Rock of Ages

Although often critiqued for its skimpy plot (surrounding a development scheme threatening to turn Hollywood’s long-standing Bourbon Room and its Sunset Strip neighbors into a strip mall), Chris D’Arienzo’s Rock of Ages has a knack for winning over audiences — and often bringing them to their feet. Humorously summed up by The New York Times as a “karaoke comedy about warped-vinyl dreams,” the jukebox musical employs ’80s radio hits such as “Waiting for a Girl Like You” (Foreigner), “We Built This City” (Starship), “The Final Countdown” (Europe) and “Don’t Stop Believing” (Journey) to conjure campy scenes straight out of the glory days of MTV — replete with big hair, Spandex and Bartles & Jaymes wine coolers. Christopher Rodriguez directs Brian Hodges, Amanda Golden, Isidro Medina and Anthony Cortino in the Woodlawn’s production.