About the Show
The musical opened Off-Broadway at New World Stages on October 16, 2008 and ran until January 4, 2009. The musical then transferred to Broadway. Previews began March 17, 2009 at the Brooks Atkinson Theatre, officially opening on April 7, 2009. The Broadway production temporarily closed on January 9, 2011 and moved to the Helen Hayes Theatre, where it resumed performances March 24, 2011. The show closed on January 18, 2015 after 22 previews and 2,328 regular performances, placing Rock of Ages in a tie with Man of La Mancha as Broadway’s 32nd-longest running show of all-time.
The show’s band had significant stage time compared to other musicals’ bands and orchestra members. The band dressed in typical metalhead costumes, fitting with their role as Stacee’s backup band, and always on-stage. The drummer played inside a cage with a sign on it that read “Please don’t feed the drummer”. One of the original guitarists in the stage band, Joel
Hoekstra, is a former member of Night Ranger (whose hit “Sister Christian” was performed in the show) and current member of Whitesnake (whose song “Here I Go Again” was also performed in the show). Another guitarist Tommy Kessler is also a member of the band Blondie.