Rocktopia is now playing at the Broadway Theatre.
By Steve Stein
Last night I went to the land of Rocktopia. It is the brainchild of some really creative visionaries. A fusion of Rock and Roll, a full orchestra, classical music and Opera. I think I counted close to 46 people on the stage. Every performer was a master, every vocalist was incredible.
It is a mix of musical styles and genres and offers an experience like no other. It’s a smorgasbord of sights and sounds, and an absolute feast for the senses.
The production quality of the background images are vivid and engrossing and each singer brought the house down. One thing I’ve never experienced before on Broadway was a standing ovation in the first act. In fact there are many iconic moments in the show – I believe there must have been six standing ovations during the production.
From start to finish the show exudes, stagecraft, phenomenal singing, exemplary musicality and yes, a whole lot of fun. For older rock lovers (like myself) there are so many familiar favorites. Amazing versions of rock classics like Baba O’Riley (The Who), Stairway To Heaven (Led Zeppelin), Because The Night (Patty Smith written by The Boss) play like a greatest hits of classical and pop rock through the ages. For newbies and kids it will be a great introduction to the world of Rock and Roll merged with some of great performances by some of the best performers I’ve ever seen on Broadway.
While the show is perhaps “light” on a discernible storyline, and one or two of the songs don’t quite match well with their classical music counterpart, the show is an amazing musical experience.
The guitarist, Tony Bruno was spot on, Chloe Lowery and Rob Evan where phenomenal. All the performances were exemplary – I must say seeing Pat Monahan from Train singing eclectic versions of Led Zeppelin and finishing off with Drops of Jupiter were moments I will not soon forget from my visit to a slice of fun and fantasy that was my trip to Rocktopia. I can’t wait to go back…
TV and City 