Merritt David Janes News

Say what you want about Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber but at least he's consistent. Consistently borrowing from others as is evident in the most recent offering from the Paramount Theatre, 'his' musical version of the 2003 movie 'The School of Rock'. And while it has adorable kids, absolutely shredding it with their vocals and musical chops on stage, it also has utterly forgettable and repetitious songs (at least the ones actually written by Webber and lyricist Glenn Slater) and a lead who takes mugging to a whole new, annoying level.

Another school year may be coming to an end, but school is just starting at Des Moines Performing Arts as “School of Rock: The Musical” opened up April 30 for a limited 1 week engagement as part of the Willis Broadway Series. This production is not to be missed, especially if you are wanting to introduce your children to the world of theatre. While the main characters in the show may be adults, it's the kids who are the stars of this show.

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Broadway legend Andrew Lloyd Webber's high-octane Broadway and West End hit School of Rock - The Musical is coming to Portland's Keller Auditorium from May 21 - 26.

Broadway legend Andrew Lloyd Webber's high-octane Broadway and West End hit School of Rock - The Musical is coming to Seattle's Paramount Theatre from May 14 - 19.

Class is in session at the School of Rock and they're teaching Jacksonville all about rock-n-roll! The musical featuring music from Tony Award winner Andrew Lloyd Webber, is based on the 2003 movie School of Rock. The musical follows a man, Dewey Finn (Merritt David Janes), as he impersonates his best friend Ned Schneebly as a substitute teacher at Horace Green. When Dewey realizes he is in way over his head, he hears his students playing classical music. He decides he will teach them about rock-n-roll, and they will compete in 'The Battle of the Bands.' The musical displays amazing music, a great story, and life lessons for everyone to take away.

Broadway legend Andrew Lloyd Webber's high-octane Broadway and West End hit School of Rock - The Musical is coming to San Jose's Center for the Performing Arts (255 S. Almaden Blvd.) from Tuesday, June 4 through Sunday, June 9, 2019. 

What happens when a musical film earns over $131-million on a $35-million-dollar investment? If you are Andrew Lloyd Webber, you buy the rights and turn it into School of Rock The Musicalwith lyrics by Glenn Slater and book by Julian Fellowes.

Singer-songwriter Merritt David Janes, currently starring as Dewey in the National Tour of School of Rock-The Musical, releases The Winter Guardians' first single, 'Think Out Loud,' today. Along with Janes, the group features three young instrumentalists who performed with him in the on-stage band of Broadway's School of Rock: guitarist Brandon Niederauer, drummer Raghav Mehrotra and bassist Jersey Sullivan.

The story of SCHOOL OF ROCK is a fairly simple one-- a somewhat aimless manchild gets a job substitute teaching, and because he doesn't really know how to actually teach subjects like math and science, he instead focuses on teaching the students how to play rock instruments so they can compete in the Battle of the Bands. What really makes this work as a stage musical is that in adapting it from the screen version, book writer Julian Fellowes didn't change too much. The story follows the film pretty exactly, and the ending is 100% predictable, and that's a very good thing. This show is all about the musical skills of some incredibly talented young performers, and that is more than enough.

SCHOOL OF ROCK - THE MUSICAL is bursting with kids, all of them bursting with talent. Based on the 2003 movie starring Jack Black, the stage version is the brainchild of Andrew Lloyd Webber, a guy who knows a thing or two about creating successful musicals. Nominated for four 2016 Tony Awards, the show ran for more than three years on Broadway, a little over a year in London, and the national tour has been on the road since September, 2017. It's a feel good musical with a happy ending, something to lighten up the winter doldrums.

SCHOOL OF ROCK is a musical about rebellion, the mantra of "sticking it to The Man", of children finding their voice in a controlled and advantaged setting and finding their courage to rise up.

It was freezing outside, but School of Rock was heating up Clowes Memorial Hall last night. The Broadway Across America production is based on the 2003 movie of the same name. The musical stays close to that version, but comes alive in a different way. The plot focuses on Dewey, who is a bit of an immature loser. He thinks his band will make it big any day now, but doesn't really have a backup plan. When he finds himself substitute teaching a group of precocious kids he's surprised to find a new passion. The show doesn't really get moving until he meets the kids and discovers they love music as well.

Every kid with a performer's heart deserves to experience three things in their childhood: access to an incredible arts program, a passionate mentor, and a really great Andrew Lloyd Webber musical. For me, that was the Springfield (Missouri) Little Theatre, Beth D., and The Phantom of the Opera. I wish for all of today's youth to find the arts and an inspiring mentor. As for Webber for this generation, there is School of Rock The Musical, which actually touches on all of the above. The tour is visiting the National Theatre in Washington, DC this month and packs the biggest dreams and highest professionalism into the tiniest bodies.

School of Rock - The Musical is based on the movie by the same name originally staring Jack Black is currently playing at DeVos Performance Hall until January 13thin Grand Rapids. Andrew Lloyd Webber added some songs and made it a musical. One part that people find hard to believe is that the kids in the show must be able to play the instruments live. The kids can sing and dance, but it is taken to another level when they are playing instruments better than most adults can perform live on stage, show after show, some of them learning their instruments in only a few years or specifically for their audition for this show!

Before the show even begins, the voice of Andrew Lloyd Webber informs us all that the kids in SCHOOL OF ROCK play their instruments live. This becomes overwhelmingly impressive as the show progresses. SCHOOL OF ROCK: THE MUSICAL, with music by Andrew Lloyd Webber, lyrics by Glenn Slater, and book by Julian Fellows is an adaption of the successful Paramount movie starring Jack Black. In this musical interpretation, the kids take centre stage as the stars of the show.

Casting has been announced for the Washington, D.C.  premiere of Broadway legend Andrew Lloyd Webber's high-octane Broadway and West End hit School of Rock - The Musical, coming to the National Theatre for a limited engagement from January 16 - 27, 2019.

Complete with lights and haze machine, Andrew Lloyd Weber's School of Rock, opens with the fictitious Band, No Vacancy, singing "I'm Too Hot for You". As the super cool rockers do their thing, rock-god-wanna-be Dewey Finn (Merrit David James), super un-cool by comparison, does his. This results in him being forced out of the band.

Rocking the roofs off theatres across the country are a group of mega talented kids who have traded their time in the schoolroom to an adventure touring the country. Leanne Parks plays Katie, the classically trained cellist turned bass guitar genius.

SCHOOL OF ROCK had its first success as a movie starring Jack Black and everyone routed for the underdog, Dewey Finn, as he fumbled his way through life. Fast forward to 2015 and SCHOOL OF ROCK becomes a rock musical on Broadway with music by Andrew Lloyd Webber, lyrics by Glenn Slater and a book by Julian Fellowes. It's still based on the life of underdog, Dewey Finn as he fumbles his way through life.