ROCK & ROLL MAN is the original musical about a musical original. Alan Freed was a Cleveland DJ who heard the future—and knew he had to let it sing. He named the genre “Rock & Roll,” bringing music to the masses and integrating artists and audiences on the airwaves and in concerts for the first time in history. Along the way, he became an icon to the nation’s youth—and a target for the nation’s establishment.
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| Constantine Maroulis. Photo by Pamela Raith Photography. |
In addition to explosive original songs written just for the stage, ROCK & ROLL MAN features classics created by legends such as Little Richard, Chuck Berry, LaVern Baker, Buddy Holly, Bo Diddley, Jerry Lee Lewis, The Drifters, The Coasters, and The Platters, including genre-defying hits like “Tutti Frutti,” “Maybellene,” “Great Balls of Fire,” “Yakety Yak,” and “Why Do Fools Fall in Love.”
Freed’s passion for music inspired the generation that changed society forever.
We sat down with lead actor Constantine Maroulis to learn more about the show.
What can you tell me about Rock & Roll Man?
Rock & Roll Man is about the birth of rock ‘n’ roll, but more than that it’s about cultural collision. It tells the story of Alan Freed, the Cleveland DJ who helped bring Black rhythm and blues to white teenage audiences in the 1950s and, in doing so, cracked open the door to integration through music.
It’s loud, it’s electric, it’s nostalgic, but it’s also complicated. It doesn’t shy away from the tensions of the era, the politics, the payola scandal, or the cost of being at the centre of a revolution. It’s a celebration of the music, yes, but also a reckoning with history.
What drew you to the role of Alan Freed in Rock & Roll Man?
I’m drawn to flawed pioneers. Alan Freed was a disruptor. He was imperfect, ambitious and messy, but he genuinely believed in the music and in the idea that young people didn’t care about segregation in the way the establishment did.
As an artist who came up through rock music myself, there’s something deeply personal about playing a man who helped ignite that movement. It feels like honouring the lineage. But it’s also about interrogating it, because with influence comes responsibility.
Have you had to do much research whilst developing your version of Alan?
Absolutely. You can’t play a real person without doing your homework. I’ve read interviews, listened to archival recordings and studied his cadence and rhythm, but I’ve also looked at the broader cultural context of the time.
The most important research, though, is emotional. Who was he when the lights were off? What did it cost him? Where was he courageous and where was he complicit? That’s where the real work lives.
Rock & Roll Man is about the birth of rock ‘n’ roll, but more than that it’s about cultural collision. It tells the story of Alan Freed, the Cleveland DJ who helped bring Black rhythm and blues to white teenage audiences in the 1950s and, in doing so, cracked open the door to integration through music.
It’s loud, it’s electric, it’s nostalgic, but it’s also complicated. It doesn’t shy away from the tensions of the era, the politics, the payola scandal, or the cost of being at the centre of a revolution. It’s a celebration of the music, yes, but also a reckoning with history.
What drew you to the role of Alan Freed in Rock & Roll Man?
I’m drawn to flawed pioneers. Alan Freed was a disruptor. He was imperfect, ambitious and messy, but he genuinely believed in the music and in the idea that young people didn’t care about segregation in the way the establishment did.
As an artist who came up through rock music myself, there’s something deeply personal about playing a man who helped ignite that movement. It feels like honouring the lineage. But it’s also about interrogating it, because with influence comes responsibility.
Have you had to do much research whilst developing your version of Alan?
Absolutely. You can’t play a real person without doing your homework. I’ve read interviews, listened to archival recordings and studied his cadence and rhythm, but I’ve also looked at the broader cultural context of the time.
The most important research, though, is emotional. Who was he when the lights were off? What did it cost him? Where was he courageous and where was he complicit? That’s where the real work lives.
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| Full Company. Photo by Pamela Raith Photography. |
You’re known for your incredible vocal range. How does performing in Rock & Roll Man compare to your previous roles?
This show is athletic. It’s rock ‘n’ roll, raw, muscular and high-octane. Vocally it sits in that gritty, soulful pocket that I love, but it demands real stamina.
What’s different here is that I’m not just singing songs, I’m channelling an era. The vocals have to feel lived-in, dangerous, almost reckless at times. It’s less about perfection and more about electricity.
Do you have to prepare differently when playing a real-life person versus a fictional character?
Yes, there’s an added layer of accountability. When you’re playing someone real, especially someone tied to major cultural shifts, you’re stepping into history.
With a fictional character you have more freedom to invent. With a real person you’re balancing truth and interpretation. You have to respect the facts while still finding your own way in. It’s about honouring the essence, not impersonating.
Rock & Roll Man tells the story of desegregation through music. Why is that message still relevant today?
Because the work isn’t finished.
Music has always been ahead of politics. In the 1950s, teenagers were dancing together before lawmakers caught up. That’s powerful. It reminds us that culture can move hearts faster than legislation.
We’re still navigating conversations about race, appropriation, equity and who gets credit. This story asks us to celebrate the Black artists who created the sound while also examining how the industry worked and sometimes exploited that brilliance. That dialogue is very much of the moment.
How do you mentally and physically prepare for a show?
It’s ritual for me. I warm up vocally, stretch and hydrate, the basics. But mentally it’s about focus. I try to clear the noise.
Before I go on, I remind myself that this is a gift. Live theatre is a communal experience and no two nights are the same. I ground myself in gratitude, and then I go out there and let it rip.
Who are your own music heroes?
So many. Elvis was a gateway. But Chuck Berry, Little Richard and Freddie Mercury for theatricality. Bono for conviction. Jeff Buckley because… God.
And honestly, the unsung session players and soul singers who built the foundation of American music. I’m inspired by artists who aren’t afraid to push culture forward.
What was the first piece of theatre that had a big impact on you?
Seeing rock influence collide with theatre was huge for me. Shows that felt dangerous, that didn’t feel polite.
I would have to say Jesus Christ Superstar was probably the first.
I remember realising that theatre could feel like a concert, like rebellion. That changed everything. It made me see that the stage could hold the same electricity as a stadium.
What keeps you inspired?
Curiosity. Growth. Love. Reinvention. My daughter.I never want to calcify. I’m inspired by young artists, by conversations that challenge me and by the idea that storytelling still matters. The minute it feels safe, it’s time to dig deeper.
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| Full Company. Photo by Pamela Raith Photography. |
What do you hope audiences take away from Rock & Roll Man?
I hope they leave energised, humming the music, yes, but also thinking.
I hope they leave energised, humming the music, yes, but also thinking.
And mostly, I hope they feel connected. Because that’s what this music did then, and what great theatre still does now.
Rock & Roll Man tours visiting:
Salisbury Playhouse until Saturday 7th March
Theatre Royal, Windsor from Tuesday 10th until Saturday 14th March
Cambridge Arts Centre from Monday 16th until Saturday 21st March
Lighthouse, Poole from Monday 23rd until Saturday 28th March
For more information about the show visit https://rockandrollmanthemusical.com/
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