suppress the “director” in me.
