Are you ready to rock? Mike Todaro certainly hopes so. He’s the Creator/Writer/Director of POWER BALLADZ, a new interactive show celebrating the greatest hair band anthems of the 70s, 80s, and 90s.

POWER BALLADZ bridges the gap between two of Todaro’s loves: arena rock and cabaret. “I love watching a great singer really dig into a song,” he says. But unlike typical 2-drink minimum fare like Gershwin and Sondheim, POWER BALLADZ treats its audience to intimate (and intensely amplified) renditions of hits by the likes of Queen, Ozzy Osbourne, and Whitesnake.

To that end, the 200-seat clublike Midtown Theater has been stuffed with an insane amount of lighting and sound equipment, thereby transforming it into an close-quartered (but definitely rocking) concert venue.

The party at POWER BALLADZ begins as soon as the audience enters the theater's immersive environment, replete with a full bar and interactive trivia games flashing across ubiquitous video screens. As three kick-ass singers perform blistering covers of nostalgia-filled rock songs, they take breaks to discuss the power ballad’s place in modern music, and even draw a convincing connection between Scorpion’s “Wind of Change” and the fall of communism.

Unlike Rock of Ages, POWER BALLADZ eschews forcing the songs into a dramatic context, instead presenting them (in their entirety) in a rock concert milieu. “People’s memories of this music are so strong,” Todaro explains, “so we wanted audiences to be able to frame the music themselves.” Following the performance, audience members can get into the act by volunteering for live band karaoke, backed up by the show’s rocking musicians.

POWER BALLADZ was conceived ten years ago when Todaro and his writing partner, Dan Nycklemoe, downed a case of Miller High Life and imagined a rock cabaret featuring the musical touchstones of their teen years. It took some time for the idea to come to fruition, though. “The scars of high school were a little too fresh at the time, so we waited a while for them to scab,” he laughs.

Now, a decade later, the buzzed spirit of that evening comes to life six times a week Off-Broadway at the Midtown Theater. So whip out your Zippo lighter, freeze your bangs with Aqua Net, and knock back a can of MGD because previews of POWER BALLADZ begin on August 5.

Previews of POWER BALLADZ begin August 5th for an open ended run at the Midtown Theater (163 West 46th Street). Performance schedule is Mondays,Thursdays, Fridays, Sundays at 9pm and Saturdays at 6pm and 10pm (with an added performance on Wednesday, August 18 at 9pm; and no performance on Saturday, August 21 at 10pm). Tickets are $69.99 for General Admission/Cabaret seating with drink service in the theater; or $89.99 for VIP treatment (VIP seating directly in front of the stage, two complimentary drinks and a POWER BALLADZ souvenir. To purchase tickets, call TheaterMania at 212-352-0255 or purchase tickets online at www.powerballadz.com.