Rock of Ages: “Nothin’ but a Good Time”

The feeling in the lobby was electric. Audience members purchased 80’s-themed accessories and were greeted with glow sticks at the auditorium doors. The cast peered down from Rolling Stone-styled poster art. The excitement was as high as the hairsprayed locks of the cast.

Photo by Abby Slade '26

Rock of Ages captured the hearts (and nostalgia) of the Madeira community as this year’s lively winter musical. The story follows the tale of an aspiring musician, Drew; a smalltown actress, Sherri; and the fight to save the famous Bourbon Room venue and, more broadly, the Sunset Strip. The score is full of classic rock hits and the cast more than delivered with energy that kept audiences engaged through the entire performance.

To offer Madeira students a diverse artistic education, faculty have developed a curriculum that rotates through several types of productions and scripts. “This allows students the opportunity to experience a variety of genres and to develop a myriad of skills, as well as highlighting different students’ talents, thus creating more parity in our audition process,” explains Theatre Director and teacher Tro Shaw Allen.

Photo by Shadell Segree

Rock of Ages filled the slot for a musical featuring “alternative” elements, allowing students to experiment with their voices in the rock genre, one that was unfamiliar to many of them.

Artistic Director Sasha Newman’s electric set design featured over a dozen neon signs, giving life to the unseen Sunset Strip. The outfits donned by the cast felt like they could have been pulled from their parents’ closets thanks to Adalia Tonneyck’s on-point costuming.

Photo by Abby Slade '26

Grace Hawkins ’23 embraced the Act 1 finale, “Here I Go Again,” by taking on a new role as assistant director. “While I performed in several Madeira productions as a student, working on Rock of Ages allowed me to see the process of putting on a show from an entirely new perspective and apply skills that I learned in my directing and theatre arts classes at Madeira. Working on this show ultimately solidified my commitment to remain involved with the performing arts in college, and I look forward to coming back to campus in the future to watch future Madeira theater students continue to shine on stage!”

Photo by Shadell Segree

Next season promises a play by a female author and a stylized musical theatre offering. We look forward to discovering which titles get the committee to declare, in the immortal words of the famous 80’s Survivor song “The Search is Over.”

Still wanting more? Check out this playlist for behind-the-scenes interviews with the cast!

This article originally appeared in the Summer 2024 issue of Madeira Today. Madeira Today is published for alums, parents, and friends of the School. Click here to read the magazine in its entirety.

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