About the work
School of Rock is a musical with music by Andrew Lloyd Webber, lyrics by Glenn Slater and a book by Julian Fellowes, based on the 2003 film. Its 2015 Broadway premiere relies on a special feature: the children in the cast play their instruments live on stage. Loud, funny and warm-hearted, the show celebrates the liberating power of rock music and the courage to break ranks.
Plot
The unsuccessful, heavily indebted rock musician Dewey Finn is thrown out of his band and, to get hold of money, takes on the role of a substitute teacher at an elite private school under a false name. Instead of teaching the curriculum, he secretly turns his gifted but pressure-ridden class into a rock band to compete in a battle of the bands. As the children discover self-confidence, the joy of playing and their own voices, the strict headmistress Rosalie and the clueless parents threaten at any moment to expose the deception.
Cultural significance
School of Rock became an audience hit and a popular family production around the world thanks to its high-energy live music and its instrument-playing child performers. The show combines Lloyd Webber's flair for catchy melodies with genuine rock sound and a warm-hearted message about individuality, education beyond grade pressure and the magic of making music together. With numbers such as "Stick It to the Man" and "You're in the Band", it successfully brings the spirit of the cult film to the stage.