MANSFIELD — Students from Richland, Ashland and Crawford counties will be part of the cast as the Mansfield Youth Theatre presents a Andrew Lloyd Webber’s “School of Rock” on Sept. 9, 10 and 11 at The Renaissance Theatre in Mansfield.
The show is directed by Dauphne Maloney with musical direction by Brian Nabors and features 36 students, several performing with live instruments on stage. Students in the cast represent the following Ohio school districts: Ashland, Clear Fork, ECOT, Lexington, Lucas, Mansfield Christian, Mansfield City, Ontario, Richland School of Academic Arts, Shelby, St. Mary’s, St. Peter’s High School, Willard, and Wynford, along with several home-schooled students.
“This cast features a remarkable number of exceptionally talented young musicians, Maloney said. “That’s what is so exciting to me about this production, because it’s a fresh title and still running on Broadway, it really highlights students who might have never thought to audition for musical theatre because they’re primarily instrumentalists.
The show requires cast members to perform as a rock and roll band as a part of the performance, in addition to singing, dancing and acting. Students auditioned instrumentally as well as vocally for their roles.
“School of Rock” is a new musical based on the famous Paramount film written by Mike White, which starred Jack Black. The 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.
Completely disinterested in academic work, Dewey decides to create his own curriculum, turning his class into a guitar-shredding, bass-slapping, mind-blowing rock band. The stage musical on Broadway is produced by Andrew Lloyd Webber, who has composed 14 new songs to create a score, which also features all of the original songs from the movie.
The production cast includes: Gabriella Allen, Zavier Alterio, Wyatt Boggs, Jolie Booker, Danny Fain, Gage Goodwin, Logan Grube, Gloria Gutchall, Julia Gutchall, Megan Hayes, Seth Jerabek, Kristin Kaufman, Cassandra Kurek, Sadie Kurtzman, McCray Martin, Gracie Masi, Jessica Miller, Kathryn Moir, Anna Perkins, Curtiss Porter, Martin Rawls, Isabella Sams, Ella Schag, Naomi Schag, Emma Scott, Hope Scott, Mia Sgambellone, Christian Shepherd, Katlyn Shrewsberry, McKenna Stoffer, Alexandria Switaj, Justin Switaj, Caleb Tate, Thomas Tate, Bailey Young, and Brooke Young,
“School of Rock” is a part of the Mechanics Bank Education Series. Tickets are on sale now for $15 each by visiting the Renaissance Box Office, via phone at 419-522-2726, and online at MansfieldTickets.com.
