By Jennifer Mustoe and Craig Mustoe
The best rock concert in Salt Lake City is at the Eccles Theatre when you see School of Rock. Based on the 2003 movie starring Jack Black as a chubby freeloader who dreams about being a rock and roll star, Andrew Lloyd Webber purchased the rights to School of Rock and created one fun musical the whole family can enjoy.
School of Rock starts with some funny, meant to be serious rock with the typical long-haired, leather vest over ripped belly rock star (from band No Vacancy) who sing the hysterical “I’m Too Hot For You.” Dewey, who started No Vacancy, tries to upstage the (ridiculous) front man singer and the “cool” members dump him.
Dewey (Merritt David Janes) lives with friend Ned (Layne Roat), a former band mate who is now a substitute teacher and shares a flat with his super controlling girlfriend Patty (Madison Miccucci). Dewey has been freeloading for years and Patty has finally had enough. Dewey takes a call for Ned who is asked to sub at a posh private school. Because the money’s good, Dewey takes the sub gig. Dewey goes to the school late, disheveled, and hung over. The kids are alarmed, especially Summer (Sami Bray), who has a lot of OCD packed into her tiny 13-year-old self.
Dewey, known now as Mr. Shneebley meets principal Rosalie Mullins (Lexi Dorsett Sharp) and some of the other staff. Quickly finding out that the class of 13-year-olds can play music, Dewey creates a band and though the kids are at first hesitant, they all begin to settle into this new groove.
Here’s what’s amazing about this wholly unbelievable script. First, everyone in the show is playing their instruments for real–from the wannabe rock stars, to Dewey, to all those kids. It is remarkable, fun, and super entertaining. With some of the kids, the instruments look too big for them to even hold, much less play well. But they do it and the crowd, as they say, went wild. Not all the students play. Some are security, bedecked with sunglasses, some are back up singers, one cute little girl, Tomika, played dazzingly by Camille De La Cruz, is the soloist and brought the house down with her “Amazing Grace.” And the controlling Summer is the band manager. Natch. The main theme about being a band member is demonstrated with “You’re in the Band”. Suddenly these privileged but often ignored kids are part of a working team. Dewey, too, finds acceptance from the students. The audience is asked to explore: what does it mean to be in “the band”? What do good band members do? How do they treat one another?
I am not going to tell any more of the plot except to say the kids really get into being in a band, aptly named “The School of Rock”, and they begin to blossom. One of the sweetest songs in the show is “If Only You Would Listen,” with all the kids sharing with one another how their parents never listen to them–and they begin to see that “Mr. Schneebly” does. (And another theme comes up that is pretty interesting in today’s society–what does it mean to be a good parent? What lengths will we go to so our kids will succeed? What is success, anyway?) The other two stand out songs, “Stick it to the Man” sung by Dewey and the students and has several reprises, and “Where Did the Rock Go?” sung by Rosalie are wonderful in their energy but also in their messages. “Stick it to the Man” was ever so fun and the kids really got into this one–making it so much fun for everyone.
The acting in the show is great. I heard a woman complaining that Janes as Dewey was doing a Jack Black impersonation and no more and she was wrong. Yes, the character is patterned after Black’s movie character. But Janes takes this and does his own stuff. His synergy with the kids is great. Roat is wonderful, Miccucci is annoying (she supposed to be–and after one of her stinger lines, someone behind me said, “Oh. My. Gosh.” quite loudly, speaking for us all).
The kids: Shonelle (Arianna Pereira), Katie (LeAnne Parks), James (Jacob Moran), Marcy (Alyssa Emily Marvin), Mason (Dylan Trueblood), Freddy (Cameron Trueblood), Zack (Mystic Inscho), Billy (Sammy Dell), Lawrence (Julian Brescia), and Sophie (Gabriella Uhl), and Bray and de la Cruz are startling in their talent. I had to think: how many hours has this group amassed to learn and practice all this talented performing? Hours and hours and hours, no doubt.
Everyone sings in this show, and musical director Martyn Axe has his cast singing brilliantly, though in the show we saw, the music was a little loud and we couldn’t hear all the lyrics at times. Choreographer JoAnn Hunter‘s dance steps are simple, as one would expect with kids, but it is amazing how those kids (and sometimes Dewey) can keep singing with all that jumping going on. Jumping up and down, fists clenched with an angry rock star look, jumping up on desks, jumping a lot! They’re kids–they have a lot of energy, right? Director Laurence Connor has created wonderful symmetry with this group, but each child has their own individuality. All of them were great little actors, but some were truly outstanding. The live band in the pit rocked it with gnarly rock concert blasts that we all clapped like crazy about.
The school uniforms and the many skirted suits for Rosalie are perfect, thanks to costumer/scenic designer Anna Louizos. The sets are great–flipping from the classroom to the teacher’s lounge to Dewey’s bedroom seamlessly. Lighting for a show that has rock and roll as its theme has to be outstanding and lighting designer Natasha Katz dazzles us. And sound design by Mick Potter is fantastic.
I saw many children attending this show, and asked a little girl how old she was (7) and if she liked the show. She sleepily said yes. The show runs 2 1/2 hours and that may seem long, but it speeds along and the littles I saw after the show may have been a little tired, but all looked happy. Tweens and teens especially were appreciative of School of Rock‘s fun, tender, totally gnarly production. Give your younger kids a nap and bring them, in other words.
If you’re thinking you can get the same experience by just watching the movie, think again. School of Rock is a marvelously fun experience with sweet and important messages to all who see it. It runs until June 2 with a variety of times, prices, and options, so get your rocker glam clothes on (if you want) and jam up to the Eccles in Salt Lake City. Rock on, Utah!
Broadway at the Eccles Presents School of Rock, Music by Andrew Lloyd Webber, Lyrics by Glenn Slater, and Book by Julian Fellowes.
Eccles Theater, 131 Main Street, Salt Lake City, UT 84111
Tickets: $65+
Contact: 385-468-1010
ArtTix Phone: 801-355-ARTS (2787)
May 28-June 2, 2019, 7:30 PM curtain with some matinees
Eccles Theater Homepage
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