Rock of Ages Brings the '80s to Life at Toby's Dinner Theatre

Big hair, bigger guitar riffs, and peak Sunset Strip mayhem have arrived just up the road from DC: Rock of Ages is now playing at Toby's Dinner Theatre in Columbia, running through March 15, 2026. The hit jukebox musical drops you into 1987 Los Angeles, where wide-eyed dreamers Drew and Sherrie tumble into romance inside the Bourbon Room—a gritty rock club fighting to survive as developers close in with plans to pave over the scene (and the soul) of the Strip.

Rock of Ages at Toby's Dinner Theatre

This production leans into the show’s outrageous fun—loud, glittery, self-aware, and determined to be a great time—while still keeping the storytelling surprisingly grounded when it counts. A big part of that is the way the evening is steered by the narrator Lonny, who constantly pulls the audience into the joke with rapid-fire commentary and fourth-wall breaks that sharpen every scene around him. From there, the energy keeps climbing: Sherrie’s journey plays as a real emotional arc you can root for, Drew’s ambition stays earnest even when the plot turns deliciously messy, and the arrival of rock “god” Stacee Jaxx detonates the room with swagger and star power. Add in a vocalist who can stop the show cold with pure firepower, and you’ve got the kind of cast-and-band chemistry that makes the score feel like a live arena concert that just happens to have punchlines and heart.

"Rock of Ages" at Toby's Dinner Theatre succeeds because it commits fully to spectacle and nostalgia while never losing sight of its heart. Beneath the outrageous humor and familiar hits lies a genuine story about holding onto your dreams, protecting what you love, and finding your voice even when the world tries to drown it out. The production is loud, ridiculous, and executed with such skill that audiences happily go along for the ride.

And yes, the soundtrack delivers exactly what you want it to: the show strings together era-defining anthems like “Don’t Stop Believin’,” “Wanted Dead or Alive,” “Here I Go Again,” “The Final Countdown,” “Can’t Fight This Feeling,” and “Hit Me With Your Best Shot,” building to a finale that lands as a full-room, sing-along release. The staging keeps the momentum tight—knowing when to go full-throttle and when to pull back just enough—while the choreography punches up the “music video” attitude in all the right places. If you’re looking for a night out that’s equal parts comedy, nostalgia, and rock-and-roll catharsis (with dinner included), this one’s ready to turn your week into the weekend.