reviewvancouver: Theatre Under the Stars-School of Rock , John Jane

This Theatre under the Stars production School of Rock is a stage musical adaptation of the 2003 Paramount film that featured Jack Black as slacker Dewey Finn. It also featured Joan Cusack as overworked principal Rosalie Mullins and provided a film debut to ten-year-old (at the time) Miranda Cosgrove as cynical student Summer. There was also a television series by the same name that ran for three seasons on the Nickelodeon channel.

With this show, which involves the work of writer Julian Fellowes and composer Andrew Lloyd Webber, it calls on the talent of: Colin Sheen as Dewey who gets kicked out of his own band and poses as a substitute teacher at a prestigious private school, Emma Love as Principal Rosalie Mullins and Thailey Roberge as Summer.

Colin Sheen, while not possessing the screwball energy of Jack Black, is convincing as the total slacker who steers his students away from mathematics and social science but ultimately wins their trust and even their affection in the pursuit of “hard-core” rock music and joins a long list of storied inspirational teachers. There is not much scope for nuance in the role, but he gets the show off to spirited start with “When I Climb to the Top of Mount Rock.”

Emma Love’s performance as the outwardly stuffy Ms. Mullins who harbours vocal ambitions of her own is just as enjoyable. Her plaintive delivery of “Where did the rock go?” is a highlight. It’s all predictable, but good fun nonetheless.
Much of the show’s success, however, depends on the individual and collective performances of the young artists who play the students who consistently upstage the senior players. I was quite taken with “If Only You Would Listen” in which the students reject parental aspirations of their future.

Tracey Power’s direction maintains an even pace, while Matthew Rossoff’s sparkling choreography gives all the young performers an opportunity to shine. John Webber’s lighting, that becomes more noticeable in the second act give an extra dimension.

A minor disappointment is the elimination of the AC/DC song "It's a Long Way to the Top (If You Wanna Rock 'n' Roll)" from the stage musical adaptation, that was likely the result of legal issues. However, Lloyd Webber’s “new” music does what it’s supposed to do - cheer us all up.

School of Rock alternates nightly with CATS until August 24. School was never this much fun when I was a student!