Rock of Ages Synopsis

ACT 1 (Song titles in bold)

The year is 1987, and an aspiring rocker named Drew Bowie is working as a busboy in the Hollywood nightclub called The Bourbon Room, owned by Dennis Dupree ("Just Like Paradise/Nothing But A Good Time"). He is instantly attracted to a girl, Sherrie, who just arrived from a small town in Kansas hoping to make it big in acting ("Sister Christian"). After being hired as a waitress in the club, Sherrie urges Drew to follow his dreams ("I Wanna Rock").

German developers, Hertz and son Franz, manage to convince the city's Mayor to abandon the "sex, drugs and rock-n-roll" lifestyle of the Sunset Strip and introduce "clean living" into the area, much to the anger of the City Planner, Regina ("We Built This City"). When Dennis learns that part of the plan involves demolishing The Bourbon Room, he believes the club can generate more money by having rock star Stacee Jaxx and his band Arsenal, who recently announced that they were to break-up, perform their last show at The Bourbon Room ("Too Much Time On My Hands"). Dennis contacts

Stacee and convinces him to play the band's last ever show in the club where he began. Meanwhile Regina begins protesting Hertz and Franz's redevelopment plans ("We're Not Gonna Take It").  Later, Sherrie argues with her parents on the telephone and Drew struggles to write lyrics that mean something ("More Than Words/Heaven/To Be With You"). Drew then invites Sherrie to have a picnic up in the hills overlooking Los Angeles ("Waiting For A Girl Like You"). There, he mistakenly suggests that the two are just friends to calm their nerves, disappointing both of them and ruining the date.Stacee Jaxx arrives at The Bourbon and gives an interview about his life ("Wanted Dead Or Alive"). and Sherrie is immediately smitten with him.  Believing she means nothing to Drew, Sherrie has sex with Stacee in the men's cloakroom ("I Want To Know What Love Is"). Drew plays in the club and displays enough musical ability for Dennis to ask him to open the show for Stacee and Arsenal. After their tryst, Stacee tells Dennis to fire Sherrie before the gig begins. His guitarist realizes what Stacee just did and knocks him out. A record producer in the club suggests Drew take over for Stacee, and then offers him a recording contract, which he accepts. Sherrie seeks comfort from Drew after she is fired, but having seen her go into the men's room with Stacee, he dismisses her ("Cum On Feel The Noize"). Regina continues her protest ("We're Not Gonna Take It [Reprise]").

Upset and unemployed Sherrie then meets Justice, the owner of the nearby Venus Club which Justice prefers to call a gentleman's club. She relates to Sherrie's story, saying that many of the small-town girls hoping to hit it big in Los Angeles end up making a living as strippers. Grudgingly, Sherrie accepts Justice's offer to work in her club ("Harden My Heart/Shadows of the Night"). As the act closes, everyone is alone - Drew, as a new record company star; Sherrie, fending for herself as a stripper; Regina protesting the redevelopment and Dennis, trying to save his nightclub ("Here I Go Again").

ACT 2

Hertz and Franz begin the demolition of the Sunset Strip, alienating themselves from each other as Franz falls for Regina and sees "the error of their ways". Dennis and Lonny join the fight with little success ("The Final Countdown"). Drew's rocker image is upsetting the record producer, and Sherrie is finding out how things work at the Venus Club ("Any Way You Want It/I Wanna Rock [Reprise]"). When they meet on the street, Sherrie is embarrassed about her job and Drew is upset that his record company are trying to reshape him into part of a boy band. They argue and Sherrie admits that she loved Drew, but he said they were friends. They part ways even more troubled by these new revelations ("High Enough").

Stacee arrives at the Venus Club and is pleased to see Sherrie. After being forced to give him a lapdance, she beats him up during the dance ("I Hate Myself For Loving You/Heat Of The Moment"). Drew arrives to admit his feelings to her, but is angry when he sees the two in a suggestive position and storms oout. Justice later tells Drew that as soon as he left, Sherrie punched Stacee in the jaw.

Regina continues her protest against the destruction of the Sunset Strip, without success but manages to convince Franz to stand up to his father as he no longer believes in his father's vision. Franz admits he has his own dream, namely to open a confectioner's store in Germany. He rebels against his father and admits his love for Regina ("Hit Me With Your Best Shot"). Dennis and Lonny, upset at the loss of The Bourbon Room, hilariously confess they had feelings for each other ("Can't Fight This Feeling").

Sherrie decides to leave the Venus Club after the scene with Drew, and Justice tells her that she had a similar experience with her first love. Everyone is in turmoil as they attempt move on with their lives ("Every Rose Has Its Thorn"). Franz leaves for Germany and Hertz stands on the balcony of his hotel regretting the hurtful way he has treated his son ("Keep On Lovin' You"). Regina then arrives and explains to Hertz that Franz doesn't hate him, he just wants his father to support him and his dream. Hertz later returns the deed to the Bourbon Room to Dennis and invests in Franz's German confectionary store.

Drew, now working as a pizza delivery boy, realizes that none of his dreams have come true- he still isn't a rock  star, and Sherrie is leaving on a midnight train. Lonny arrives to tell him to make his own destiny; that it's up to him to go and get the girl. He decides to go after Sherrie ("Oh Sherrie"). He reaches her just in time and they realize their love has survived all of their trials and reconcile ("The Search Is Over").

In the epilogue, The Bourbon Room club is spared demolition and washed-up Stacee Jaxx has been charged with statutory rape and has fled to Uruguay ("Renegade"). Franz opens his confectionery store in Germany and has a long distance relationship with Regina. Dennis passes away, Sherrie and Drew move to Glendale to start a family, and Lonny notes that on the Sunset Strip, sometimes the dreams you come in with aren't always the dreams you leave with, but they still totally rock ("Don't Stop Believin'").

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