School of Rock - The Musical

Andrew Lloyd Webber may not be the first person you'd think of to helm a remake of a 2003 Jack Black vehicle for Broadway; but he did bring us one of the very first rock operas, "Jesus Christ Superstar." The film focused on the character of Dewey Finn, an out of work guitarist ousted by his band, slobbish and always behind on his rent. His roommates want him out, but Dewey just wants to rock and roll. Pretending to be his friend Ned, a teacher, he makes his way into a prestigious prep school as a fifth-grade teacher.

This may seem familiar, but this "School of Rock – The Musical" is more about the kids than Dewey (Merritt David Janes) although he is still center stage. Ned (Layne Roate) and Patty (Madison Micucci) play his roommates, Ned has been lifelong friends with our rocker and Patty just wants him to leave, even if he does pay his rent. After he is kicked out his own band, No Vacancy, Dewey gets a phone call meant for Ned to substitute teach at Horace Green Preparatory School. Thinking it's the best way to make some money to pay his back rent, he gets the post, after meeting Rosalie Mullins (Lexie Dorsett Sharp) the principal.

Rosalie is a buttoned-up, no-nonsense woman with very little humor. She has very little time for Dewey's shenanigans, yet keeps giving him chances. Until she sits in one one of his classes, she is still unsure. The other teachers complain about hearing music from his classroom, and they all discuss his lack of graces during recess. But Dewey's class is filled with, you guessed it, talented musicians and he's going to teach them to rock, and compete in a local battle of the bands competition. The show is truly at its best in these scenes; the kids in this cast are quite talented.

It's a family show to be sure, but never cloying or trite; the leadership of our "substitute" teacher is rough around the edges but the message is very clear. The backstory of these kids and their parents is rather thin but we get the message here as well. Each child is typical of many 21st-century children: coddled by their parents and hoping to succeed in whatever they do, even if it isn't what Mom and Dad want. Or Dad and Dad, thankfully there's some brief LGBT representation in this production. Dewey is the catalyst to put all of their collective best feet forward, and the result is pure magic. Here the kids take center stage, and it's incredibly fun to watch.

Make no mistake, this cast truly rocks! From Lawrence (Julian Brescia) the "not cool" keyboardist, Zack (Mystic Incho) who plays guitar like a pro, Tomika (Camille De La Cruz) whose voice will surprise you, and Freddy (Cameron Trueblood) who plays drums with amazing ease. Believe it or not, you'll want to hear them play more. Special props to the smallest cast member Summer (Sami Bray) who Dewey appoints as band manager, she's got the biggest voice of all and isn't afraid to lead this group. Both Sharp and Janes have some great chemistry; the scene where they go out for a beer after school is priceless. And Sharp's vocal range is truly dazzling. Janes works the crowd all the way to the rafters, and this "School" is one you'll definitely want to attend. Bring the whole family, it's got something for every age.

"School of Rock – The Musical" is running through March 3rs at Providence Performing Arts Center (PPAC) 220 Weybosset Street, Providence, RI 02903. For information or tickets call 401-421-2787 or visit www.ppacri.org.