How do you solve a problem like ‘Rock of Ages’? You can’t, but flashy lights and great performances don’t hurt

Rock of Ages

Book by Chris D’Arienzo, featuring songs by Styx, Journey, Bon Jovi, Pat Benatar and more. Until May 20 at the Elgin Theatre, 189 Yonge St. moreentertainmentgroup.com

How do you solve a problem like “Rock of Ages”?

The jukebox musical should be a winning formula for a show with as long a run as this one: the infectious guitar licks of the ’80s, the alluring leather pants, the close harmonies. There’s a lot to like in More Entertainment Group’s ambitious, high-budget production of “Rock of Ages,” now playing at the Elgin Theatre.

But there’s a lot to wonder about, too.

The show takes a smattering of ’80s rock standards and shapes them into a sort-of story: rocker boy meets girl, girl falls for different rocker boy, he broods, she strips, the two lovers reunite. There’s some digression, as well, into the gentrification of Los Angeles, a compelling but ultimately underwritten subplot. Chris D’Arienzo’s book is thin — thinner than most jukebox musicals, which is saying something — and it seems to hope the sheer power of ’80s rock will carry the story to great heights.

It’s a near-fatal misjudgment: this production of “Rock of Ages,” though handsomely budgeted and ably sung, can’t quite overcome the fundamental inadequacies of “Rock of Ages” as a theatrical text. There’s too much story for it to feel like a rock concert and not enough for it to feel like a satisfying dramatic experience. Those hoping for either end of the rave-play spectrum might be disappointed.

Still, all hope’s not lost: this “Rock of Ages” has the luxury of an all-star cast, with staggering vocal ability and comic timing to compensate for the peculiar choice of show. AJ Bridel is luminous as Sherrie the ingenue, a natural fit for the intense role, with a killer voice to match. Trevor Coll’s a sweet Drew, and Coll balances his rocker facade and sensitive inner life with poise. Jonathan Cullen has the Herculean task of bringing depth to Stacee Jaxx, the hard-edged rocker who so cannily rejects Sherrie, and he often succeeds; he sings well, too, and ultimately does as much with the role as he can.

Steffi Didomenicantonio is sublime in the silly role of Regina Kuntz, a city-planner-turned-protestor against the destruction of the uber-cool Sunset Strip. Eagle-eyed Toronto theatre fans will recall Didomenicantonio’s superb performance as Janice in “Come From Away” and she’s in equally fine form here.

Louise Camilleri is a great Justice Charlier, or “Mama,” as she’s known to the women of the Venus Gentleman’s Club. She sings well and brings commendable subtlety and nuance to the role, particularly in her scenes with Bridel.

A fantastic (and large) ensemble completes the “Rock of Ages” cast, led confidently by Dave Comeau as Lonny Barnett, our emcee and narrator for the evening. This “Rock of Ages” boasts a tremendous cast, to be sure. One just wishes they had better material to work with.

And it’s not just the cast: More Entertainment Group has flexed its prowess on the technical side of things, too. Nick Blais’ enormous, three-storey set punches well above its weight, smartly incorporating video and projection screens to suggest individual settings atop industrial-style scaffolding. Erroll Reinart and Narda McCarroll’s colourful, bombastic lighting is ceaselessly impressive, a highlight of the show that feels like it might be more at home at the Rogers Centre than on a proscenium stage. Occasionally, the actors onstage are left unlit and overshadowed by special effects, but those flashy lighting cues — lasers, strobes and more — almost excuse the infrequent dark spots.

There is also the odd matter of the app. Upon entrance to the theatre, audience members are encouraged to download Appix onto their phones for “interactive elements” of the show. In an email, a representative for the show said the app can do anything from play video content to vibrate. But the night I attended, there were no such interactive elements: the app contained only a digital playbill, some information about the production company and an advertisement for StriVectin, a skin-care product. The QR code to download the app is plastered across the set when audiences arrive, so clearly it’s important, but in its current usage it feels a tad gimmicky.

Director JP Gedeon, choreographer Sean Cheesman and music director Mark Camilleri have displayed evident ability in “Rock of Ages” — and there’s no doubt More Entertainment Group is capable of making great theatre and at the Mirvish-equivalent scale Toronto desperately needs.

If you’re a diehard fan of ’80s music (or if you want to see a hard-hitting crew of Toronto actors nail a lot of high notes), you’ll probably get a lot out of “Rock of Ages,” and it’s incredible what More Entertainment Group has been able to achieve in a relatively short amount of time. But what’s exciting about this production is ultimately whatever comes next. Toronto’s musical theatre scene has found its newest heavy hitter: let’s see what they do in the seasons to come.

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