By Dale King
In the real world, school won’t start for at least a few more weeks, maybe even a month.
But in the realm of stage musicals, School of Rock opened this past weekend at the Lake Worth Playhouse. Its “semester” runs just three weeks, but lots of songs, antics, expectations, rules for proper in-class behavior and family relationships are packed into its entertaining curriculum. There’s even time for some romance.
The local playhouse traditionally kicks off its main stage season with a mid-summer production — as usual, a musical.
Director Debi Marcucci helms this production that draws heavily upon the modern rock era — and presents an incomparable cast that includes highly trained young performance students giving their all for the sake of rock ’n’ roll.
School of Rock, based on the rock-swathed 2003 film of the same name, directed by Richard Linklater, produced by Scott Rudin and written by Mike White, tracks the unorthodox life of struggling rock guitarist Dewey Finn (portrayed with panache by Alex Martinez) who, early on, is fired from the rock band No Vacancy for his uncalled-for conduct and also loses his job at a record store.
With no financial prospects and behind on cash to pay his share of the rent for an apartment he shares with Ned Schneebly (Trenten Hazelton) and Ned’s domineering girlfriend, Patty di Marco (Samanatha Simpson), he answers a phone call intended for Ned offering a job as a substitute teacher at a fancy prep school.
Dewey decides to take the job to pump up his finances, but he is clearly a fish out of water in the classroom. Hung over from the night before, his first “assignment” to the kids is “to chill out today. Leave me alone.”
This attitude quickly changes. Dewey turns his lack of formal teacher training into an opportunity when he finds out his class of fifth-graders are not just straight-A scholars but are all adept musically. He begins the secretive task of redirecting them from their ongoing classical music studies to drum-thumping, guitar-twanging, background-vocalizing heavy rock.
He works diligently with the kids so their group — called “School of Rock” — can win a “Battle of the Bands” competition. As work progresses, we see his desire to share the history, glory and “Stick it to the Man” message of rock music with the next generation intensify. He really likes these kids and his challenge — which becomes the show’s true theme and, in the end, his salvation.
While teaching these musically adept phenoms what it means to truly rock on, Dewey falls for the school’s beautiful, but uptight headmistress, Miss Mullins (Rachel Begleiter). As their relationship deepens, he helps her rediscover her inner wild child (think Stevie Nicks).
Folks who saw the original School of Rock film may notice the stage version deviates slightly.Composer Andrew Lloyd Webber bought the stage rights to Linklater’s film and adapted it for the stage. His revised version focuses more on the relationship between the kids and their parents — which reveals many negative attributes. (The kids direct the song, “If Only You Would Listen,” at their parents to illustrate).
Lloyd Webber adds 14 less bombastic tunes and keeps the original film score intact. This extends the production to nearly three hours — a bit on the long side. But the mix of hard rock and conventional show music provides a broad and entertainingly melodious mélange.
The show’s finale — the actual “Battle of the Bands” — is the highlight of the production. Not only is it a superbly compelling scene that showcases the youngsters’ performance talents, it resolves some lingering problems with parents and the faculty and redirects the staunch, old school in a new, contemporary direction.
The 13 performing arts-trained young people deserve plaudits for providing the backbone of the exceptional production: Joel Pereyra as drummer Freddy; Juliana Zamorano as bassist Katie; Sagan Flanzbaum as keyboardist Lawrence; Cal Fernandez as lead guitarist Zack; Gabriella Butt as Jamie, security; Sophia Perez and Evelyn Pereyra, backup singers; Kyler Brooks as Billy, the stylist; Anthony Cirisano as Mason, the “techie”; Zoe Willis and Amber Parla as “roadies” and Kiara Binah as standout singer Tomika, who actually wrote a song specifically for this show. Juliette Etzel Cabrera portrays Summer, the band manager, in a scene-stealing turn.
The adults are no slouches. Martinez, as Finn, has the rhythm, moves and style of a hard rocker, yet displays ample emotional depth. Begleiter deftly transforms Mullins from ultra-prim to rock queen. Hazelton’s Ned, initially timid, celebrates newfound courage at the end of the show and his bossy girlfriend portrayed by Simpson eventually settles into a more acceptable niche.
Overall, LWP’s School of Rock is a feel-good fun fest for all. The show with a massive, multi-talented cast and some well-crafted stage sets is playing through July 28 at the Lake Worth Playhouse, 713 Lake Ave., Lake Worth Beach. For tickets, call 561-586-6410 or visit www.lakeworthplaayhouse.org.