The musical is set to open its first ever UK tour at the Hull New Theatre on the 7th September.
Full casting has been confirmed for the first UK tour of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s musical based on the hit film starring Jack Black.
Jake Sharp is leading the band, taking on the role of Dewey Finn having previously performed the role in the West End, with Alex Tomkins will perform in the role at certain performances. They are joined by Rebecca Lock as Rosalie Mullins, Matthew Rowland as Ned Schneebly and Nadia Violet Johnson as Patty Di Marco. The remaining adult cast comprises Ryan Bearpark, James Bisp, Joanna O’Hare, Samuel Haughton, Tom Hext, Harveen Mann, Richard Morse, Annell Odartey, Amy Oxley, Helena Pipe, Michaela Powell, Richard Vorster and Craig Watson.
Meanwhile, one of three teams of twelve children will be taking on the roles of the kids who join Dewey’s new band. They comprise of Eva McGrath, Emerson Sutton, Thomas Harvey and Isaac Forward who will play Freddy; Chloe Marler, Marikit Akiwumi, Daisy Hanna and Ivy Balcombe who will play Katie; Oliver Forde, Angus McDougall, David Gluhovsky and Oliver Pearce who play Lawrence; Joseph Sheppard, Harry Churchill , Hanley Webb and William Laborde who will play Zack; Wilf Cooper, Logan Matthews and Alfie Morwood who play Billy; Keira Laver, Florrie May Wilkinson and Saffia Layla who will play Summer; Jasmine Djazel, Souparnika Nair and Angel Lucero , who will play Tomika; Hadlee Snow, Darmani Eboji, Devon Francis, Riotafari Gardner who will play James; Lily Rose Martin , Elodie Salmon and Paris Banyong who will play Marcy; Caelan Wallington , Alex Shotton and Nesim Adnan who will play Mason; Kyla Robinson , Eden Anthony and Elisha Kerai who will play Shonelle; Ophelia Parsons, Jemima Newman, Ava Masters and Inez Danielak (twelve years old from Essex) who play Sophie.
Based on the hilarious hit movie, this new musical follows Dewey Finn, a failed, wannabe rock star who decides to earn a few extra bucks by posing as a substitute teacher at a prestigious prep school. There he turns a class of straight-A students into a guitar-shredding, bass-slapping, mind-blowing rock band – sensationally performed live by the production’s young actors every night with roof-raising energy! While teaching these pint-sized prodigies what it means to truly rock, Dewey falls for the school’s beautiful, but uptight headmistress, helping her rediscover the wild child within.
The musical features music written by Andrew Lloyd Webber with lyrics by Glenn Slater (The Little Mermaid, Sister Act) and a book by Julian Fellowes. It is directed by Laurence Connor (Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, London Palladium 2019) with choreography by JoAnn M Hunter, set and costume designs by Anna Louizos, lighting design by Natasha Katz, sound design by Mick Potter and music supervision by John Rigby.
For the production’s first UK and Ireland tour, Christopher Key takes the reigns as Associate Director, Maria Graciano as Associate choreographer and Musical Supervision is by Matt Smith. Adam Fisher and Stuart Porter complete the team as Associate Sound and Lighting Designers.
School of Rock originally debuted at Broadway’s Winter Garden Theatre in New York in 2015, and ran for more than three years, picking up four Tony nominations along the way. It transferred to London in late 2016 and ran for over three years at the New London Theatre, winning an Olivier Award for Outstanding Achievement in Music.
For more information about the UK tour visit: https://uktour.schoolofrockthemusical.com/