Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/691413
maltatoday, SUNDAY, 12 JUNE 2016 32 This Week For those ready to rock… TEODOR RELJIC speaks to theatre director and producer Wesley Ellul about his upcoming production – a Maltese version of the celebrated Broadway musical Rock of Ages – which, as Ellul recounts, took a long and arduous path before finally reaching our shores What led you to choose this show as your next production? Well to tell the truth behind this I need to tell you two stories. The first being the story behind Rock of Ages and the second the story behind our vision. Let's start with the Rock of Ages one… which is more straight- forward. The Rock of Ages dream started five years ago on March 20. I was on honeymoon with my wife in NYC and I'd heard about this Musical- meets-rock-concert called Rock of Ages. Basically, it billed itself as an insanely fun night out. I said why not... and in fact was the only show I booked in advance! I'd heard the soundtrack about a year or so be- fore, and was excited to see the show. Little could have prepared me for the awesomeness I was about to wit- ness on stage before me! I sat in the theatre for two hours just buzzing at the high energy show which was not only amazing musically but hilari- ously funny! From that night, I made it my mis- sion to produce this show in Malta! I started the chase to get the con- tacts I needed to get the rights for the show. After chasing for a few months on Facebook and over the phone, I got in touch with Chris D'Arienzo, the writer of Rock of Ages and later the main producer of the show, Matthew Weaver. We got to talking and he was all excited to have the show run in Malta, but he told me I'd have to wait... because there was a major film in the works. I thought to myself, "bummer". In the meantime I waited, and watched the show another two times, in London. I thought before each viewing that I surely couldn't enjoy it as much as I did the time before. But each time I found that the show was even more amazing! Fast forward a few years... and I got in touch with Matt again, who let me know the rights would be soon available, and got to the front of the list! This was literally the longest I have ever had to wait to get a show on stage. Our vision is the second reason why we chose this show. Over the past three years, [fellow director and producer] Marc Cabourdin and myself have been working towards creating a financially sustainable performing arts scene. We knew if we put together a great show and managed to sustain it for a long period (at least three months) this would be the beginning of a change in how people look at performing arts in Malta. Rock of Ages was the perfect cata- lyst for this. As this show brings the world of popular rock music, with bands like Bon Jovi, Styx, Whitesnake, Journey and more together with a theatrical perfor- mance which is funny and touching, allowing us to merge two audiences together. Mix in the tourism mar- ket, and you have the making of a proper sustainable model where by a show can run for months on end. Having been rehearsing now for over a month and a half, we now know we have an amazing show and all is left is to get the audiences in- side to experience it. Why do you think Rock of Ages will have an impact on Maltese audiences? First off, the music. It is out- standing. Ethan Popp and Chris D'Arenzio did an excellent job in choosing and mashing up these tracks we all know and love, and giv- ing a 2000s edge to them which still gives us nostalgia but without losing the energy we need to rock to! Secondly, the production levels are high – we've worked with the cream of all Malta's creatives to put this show: Renzo Spiteri as Musical Director, Choreographer Sue Vas- sallo, Roger Tirazona as Choir Mas- ter, plus Ismael Portelli on Light and Video Design, and Elyse Tonna and Maria Sammut designing the set! This is surely going to be a treat for all the senses! Are you trying to inject some Maltese flavour into this popular production? How so? The Maltese flavour we have in this one is simple – an amazing cast of Malta's best singers, actors and dancers. I can honestly say that I have never seen a more talented cast from so many different fields assembled. First off, we have two of Malta's best know male singers: our pop-dance crooner Kurt Calleja and Airport Impressions rock star Errol Sammut. Next we have Malta The cast of Rock of Ages, Malta • Photo by Franco Rizzo Wesley Ellul during rehearsals for Rock of Ages • Photo by Jonas Schimpf Kurt Calleja and Nadia Vella • Photo by Franco Rizzo