Belle's Domain
rockies

The Rockies, The Boxcars.

Ahh, the Rockies, Box Cars of much muscle, good looks, and minimal brain. Named after the Rocky movies, of which there were 3 by 1984... the fourth had arrived by 1987 when the show moved to Broadway. Having four of the boys helped in the enormous Japan/Australia tours. When the show opened in Bochum they had four Rockies, and there's one photo included here with one of the boys in pink. An interesting statement made by colour choice there. However by 1991 there were only 3 Rockies in Germany. Rumours exist of an accident involving the fourth Rocky so he was cut for safety... I don't know if there's any truth in this tho!

The Rockies were replaced with "Hip Hoppers" for the 2003 US tour. After all, who knows about the Rocky movies these days (errr, that is, until the 5th movie was released in 2006...), and gets the pun on Boxing-box cars, and the name Hip Hoppers is so hip, and rad, and the kids will love it... eurgh. I'm not a fan.

The Rockies are pure 1980s genius breakdancers, drawn directly from the sort of tricks street skaters perform in Central Park and Hyde Park. "Right Place, Right Time" is the most energetic and technically dazzling number in the entire show, just listening to a recording doesn't do it justice. The choreography was altered and drastically simplified to remove all boxing references - punches, muscle poses etc, for the Hip Hoppers. Rocky 1 was, in London at least, partnered with the British train for the races, and when he was scrapped, Rocky 1 lost his chance to compete.

The London costumes had all three Rockies in identical costumes, literally the only variation being the number in the centre of the belt. their lightweight, minimal costumes allowed for easy dancing and showcased the performers' physique, emphasising the human side of the anthropomorphic costume design. The Broadway designed costumes were bigger, brighter, less elegant, giving the performers huge box shoulders which were detached for their dance number. They were also painted bright primary colours, which emphasised the toy train roots of the design. Well, my toy train set had three box cars in yellow, blue and green plastic too! With all the cuts and changes over the years, productions diverged on what character was what colour.

Bochum - 1988, Rockies 1,2,3,4, red, yellow, blue, green
1989, Rockies 1,2,3,4, red, pink, blue green
1990, Rockies 1,2,3 yellow, green, red
US tour- 1991, Rockies 1,2,3 red, yellow, blue

Rocky Portraits

Martin Boothe Christian Hante

Keith Tyrone Marvin Engran Antoni Garfield Henry K.F.T.D.
Winston Algie Williams Jim Harrison Mitsuko Tokuhisa

1988 Bochum cast 1988 Bochum cast

1988 Bochum cast 1988 Bochum cast

Las Vegas 1993 Las Vegas 1993 Las Vegas 1993

Martin Boothe as Rocky 1

Backstage Rockies
Original London Cast Original London Cast Original London Cast
Original London Cast London Mykal Rand
London Rob Grose, Rocky 2, London Rob Grose, Rocky 2, London
Ben Clare and Leo Bidwell, London Ben Clare and Leo Bidwell, London Ben Clare and Leo Bidwell, London 2001-2002
Leo Bidwell, London 2002 Algernon Williams, London 2001 Michael Skyers, London 2000
Michael Skyers, London 2000 Luvlay.... Rob Grose collecting money
Algie collecting money for charity Algie with Mazz

1994 Bochum illustration 1994 Bochum illustration 1994 Bochum illustration

Onstage Rockies


LONDON
London 1984 London 1984 London 1984
London 1984 London 1984 London 1984
London 1984 London 1984 London 1984
London 1984 London 1980s London 1980s
London 1980s London 1980s London 1992
London 1992 London 1992 London 1992
London 1993 London 1994 London 1995
London 1996 London 1996 London 1996
London 1997 London 1997 London 1997
London 1998 London 1999 London 2000
London 2000 London 2001 London 2001


BOCHUM
Bochum 1988 Bochum 1988 Bochum 1988
Bochum 1989. WHO decided to make 2 pink? Bochum 1989 Bochum 1991
Bochum 1994 Bochum 1994 Bochum 1994
Bochum 1997 Bochum 1997 Bochum 1997
Bochum 1998 Bochum 1998 Bochum 2000
Bochum 2000 Bochum 2001 Bochum 2002
Bochum 2002 Bochum 2004 Bochum 2005
Bochum 2005 Bochum 2006 Bochum 2006
Bochum 2006


JAPAN/AUSTRALIA TOURS
Japan/Australia tour 1987 Japan tour 1987 Japan tour 1987
Japan tour 1987 Japan tour 1987 Japan tour 1987
Japan tour 1990 Japan tour 1990 Japan tour 1990
Japan tour 1990 Japan tour 1990


US PRODUCTIONS
Broadway 1987 Broadway 1987 Broadway 1987
Broadway 1987 Broadway 1987 Broadway 1987
US tour 1989 US tour 1989 US tour 1989
US tour 1989 US tour 1989 Las Vegas 1993

OLC Rockies Rehearsing


Rocky Fans
Open Day, 2006 Open Day, 2001
Jared as Rocky, 2005 Little Jared, 2000