Savannah Wise Officially Assumes the Role of Sherrie in Rock of Ages
Rock of Ages ensemble member and understudy Savannah Wise has stepped in to officially replace original leading lady Amy Spanger in the starring role of Sherrie. Producers announced that Spanger, who left the show for extended vocal rest on June 8, 2009, would leave the show permanently for personal reasons on June 29. Wise has been playing the role since Spanger’s initial June 8 departure.
"It is that rare and fortunate instance in show business where is becomes necesssary for the understudy to step into the role and she exceeds your wildest expectations," producer Matt Weaver said in a statement.
Wise made her off-Broadway debut with Rock of Ages during its New York debut at New World Stages in the fall of 2008. She has appeared in the national tours of Les Miserables and Disney’s High School Musical. Regional credits include Beauty and the Beast, Happy Days and Annie Get Your Gun. She has been seen on the small screen on both Law & Order: Criminal Intent and Rescue Me.
Rock of Ages is set in 1987 on the Sunset Strip, where a small town girl meets a big city rocker in LA’s most famous rock club. Their arena-rock love story is told through the mind-blowing, face-melting hits of Journey, Bon Jovi, Styx, Reo Speedwagon, Pat Benatar, Foreigner, Twisted Sister, Poison, Asia, Whitesnake and many more.
Five-time Tony Award nominee Rock of Ages was written by Chris D’Arienzo, directed by Kristin Hanggi and choreographed by Kelly Devine. It stars Constantine Maroulis, James Carpinello, Adam Dannheisser, Mitchell Jarvis, Michele Mais, Lauren Molina, Paul Schoeffler, Wesley Taylor, Ericka Hunter, Jeremy Jordan, Michael Minarik, Angel Reed, Bahiyah Sayyed-Gaines, Katherine Tokarz, Andre Ward, Tad Wilson and Jeremy Woodard.
