'Rocky the Musical' debuts at CM Performing Arts Center

This year marks the 50th anniversary of the Oscar-winning film, "Rocky," starring Sylvester Stallone, who also wrote the story. In celebration, CM Performing Arts Center in Oakdale is presenting "Rocky the Musical," which makes its Long Island debut on Aug. 22 and runs through Sept. 20.

"Something about this show spoke to us. We are in our 39th year and we were inspired by the enduring story of 'Rocky,' ” says Marc Hollid-Ausset, CM Performing Arts Center president and CEO. "Rocky is the underdog who keeps going. That kind of story is meaningful at this moment during our evolution as an organization. Not many nonprofit community theaters make it 40 years. We have always been that underdog fighting our way."

Cast of characters

Playing Rocky Balboa is Rich Giordano, 30, of West Babylon, a tough role for any actor because of how closely Stallone is linked to the character.

"I don’t want to do a Sylvester Stallone impression," Giordano says. "This makes the part a real challenge, but a cool one because you get to find the heart of the character through the nature of Stallone."

One of the most transitional characters is Rocky’s girlfriend Adrian Pennino, played by Samantha Hayes, 19, of Speonk. She goes through a whole arc battling her brother Paulie, played by James O’Connor, 38, of Lake Grove.

"She starts out timid and shy. Her whole life is about taking care of Paulie and she has no self-confidence," Hayes says. "Adrian was always scared to break the rules. When she meets Rocky, she comes out of her shell completely."

Boxing champ Apollo Creed is taken on by Quentin Thomson of Bay Shore. His approach to the character is all about bravado.

"If you are wearing an Uncle Sam hat with red, white and blue shorts you’ve got to bring that ego," Thomson says. "With a name like Apollo you must deliver big."

Movie to musical

Turning an iconic film into a musical is no easy feat. However, "Rocky the Musical," which ran on Broadway for 216 performances in 2014, is able to strike a balance between the familiar and the fantastical.

"Some people might be skeptical of turning ‘Rocky’ into a Broadway show, but I think when people see it, they will feel that same passion," Giordano says. "This show has a lot of layers."

Thomson adds, "The musical does a good job of respecting the original story while keeping it fresh but also making it something the fans can still root for. This version allows you to see the story from a new perspective."

The show contains familiar "Rocky" songs like "Gonna Fly Now" and "Eye of the Tiger" in addition to new tunes by Stephen Flaherty and Lynn Ahrens ("Ragtime," "Seussical").

Rocky sings "Fight From the Heart" when he’s deciding whether he should fight Apollo. During "Keep on Standing," Rocky realizes he can’t win and ends with him running up the steps of the Philadelphia Museum of Art. Adrian croons the emotionally charged "I’m Done" when she finally stands up to Paulie. Rocky’s manager Mickey Goldmill, portrayed by Bob Del Persio, 51, of Holbrook, nostalgically looks back at his days as a boxer with "In the Ring" while Apollo gets the spotlight during the very boastful, "Patriotic."

"The songs prove this is not simply a boxing story," Giordano says. "It helps people to see the real beauty in the show."

Getting ready for a fight

One of the most challenging parts of putting on "Rocky the Musical" is making the bout between Apollo and Rocky come alive onstage. This involves putting a boxing ring into the theater.

"On Broadway they lowered the ring. But we don’t have a fly system where you can move scene pieces above the stage," Hollid-Ausset says. "We are coming up with a new way to make the ring appear, which will be a surprise. It will have a dramatic entrance."

In addition to scenery, the stage has no sound effects and film editing to convey the boxing battle. It’s up to the cast to deliver that physical intensity.

"Fight choreography is like a dance. You engage the skill of the actor and choreograph around their abilities," O’Connor, who doubles as a fight coordinator, says. "The audience doesn’t have depth perception. As long as you block their field of view, it looks like the punches connect. There are other tricks like putting the referee in front of a punch. Certain ones might be direct contact. It depends more on the person getting hit to sell the violence."

Thomson adds, "It’s going to be even more immersive than watching the film. The crowd is going to feel like they are there in the fight."

The 'Rocky' connection

People feel very connected to the story of "Rocky." The regular guy who gets a one in a million shot is something people can relate to.

"We all have a different tie to ‘Rocky’ but there’s a collective love for the story from all of us," Del Persio says. "We want people to leave with the spirit of going the distance and keep pushing forward."

Thomson adds, "This show is for anyone who has a goal in life and feels like they are overlooked and racing against the clock to prove that they have greatness within them."