Peter Rothstein is the first to admit he isn’t a big fan of '80s hard rock, or the signature big lighter-waving ballads that defined the era.

"I grew up during this time, but the only concert I went to was Air Supply," he admits. “I had the concert T-shirt -- with koalas and a rainbow on it. And that’s a band we make fun of in the show.”

The show in question is "Power Balladz," a self-described "ode to '80s rock" that opens Thursday at the Lab Theater in Minneapolis. The cabaret-style show features more than two dozen big-hair anthems, including hits by Bon Jovi, Poison, Guns 'n' Roses, Styx, Journey and many more (and to be perfectly accurate, the songs range from the early 1970s to the 1990s, but do center on the mullet decade). Fans can get into the action by voting for their favorites to be included in a second-act medley.

Rothstein -- best known locally for his work with Theatre Latté Da -- came on board via his connections to the creators, Dan Nycklemmoe and Michael Todaro, who have both performed and produced around the Twin Cities. Performing the pieces are Dieter Bierbrauer, Randy Schmeling and Katy Hays, along with a full-tilt rock band (and stage fog -- don’t forget the stage fog).

While the show has been produced before, Rothstein worked with the creators to hone the script. For him, part of the challenge -- and the fun -- has been finding the balance between cabaret and rock concert. The goal has been to have a natural flow of conversation, instead of the forced patter linking disparate pieces together, Rothstein says.

Another line has is the one between homage and parody. After all, it's pretty hard to take the likes of Winger seriously, but the creators know that audiences will also have fond memories for plenty of the tunes.

The humor can come out of the situations for the songs. For Styx’s "Come Sail Away," the cast takes on the role of some teenagers making their own home video for the show -- complete with a bucket of dry ice and a little toy ship, Rothstein says.

One of the biggest challenges has been pacing. After all, "bands would probably only play one or two of these songs in an evening," Rothstein says. Some of his solution comes from paying attention to pacing -- the second-act medley, for example -- and some comes from the arrangements and just trimming the songs (so audiences won't have to sit through 10+ minutes each of "November Rain" and "Free Bird").

Still, there are moments Rothstein has found he can't change. "Someone would say, 'No, you have to leave that guitar solo in -- people will be expecting it.' "

"Power Balladz" runs Thursday-June 28 at the Lab Theater, 700 N. 1st St., Minneapolis. Tickets are $30 and $35. For information, call the theater at (612) 333-7977 or visit online.