‘School Of Rock’ Is a Holiday Hit

Elias Totleben and Joey Sanzaro in Skylight Music Theatre’s production of “School of Rock.” Photo by Mark Frohna.

The surprise popularity of the 2003 movie School of Rock shone through the opening night (Nov. 17) of the Skylight Music Theatre production built around the original movie and its script.

The show is actually based on the 2015 Broadway musical adaptation, but its movie roots were front and center in the way multiple short scenes tell the story and the jokes echo even the ad-libs. It stuck with the style of the movie while featuring the dominant added music of Andrew Lloyd Webber (lyrics by Glenn Slater).

In name, enthusiastic message, presentation and chief appeal –16 talented area youngsters ages 9 to 14 who can sing (and four play instruments on necessary occasion) – it is an understandably lively entry in the family holiday events calendar through Dec. 30 at the Broadway Theatre Center’s 350-seat Cabot Theatre. If you liked the movie, you are halfway home. (That halfway may be a problem for the young and restless.)

As a fan of the movie, like many apparently were on opening night, I could almost recite and certainly anticipate the punchlines as overweight rocker Dewey Finn pretends to be a teacher and like Pied Piper leads his talented class into embracing rock and entering the battle of the bands. He also learns along the way to appreciate the children more than their parents do. There are moments we do, too, both when they are smart-alecks or struggling to show individual personalities under the routines.

The Dewey Finn role was so memorably shaped by Jack Black that anyone following in his footsteps has to have the wailing voice and the tongue-twister flash that Black carried to fame. As Dewey, Skylight has and leans on Joey Sanzaro, who has the vocal chops, the physique, the speed and the commanding personality, but he is so much like Jack Black (how could he not be?) we look for ways for him to escape and stand on his own in theatrical terms. One way is that as an actor he listens well and winks his best affections. Another is not so good, when he turns weepy over the kids.

But the musical bulges with energy and the kids are fun. Emilia Kosek, 10, as know-it-all Summer and Kyla Anderson, 14, as shy Tomika also get singing showcases, but every member of the kid ensemble is so appealing as to be review proof.

Opening night had some glitches that will straighten out. Composer Webber has installed almost too many curtain call numbers that are staged that way, though there is only one intermission – and that one reminds you that the musical is about an hour longer than the movie, and that’s not a plus.

Artistic director Michael Unger manages a huge cast and many special effects quite well. He has kept the scenes engaging and the furniture and backdrops fast-moving (not an easy skill) though he can’t solve the episodic nature of the script. He has made sure choreographer Tori Watson fits the variety of talent.

There are also a dozen adults in various roles as parents and observers and all seem to have the Skylight’s patent on big voices and quicksilver character interpretations. Plus (all hidden) under keyboardist David Bonofiglio there are six talented adult musicians to handle the score and bridge the kids’ intermittent playing.

Young patrons may get a bit agitated about how long things take to unfold, and personally I think Webber wrote too many tunes. There is a neglected good one, “Where Did the Rock Go,” (a nice showcase for Stephanie Staszak as the school principal; she is too often there just to show off her soprano power). There is a syrupy but moving song by the kids to the grownups (“If Only You Would Listen”), but mainly there is a belted and reprised standout – “Stick It to the Man.” Which is actually the rock ‘n’ roll message of the show.

Dominique Paul Noth served for decades as film and drama critic, later senior editor for features at the Milwaukee Journal. You’ll find his blogs here and here.