NEW YORK, NY—“Sweet Child O’ Mine,” “Wanted Dead Or Alive,” “Sister Christian”—all in the first 15 minutes—if you are not brought back to the good ol’ days of 25 years past, than you are most certainly not breathing! Power Balladz, the new cabaret musical at the Midtown Theater in glorious Times Square, began its open-ended run Aug. 19 to a rock and roll party that wowed the crowd. From the first song to the closing audience-karaoke rendition of “Mustang Sally” the fans were in love. In love with the memories, the moments, the singers on stage, the total rock experience.
Writers Dan Nycklemoe and Mike Todaro concieved this epic idea 10 years ago thanks to a case of Miller High Life, a guitar and a laptop. Peter Rothstein helped them bring it to life. Their vision was to honor this music and its unforgettable place in all our personal histories. This amazing performance is proof they succeeded. We’ve all grown up, moved on, gotten married, divorced—lived, loved and lost, but we are never too old to be brought back to the innocence of our youth.
The intimate 200-seat theater-turned-rock-club provides the perfect setting for all the craziness. The party starts immediately upon entry, with a full bar and interactive trivia games being broadcast from video screens. You get to hang, meet new people and wait for the show to start while listening to piped in music from an era gone by.
The lights go down and you are hit with the sweet, familiar notes of one of the most famous power ballads of all time. Axl is in the building!
The ride down memory lane continues as bandana-headed singers and lifelong friends take the stage to bring you through this blistering journey of the greatest ‘70s, ‘80s and ‘90s rock anthems. We learn about their high school years, Ditchweed—the band of their youth, prom and life after high school.
Power Balladz includes songs from Journey, Poison, Styx, Aerosmith, Heart and Queen, just to name a few. The singers that bring them alive; Dieter Bierbrauer (drop dead gorgeous), Scott Richard Foster (adorably funny) and Mary Mossberg (the leather corset and fishnets will have every guy’s mouth drooling) are equally as talented as the originals we know and love.
The live supporting band makes you feel that you are actually in a club, in the day, watching your favorite musicians play your favorite songs. T-shirts are shot from the stage, audience members are pulled up for trivia contests and the cast weave their way through the audience to hook you in.
This is an experience like no other: Bon Jovi’s classic “Wanted Dead Or Alive,” complete with cowboy hats and NERF guns, and Styx’s “Come Sail Away” with ship, angels, ducks and video camera has you singing along at the top of your lungs and laughing your ass off at the same time.
It’s a live rock and roll concert, comedy show, romance story. A fist-pumping, horn-throwing, singing and dancing extravaganza. Highly recommended for a great night out with friends. Come prepared to go home hoarse and with sore feet.
