'80s-era 'Rock of Ages' musical among 3 Cape Cod theater shows worth seeing

What did our reviewers think of shows now on Cape Cod stages? Here's what they had to say about "Rock of Ages" at Barnstable Comedy Club; "Cry It Out" at Cotuit Center for the Arts; and "The Bridges of Madison County" musical produced by Falmouth Theatre Guild.

‘Rock of Ages’

By Sue Mellen

Written by: Book, music and lyrics by Chris D’Arienzo; arrangements and orchestrations by Ethan Popp; directed by Sonia Schonning; presented by Barnstable Comedy Club.

What it's about: It’s sometime in the late 1980s in a club called the Bourbon Room on “The Strip” (Hollywood’s Sunset Strip), a time and place where life was all about sex, booze, weed, hot bikes and cars — and, of course, rock. As Lonny (Robert Grady) says as he introduces himself and the show to the audience, “Welcome back to a sexier time! If you had a dream and a decent amount of hair, there was nowhere else to be.”

Lonny’s speech sets the tone for the show. He explains that there will be no “fourth wall” between the audience and actors, inviting audience members to sing along and “get up and dance” whenever the spirit moves them. And just to be sure the audience stays engaged, he periodically addresses an audience member or hands them a prop. In essence, the whole theater becomes the stage.

Cut to the Bourbon Room, where the large ensemble introduces the audience to the chock-full musical side of the show. Then there is the romantic/sexy side of the show. Kansas farm girl Sherrie (Hope O’Conor) has made her way from the Midwest to The Strip, despite protestations from Mom (Rachael Kenneally) and Dad (Kevin Kenneally), as they remind her of her roots in the song “Sister Christian.” She wanders into the Bourbon Room and meets would-be rock musician Drew (Will Moser) and it’s clear from the start romance is in the offing.

But all is not well in rock paradise. Real estate developers Hertz (Sean MacIsaac) and son Franz (Max Dexter) are intent on demolishing the clubs on The Strip and replacing them with shopping malls. Will the rock haven survive this travesty?

See it or not: Go for the musical trip back in time and the sheer escapism of the show. On opening night, the audience was singing along and clapping in time with the music. Is there any better medicine than this?  The choreography is flawless, the voices are universally strong, and the troupe is filled with energy in the opener and throughout. It’s not an easy task to integrate so much music into the action of a show without disrupting the flow. Director Schonning does a great job of weaving it all together.

Highlights of the show: This show is, of course, all about the music. There are more than 30 musical numbers, ranging from works by Def Leopard to Bon Jovi to Journey. The first song-and-dance number is a combo of three ‘80’s classics, “Come on Feel the Noise,” “Just Like Paradise” and “Nothin’ But a Good Time.” Then there is a steady flow of music carrying the show, ranging from sweet, romantic numbers like “Waiting for a Girl Like You” and “I Want to Know What Love Is” to rocking numbers like “I Wanna Rock” and “Hit Me With Your Best Shot.” The five-piece Rock of Ages band, led by music director/conductor/keyboardist Kevin Quill is center-stage and part of the action throughout.

Worth noting: The romance between Sherrie and Drew is not the only love story. Lonny and Bourbon Room owner Dennis (Zack Johnson) also declare their love with “Can’t Fight This Feeling,” and Franz gets together with community activist Regina (Rebecca Riley). There is a hysterical scene where the pair rip off outer clothing and romp through “Hit Me With Your Best Shot” dressed in skin-tight exercise suits.

Interesting fact: This show has been called a “rock jukebox musical” in a nod to the abundance of musical numbers. Rock singer Constantine Maroulis, a finalist on “American Idol,” was Broadway’s original Drew and earned a Tony Award nomination for it.

One more thing: Beau Jackett — a familiar figure on Cape stages — is great fun as the sequined, self-absorbed rock star Stacee Jaxx. He delivers a touch of a latter-day Elvis throughout.

If you go: 7:30 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays and 2:30 p.m. Sundays through Nov. 20 at Barnstable Comedy Club, The Village Hall, 3171 Main St., Route 6A, Barnstable Village; $30, seniors and students $28. 508-362-6333; www.barnstablecomedyclub.org

‘Cry It Out’

By Kathi Scrizzi Driscoll

Written by: Molly Smith Metzler; directed by Mary Arnault; presented by Cotuit Center for the Arts

What it’s about: Two neighboring moms (Emily Murray as corporate lawyer Jessie and Trish LaRose as community-college dropout Linda) bond over being at home with newborns − sleep-deprived, devoted to their babies and struggling with new challenges. They begin to meet regularly for coffee part-way between their houses, and become fast friends with much in common and little in common at the same time. Their relationship takes an unexpected turn when a neighboring husband (Ari Lew as Mitchell) asks them to include his struggling wife (Cara Gerardi as Adrienne) in their gatherings and as their maternity-leave time grows short.

See it or not: This is a beautifully acted and movingly directed 90-minute slice of life that has a lot to say about new parenthood, and how choices in raising a child are affected by class, money, background and whether you’re the mom or the dad. Murray and LaRose have terrific chemistry, and the conversations between kind, fragile and somewhat sheltered Jessie and brash, warm small-towner Linda feel so genuine. The two will make you laugh out loud (LaRose’s delivery of Linda’s candid and unfiltered observations is hilarious) as well as bring you to tears. Especially if you’re a mom of any age who knows just what they’re talking about.

Interesting fact: Playwright Metzler has said she based this 2018 play on her own experience of moving to a small town on Long Island as a new mom, being home with her daughter while her husband was away at work all day and being saved by an unexpected friendship.

Worth noting: Lew and Gerardi as the wealthy couple who live on the cliff overlooking the women’s yards do a terrific job with characters who are less well-rounded but still surprising. The unhappy Mitchell and Adrienne present even more to consider related to how money and privilege, or lack of it, can determine so much about a child’s upbringing. This is a play, especially with this poignant presentation, that will no doubt spark after-show conversations and that you will think about for a long time.

One more thing: The staging of “Cry It Out” demonstrates again how versatile the Cotuit center has been able to make this black box space (including great use of its back wall) and how its intimacy can be such a boon for emotional content.

If you go: 7:30 p.m. Thursdays through Saturdays and 2 p.m. Sundays through Nov. 13 at the Morton and Vivian Sigel Black Box Theater at Cotuit Center for the Arts, 4404 Falmouth Road (Route 28); $25, $20 for members; https://artsonthecape.org/, 508-428-0669.

‘The Bridges of Madison County’

By Sue Mellen

Written by: Marsha Norman, with music and lyrics by Jason Robert Brown, based on the novel by Robert James Waller; directed by Joan McKenzie-Baird; presented by Falmouth Theatre Guild.

What it's about: People with romance in their soul have likely seen the 1995 film of the same name with Clint Eastwood and Meryl Streep, so may already know the plot of this stage musical version. It’s 1965 and war bride Francesca (Jenn Perrault) — who grew up in cosmopolitan Naples — is now a farmer’s wife in a little town near Des Moines, Iowa. Her life is now all about tending to the animals, her vegetable garden and her husband and two teenagers. It’s not exactly the stirring vision she had back in old Napoli. In the opening number, “Building a Home,” Francesca sings about the physical and emotional edifice that now surrounds her, as the actors and stage crew carry in pieces of the set, literally “building the house” behind her. Perrault’s quietly soothing voice helps set the gentle tone for the show from the very start.

Then into her house and life walks Robert Kincaid (Danté Murray), the tall, handsome stranger of many women’s dreams. He’s out shooting photos of the famed covered bridges of Madison County for a National Geographic magazine spread and can’t find his way to one of the bridges. What he really hopes to find is something different in his life, which he makes clear as he sings the line “I’ve been looking for something” from the number “Temporarily Lost.” Murray’s strong, sure voice is the perfect counterpoint to Perrault’s gentle tones in the song “What Do You Call a Man Like That?” Clearly, the pair is headed for a detour in the road of life.

It turns out that Francesca’s husband and kids are off at the county fair so — well, you know what happens. Numbers like “Falling Into You” and “Another Life” set the tone of romance and longing. Where to from here?

See it or not: Go for the music and tone of the piece. All of this story could be a bit cliché, but there is a sweet and genuine-feeling chemistry between the leads that make it all a palatable and enjoyable ride.

Highlight of the show: The amount of musical numbers gives this show the feel of an operetta, so the quality of voices and accompaniment couldn’t be more important. Again, the leads’ voices are strong and sure, and the musical accompaniment by the 10-piece orchestra, under the direction of Nancy Sparklin, flows gently through the scenes. (Is there anything more satisfying than the sounds of a full orchestra in the background?)

Worth noting: While the leads and their romance take center stage, there are some other performances that stand out. Bonnie Fairbanks is fun as Francesca’s nosey, binocular-wielding neighbor Marge. As she peers through her window at the lovers next door, slightly bumbling husband Charlie (Dan Zajac) chides her for being such a busybody. And later on they have a cute scene where Marge bemoans the fact that her hubby wouldn’t care if she had an affair. Charlie’s response is, “Do we have any more of that cake?”

Interesting fact: Hollywood legend has it that Eastwood has been particularly impatient, and has a taste for simplicity. So the simple feel of this story apparently appealed to him.

One more thing: It’s a sign of a good director (Joan McKenzie-Baird) and stage manager (Maggie Sexton Dwyer) when set changes are seamless and unobtrusive. This was definitely the case here on opening night.

If you go: 7:30 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays and 2 p.m. Sundays through Nov. 6 at Highfield Theatre, 58 Highfield Drive, Falmouth. Tickets: $30, $28 for seniors, $25 for under age 18; 508-548-0400, https://falmouththeatreguild.org/

This article originally appeared on Cape Cod Times: Cape Cod theater reviews: 'Rock of Ages' '80s musical & 2 more shows