Twisted Sister’s Dee Snider returning to hair-metal roots in ‘Rock of Ages’
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During Broadway’s autumn doldrums, celebrity stunt casting is often seen as a surefire way of drumming up sagging sales. This week, Billie Joe Armstrong of the band Green Day joined the cast of ‘American Idiot’ for a brief run. Now, the organizers of ‘Rock of Ages’ have announced their own celebrity cast addition.
The hit Broadway jukebox musical, which draws on ‘80s hair-metal rock favorites, will be getting an injection of the real thing starting Oct. 11, when Twisted Sister frontman Dee Snider joins the cast for an 11-week run.
Snider will take over the part of Dennis, the owner of the Bourbon Room, which was played by Adam Dannheisser in the original Broadway cast. The musical tells the story of an aspiring rock singer (Joey Taranto) who seeks fame and fortune on the Sunset Strip during the ‘80s.
Starting Oct. 19, Snider will host the post-show “Rock Senate Hearings,’ which will take place every Tuesday and feature discussions with special guests and ‘Rock of Ages’ cast members.
Known for his flowing blond hair, outlandish costumes and outspoken public persona, Snider rose to fame during the ‘70s and ‘80s as part of Twisted Sister, the New York metal band that produced such hit singles as ‘I Wanna Rock’ and ‘We’re Not Gonna Take It.’ He currently hosts a nationally syndicated radio show called ‘House of Hair.’
‘Rock of Ages’ is scheduled to play at the Pantages in February as part of a national tour starring Constantine Maroulis, who headed the original Broadway cast. The musical had runs in L.A. and Las Vegas before it transferred to Broadway in 2009.
-- David Ng
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