The Grand Theatre Stick’s it to The Man with School of Rock

by Mike McKeon

“Stick it to the man” has been melodically playing through my mind all weekend, in both the literal and metaphorical meanings, as this show hilariously drives that theme home. On Thursday evening I had the pleasure of viewing The Grand Theatre: Home of The Road Company’s musical production of School of Rock directed by Maria Panvini and musical direction by Ruslan Odintsov.  When I hear a theatre is producing School of Rock I can’t help but immediately think of the high energy and comical antics of Jack Black in the original film role.  So in fairness, I tried my best to go into this production with no expectations. I quickly discovered however, The Grand had already set the expectations high for the performers and I was in for quite a show. 

The performance opens with a rock band playing on risers and dry ice pouring from the orchestra pit onto the stage in standard rock fashion. The orchestra pit was later filled with Ruslan Odintsov on keyboard 1, Chris Weed on Keyboard 2, Wayne Henderson on Bass, Todd Welcz on Drums, Dave Parkhurst Guitar 2, and Greg Janicki on Guitar 1. The music and energy was exciting right away and it made me feel like I was in the beginning of an actual small concert. Light design by Ed Fraser (Light Operator Kayleigh Hall) and sound by Scott Angehr did an amazing job of setting that tone not only for this first concert, but during the whole production.  Set Design by Scott Angehr and Maria Panvini and Set Construction by John Zumwalde, Bill Shaughnessy, Ryan Thurlow, Darren Provine, Alessandra Caballero, and Lauri Hudson also deserves credit for maintaining this energy. Additional thanks and credit is given to Valerie Adams, Claudia Biddle & Don Farrar, Dave Fusco, Caitlin Geisser, Marty Geisser, Danielle Harley-Scott, Chuck Heuser and Mark Kozachyn. The set changes lead by Stage Manager Agnes Newton were quick and deliberate making it very clear where we are for the beginning of each scene, whether it be Horace Green Preparatory or Ned Schneebly’s apartment. Properties provided by Brian Newton, Fiona Newton, & Beatrice Newton  were perfect for this show. My personal favorite was the Guitar Hero scene, where not only were Hedgepath and Herrick jamming out on the Guitar Hero controllers, but the game play was projected on the background of the stage to follow along making it much more engaging for the performers and the audience.  

During this “concert” the members of the band were obviously disagreeing on how the show should be performed, setting the stage for the obstacles to come throughout the rest of the production.  The members of the band were made up of multiple ensemble members and the lead Dewey Finn (DJ Hedgepath).  The ensemble consisting of Corey Critelli, Trey Jackson, Nasir Kates-Gould, Brian Newton, Adam Johnson, Jim Goodrich, Jared Camacho, Kimon Myrie, Angela Costa, Natasha Kargbo, Savannah Mitchell and Jennifer DeVera was very important to the flow of the production. Most ensemble members portrayed multiple roles throughout the show. Any role from band members, parents of students, the teachers of students to random bar patrons. The multiple costume changes and flawless execution of character changes made it hard for me to keep track of which ensemble member played which role. The costumes by Mia DiFilippo matched each character perfectly and seemed to naturally belong in the story being told.  

After the beginning concert scene we are introduced a bit more intimately to Dewey (DJ Hedgpath) and his best friend Ned Schneebly (Brian Herrick). We learn Dewey is living on Ned’s couch and late on rent according to Ned’s finger wagging partner Patty DiMarco (Natalie Wrigley). Herrick and Wrigley do a great job balancing each other.  Herrick is able to show he truly cares for Dewey by helping him as much as possible but is committed to Patty. While Wrigley depicts a caring significant other hellbent on removing everything “Rock & Roll” from Ned’s past. Ned and Patty make multiple appearances throughout the night and add to the laughs every time we see them. 

As entertaining as the beginning concert was, my mind was blown with the musical number "Horace Green Alma Mater". Not only was every member of the cast on stage at once, but they were dancing and moving among each other the whole time without issue. Choreographer Natalie Donisi really showcased her skills by having about 30 performers successfully involved multiple times on stage. I found it especially satisfying while they sang the lyrics “Here at Horace Green, we march in lock-step, ever upward, destined to achieve...” as they literally performed the number in lock-step.  This is when I truly realized how many people were involved in this production and dedicated to its success.  

During and after "Horace Green Alma Mater" we are introduced to Principle Rosalie Mullins (Valerie Berger).  Berger does a great job making it clear right away she is the no-nonsense authority figure at Horace Green and someone Dewey needs to be on the lookout for. However, as the show progresses we see a softer, more relatable side of Principle Mullins that makes you love her character. One of the ways Berger does this is by show of her vocal abilities, and what a show it is.  Berger bounces from high operatic soprano, back to belting theatrical style multiple times, keeping the audience entranced the entire time. Berger also interacted with each student specifically, showing she understands their growing identities require individual cultivation, unlike the perspective of the over protective parents.

This theme continues with Dewey (Hedgepath) as everyone assumes he is the lazy, in the way, wannabe rock star.  Hedgepath brings the fun, carefree energy this role requires with his wisecracks and objectionable lifestyle and all the while making his lesson to his students clear, “Stick it to the Man!”. From the beginning his goal is rock fame via the battle of the bands competition and he will let nothing stand in his way. However, he soon realizes that the students are much more than just replacement band members.  Hedgepath showcases his vocals for what seems like the whole show. There are only a few songs he is not part of, making clear why director Maria Pavini double cast this show with Vincent DeMeo trading Hedgepath for Dewey Finn every other show. 

The final part of this show that really puts it over the top were the students. Their collective performance was at its least, impressive, and at its most, nothing short of inspiring.  Summer (Lennon Thurlow), Marcy (Kate Hathaway), Shonelle (Antonia DiGenova), Billy (Silas Perez), James (Brian Guzik), Mason (Gavin DeGeorge), Sophie (Tia Stewart), Madison (Harper Walker Wiley), Zack (Tommy DeGeorge), Lawrence (Nicholas Snyder), Freddie (Cameryn Deibler), Katie (Angelina Heuser), and Tomika (Audrianna Elmer) comprise the cast of students. I would like to make a special shout out to the students who actually played their respective instruments live during the show. Tommy DeGeorge on Guitar, Nicholas Snyder on Keyboard, Cameryn Deibler on Drums (Girl drummers are badass) Angelina Heuser on Bass and finally Audrianna Elmer on her beautiful solo of "Amazing Grace". Congrats to each of these performers who really made their characters unique and unforgettable. Each of these young performers showed a high level of professionalism and proved their commitment to performing, making me hopeful to see them in other productions far into the future.  I urge you to go see this fun endearing production of “School of Rock” before it closes on November 1st.  You can purchase tickets here: https://www.tix.com/ticket-sales/roadcompany/4291