Rock of Ages going into Shaftesbury in August

There has been a lot of speculation about which show will go into the Shaftesbury theatre which became unexpectedly dark at the beginning of the year with the early closure of Flashdance.

Two of the shows mooted have been Rebecca the Musical (which had to pull out because the theatre could not accommodate its set) and Sheffield’s production of Me and My Girl.

But the latest and strongest rumour can now be confirmed and the jukebox musical Rock of Ages is due to preview there on 31st August with a September opening.

The story is set in 1987 on the Sunset Strip centring on Drew who is a busboy and aspiring rocker who goes in search of his dreams to Los Angeles’ most famous rock club, where he meets Sherrie who has just arrived from Kansas.

Rock of Ages features glam-rock music from Bon Jovi, Journey, Whitesnake, Poison and Pat Benatar with over 20 hits including “Sister Christian”, “I Wanna Rock”, “We’re Not Gonna Take It”, “Come on Feel the Noize”, “Hit Me With Your Best Shot”, “The Final Countdown” and “Don’t Stop Believin’” , “Dead or Alive”, “We Built This City”, “I Wanna Know What Love Is” and “The Final Countdown”.

The musical premiered in Los Angeles in 2006 and opened Off-Broadway in 2008 before transferring to Broadway’s Brooks Atkinston Theater in 2009. It is due to reopen later this month at the Helen Hayes Theater. A Hollywood screen adaptation starring Tom Cruise is scheduled for 2012.

Tickets go on sale 7th March. Booking and casting details to follow.