Rock of Ages Musical Heads to North Shore Music Theatre in Beverly, MA This Summer

North Shore Music Theatre is bringing the beloved jukebox musical Rock of Ages to its Beverly, Massachusetts stage this summer, and casting is actively underway. Rehearsals are set to begin July 28, 2026, with previews and opening night both landing on August 12 before the production closes August 23. For performers, musicians, stage managers, and theater production professionals in the New England region, this is a live opportunity worth pursuing right now.

At the helm is Kevin P. Hill, who serves as both director and producing artistic director for the production. Hill is a veteran of North Shore Music Theatre, where he has helmed numerous productions over the years as the venue's artistic leader, giving him an intimate familiarity with the house and its thrust stage configuration. Choreography is being handled by Sara Andreas, and musical direction falls to Peter Leigh-Nilson, rounding out a creative team that appears well-suited to the show's high-energy, rock-concert-meets-theater format. Rock of Ages, for those unfamiliar, follows Drew, a dreamer working at the fictional Bourbon Room on the Sunset Strip, and Sherrie, the Midwestern girl who walks into his life and inspires him to chase his ambitions. The score draws heavily from 1980s rock catalogue hits, featuring music from Styx, Journey, Bon Jovi, Poison, and others, which means the production will require a live band capable of handling a demanding rock-forward book.

Matthew Chappell holds a dual role here as both associate producer and casting director, with Amanda Ostrow Mason serving as company manager and casting associate. This is the team to know if you are a performer or agent looking to submit. The production is owned and produced by Bill Hanney, the longtime owner and driving force behind North Shore Music Theatre. Hanney has kept NSMT running as one of the most respected regional theater houses in New England for decades, and his continued investment in productions of this scale speaks to the venue's commitment to professional-caliber work.

North Shore Music Theatre is located in Beverly, Massachusetts, roughly 25 miles north of Boston on the North Shore. The theater is well known in regional theater circles for its distinctive arena-style thrust stage, which seats approximately 1,800 patrons and creates an intimate yet expansive performance environment that suits a show like Rock of Ages particularly well. Boston and the greater North Shore area have a solid professional theater community, and productions at NSMT regularly draw from both local talent and broader regional and national pools. Performers based in Boston, Providence, and the wider New England corridor should take note. The compressed run, from late July through late August, is consistent with NSMT's summer stock model, which cycles through productions on tight, professional schedules.

The format here is a limited engagement run in a professional regional theater setting, which carries its own specific crew and staffing needs. Beyond performers, productions of this scale at a house like NSMT require experienced stage managers, production electricians, sound engineers familiar with live band amplification in a large thrust configuration, wardrobe supervisors comfortable with high-energy quick-change demands, and props artisans. The rock musical genre adds a layer of technical complexity on the audio side in particular, given the live band component and the need for concert-quality sound design in a theater environment. With rehearsals starting in late July, pre-production staffing for department heads and production staff is likely happening in the coming months.

ProductionList.com carries the full listing for this production, including production contacts, office information, and updates as additional crew and cast confirmations come in. If you are a performer looking to submit, an agent with clients right for the roles, or a production professional with regional theater experience, now is the time to get your materials in order. Check the full listing at ProductionList.com and keep an eye on updates as the production moves closer to its summer start.

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