The Pontiac High School (PHS) auditorium was rockin’ and rollin’ last week for the school’s production of Rock of Ages, which sold out four times over five shows.
The plot of the classic Broadway musical follows small-town Kansas girl Sherrie (played by Addison Williams) as she moves to Los Angeles to pursue her singing dream. While working at legendary music venue The Bourbon Room, she meets Drew (played by Robin Lottes), who also dreams of becoming a rocker. After a date that doesn’t go to plan, the two lovers drift apart.
Meanwhile, the venue’s owner Dennis Dupree (Jaxen Mousseau) plans a major show with rock star Stacee Jaxx (Jack Sally) to keep the venue open as two German industrialists threaten to turn the Sunset Strip into a strip mall.
After a brief stint in a boy band, Drew returns to his rock ‘n’ roll roots to play one final show at The Bourbon Room, which is spared from demolition. Sherrie and Drew realize their love for each other, reuniting on stage to sing Don’t Stop Believin’.
The show was directed by Kate Vandermeulen, a student-teacher completing her practicum at the high school this year. She said while she arrived 10 weeks ago, students had been getting ready for the show since early in the school year.
She said when rehearsals picked up again it was a challenge to get the students energized and motivated for the last stretch of rehearsals, adding that they put a lot of work into the final production.
“I’m just really proud of the kids and all the work that they put in. They did a really good job bringing the show to life and it wouldn’t be what it was without their efforts and the effort of the crew backstage,” she said.
Leading up to the show, she said the directors also had to teach the kids many of the references, which were very much based in the ‘80s era of rock ‘n’ roll.
“To the audience, the songs are so familiar and the songs are kind of what brings the whole thing together. But the kids aren’t super familiar with the music, so [we taught] them the music and the references and the different jokes,” she said.
Grade 11 senior Faith Hamilton played Justice Charlier, owner of the Venus Dance Club. Hamilton said she was proud of the job the cast and crew did putting on the show, adding that they rehearsed every night the week before.
“One of our directors said that this is one of the only shows that he’s ever seen where instead of getting worse every night, we got better, and by the last night it was incredible,” she said.
She said some of the actors including herself were fighting a cold during the final day of shows, but they fought through, helped in part by a “singer’s tea” with lemon one of the directors made for them.
“We always perform during sick season. A couple of us got sick and so it kind of just spread,” she said.
Hamilton, who was performing her last show at PHS, said she will look back fondly upon her experiences with the program. She said she will miss the time spent with friends and castmates as she goes on to her future endeavours.
“It was hard leaving the last night because there was a lot of crying. I was hugging them and it’s bittersweet because even though you have to go, you still made so many memories [ . . . ] I’m so grateful to have something worth missing,” she said.
Hamilton thanked the many teachers and other volunteers who helped to make all of the productions over the years come to life.
“Having the teachers that are available to volunteer their time really makes it worthwhile for the kids. We might not say it all the time, and we don’t want to sound like teacher’s pets, but we are grateful for those hours of work,” she said.
