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Power Balladz is a live comedy performance featuring a mixture of comedy, trivia, and iconic rock n' roll songs from the 70s, 80s & 90s for which it is also named.[1] Created by Mike Todaro and Dan Nycklemoe with Peter Rothstein, Power Balladz began its initial theatrical run at the LAB Theatre in Minneapolis and then made its New York debut on August 5, 2010 with an opening night of August 19, 2010.[2] The comedy's musical blend includes songs by Journey, Queen, Scorpions, Poison, Aerosmith, Bon Jovi, Night Ranger, Styx, Heart, and more.
| Power Balladz | |
|---|---|
Official Power Balladz Logo | |
| Music | Various |
| Lyrics | Various |
| Basis | Rock music of the 70s, 80s & 90s |
| Productions | 2002 Minneapolis 2009 Minneapolis Premiere 2010 Off-Broadway |
Creation
editThe Power Balladz were originally written and performed in 2002 at the Bryant Lake Bowl in Minneapolis,[3] Power Balladz predates the show to which it is most commonly compared to today, Rock of Ages. The first-ever production of Power Balladz originally featured creators Dan Nycklemoe and Mike Todaro playing the leads.[4]
Synopsis
editLacking a true narrative, the production resembles a comical lecture on the rise and fall of the Power Ballad as a musical form, and uses key songs to illustrate points about the art form's style, structure, lyrical content, and more. Guiding the audience through the experience are two self-professed rock aficionados Dieter and Scott. Throughout the show, Dieter and Scott poll the audience for answers to trivia questions, fire off a T-shirt cannon, and lead a live band in recreating the iconic musical hits the show celebrates. In what could be construed as the one true instance of plot in the show, the high school sweetheart of Dieter appears midway through and joins the cast for the remainder of the show, with Dieter attempting to muster up the courage he never had way back when.[5]
Cast
edit| Role | Current New York Off-Broadway Cast | Current Understudy |
|---|---|---|
| Dieter | Dieter Bierbrauer | Peter James Zielinski |
| Scott | Scott Richard Foster | Peter James Zielinski |
| Mary | Mary Mossberg | Melanie Kann |
Featured Music
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Critical reception
editAfter a critically successful reception Off Broadway in 2010 Power Balladz was slightly modified. Power Balladz Sing-A-Long will begin touring in the fall of 2012.
References
edit- ^ "'Power Balladz' Opens Off Broadway 8/19" Archived 2011-07-07 at the Wayback Machine, www.bestofoffbroadway.com, July 28, 2010
- ^ "'Power Balladz', Featuring Rock Anthems, Plays Off-Broadway's Midtown Theatre Starting Aug. 5" Archived 2010-08-06 at the Wayback Machine, www.playbill.com, August 5, 2010
- ^ "Southside Pride Community Arts Calendar - January 2002" Archived 2011-07-26 at the Wayback Machine, www.southsidepride.com, January 2002
- ^ "Hair We Go Again"[permanent dead link], www.startribune.com, May 23, 2009
- ^ "'Power Balladz' - Showtimes - Cast - Awards - Venues - Theater - New York Times", www.nytimes.com
- ^ "'Power Balladz' Cast" Archived 2010-07-03 at the Wayback Machine, www.powerballadz.com