Don’t Stop Believing: ECU Summer Theater Presents ‘Rock of Ages’ | Press services

Immersed in ’80s anthems from bands like Twisted Sister and Bon Jovi, audiences will be part of the MTV revolution at East Carolina University Summer Theater’s “Rock of Ages,” which opens Wednesday at the McGinnis Theater.

ECU alumnus Michael Bojtos, left, and Trent Blanton, ECU associate professor of musical theater, rehearse “Rock of Ages” at Burnette Studio.

The story follows a small-town girl, a city boy, and a rock ‘n’ roll bar on West Hollywood’s Sunset Strip, where actors and musicians just want to follow their dreams in 1987.

Director and choreographer Tommi Overcash Galaska, an associate professor of dance at ECU’s School of Theater and Dance, drew inspiration from one of her most iconic memories from that time – watching MTV – for the concept a spectacle.

“When I think of MTV, I think of Michael Jackson and Tina Turner, Poison and Journey, all these bands, all these wonderful performers and their fantastic videos,” Galaska said. “It struck me that these videos were a different way of enjoying music because they became visual. They were like mini musicals.

“I thought, ‘What if MTV did a musical featuring some of the best rock songs of 1987?’ » and that became the theme of the show for me. These artists are here to perform this musical via MTV right here in Greenville.

Galaska also aimed to connect as many artists and dance moves from the 80s as possible within the show. “You’ll see, to pay homage, there’s ‘Beat It’ in it. There’s a little Robert Palmer, “Simply Irresistible”. I tried to connect things especially for some children who don’t know. I also wanted to pay tribute to these artists.

Several ECU alumni returned to perform in the show, including Rocky Mount native Michael Bojtos ’04, who will reprise his role as Lonny Barrett in “Rock of Ages,” which he performed on the National Tour of 10th anniversary of Broadway.

He began performing in high school and chose ECU because it offered one of the only theater education majors in the country. He taught for a year at DH Conley High School in Greenville before pursuing a full-time musical theater career. He said he plans to eventually return to teaching.

Actors listen to director Tommi Overcash Galaska, center, during dress rehearsal at Burnette Studio.

It’s been 20 years since Bojtos was on the ECU stage in “Hair.” In addition to “Rock of Ages,” he has toured the world in “The Wedding Singer,” “Jesus Christ Superstar,” “Thomas & Friends Live OnStage!” and “Dora’s Pirate Adventure.”

Bojtos said he loves theater because of the audience’s reaction. Although he has performed “Rock of Ages” over 400 times, it is different each time because the audience changes with each performance.

“What I learned here, in basic acting training, is that you can replicate what you do, but it’s still new every time. So how do you do the same thing over and over again for the first time? » said Bojtos. “When it comes to different people, I can’t have the same reaction because they don’t give me the same input. They’re doing something completely different from the previous person, so I have to react to what they’re doing. I’m finding there are all kinds of things I’m doing on this show that I’ve never done before.

He has stayed in touch with classmates and former professors, traveling to Greenville when work permits, but had not returned in an official capacity until now. “It really feels like several dreams come true, this contract,” Bojtos said.

It took him a decade to land the role on the “Rock of Ages” tour, he said. “It’s a moment where you can’t stop believing,” he said, in a nod to one of the songs from the series. “I could have stopped at any time. I could have said, “I won’t understand that. I’m just going to stop auditioning. But I did not do it. Because I knew that was my wheelhouse, ’80s musical, ’80s rock music.”

Bojtos knows this music well because his brother, 12 years older, played it at home. “When I booked the tour, he called me and said, ‘You know you’re living my dream, right?'” Bojtos worked on the 10th anniversary national tour of ” Rock of Ages” with fellow ECU graduate Darrell Purcell Jr. ’12. .

Most of the Summer Theater actors are current students or recent graduates who join ECU associate professor of musical theater Trent Blanton and other professional actors for the five days.

Joshua Morrisey of Fayetteville, a musical theater major, just finished his freshman year at ECU, where he starred in “The Play That Goes Wrong” and “Once on This Island.” He will take a year off to tour nationally with “Mean Girls” starting in July. But first, he’ll perform as Mayor, Ja’Keith and in the “Rock of Ages” ensemble.

“I think the takeaway is that everything is happening very quickly, and it’s something that’s still new to me, so I really need to work on my studies outside of rehearsal time, so When I come back, I’ll know what to do. I’m not falling behind on anything,” Morrisey said.

“Rock of Ages” began rehearsals June 6, leaving just under three weeks to learn, rehearse and perform two-act scenes featuring more than 30 songs. “The preparation is intense,” Galaska said.

“In a regular professional theater, you usually have the same amount of time as we do here,” Bojtos said. “It seems quick for these kids because they usually have several weeks to put on a show, but it’s your job. It’s a full day. We knocked out the entire first act in four days. It’s incredibly impressive. You have to be focused. There is very little time for joking and socializing. They instill that work ethic in you. You better be ready to go.

Jayme Host, director of the ECU School of Theater and Dance, is the producing artistic director and Dan Rutzen is the musical director.

Summer theater began at the school in the 1960s and ended in 2012 due to budget cuts and declining ticket sales. In response to community demand, Host and the school have partnered with University Advancement on a fundraising campaign to revive summer theater every two years starting in 2022 with “Mamma Mia!”

ECU Summer Theater will present “Rock of Ages” June 26-30 at the McGinnis Theater.

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