AS the new school term begins, what perfect timing for York Stage to open School Of Rock: The Next Generation at the Grand Opera House, York, today.
“It really is the perfect show to start September,” says director of operations Kevin Coundon. “There will be no back-to-school blues for those going to the School of Rock.”
Produced and directed by Nik Briggs, the riotous musical is based on the 2003 film, re-booted with a book by Julian Fellowes, lyrics by Glenn Slater and music by Andrew Lloyd Webber.
Finn East, an actor noted as much for his comic craft as his musical chops, takes “the Jack Black role” of Dewey Finn, a failed rock musician desperate for money, who chances his arm by faking his credentials to be a substitute teacher at a stuffy American prep school.
Jettisoning Math(s) in favour of propelling his students to become the most awesome rock band ever, will he be found out by the parents and headmistress, leaving Dewey to face the music?
“I’d say it’s the biggest role I’ve played, popularity wise, though the biggest stage part I’ve played was Bill Snibson, the cheeky Cockney geezer, in Me And My Girl for Pick Me Up Theatre [Grand Opera House, May 2019],” says Finn.
“But Dewey is definitely a challenging part for me that’s more well known and draws more attention. I’ve had lots of compliments about getting it, and I’m pleased that everyone is on my side for it.
“There isn’t too much pressure that goes with it, but there is the pressure, I guess, that people see me as a ‘bit of a Jack Black’, but I’m not too worried about doing my own thing, though I naturally fall into his style.”
Finn did not go to last November’s York premiere of School Of Rock by York Light Youth, but he has seen the Paramount film. “But not for a while, though I have it in my DVD collection. That one is in the ‘Director’ section under Richard Linklater as I’m quite the film buff!
“When I studied musical theatre at York College, we went to the West End musical at the Gillian Lynne Theatre – and I loved it!
“I don’t know anyone who’d be as brave as Dewey to do what effectively is identity fraud, but there is a lot in the show’s message that school can bring a lot more out of you by letting you grow instead of squeezing children into a machine.”
Looking back to his schooldays at Warter, near Pocklington, Finn says: “I was very academic to begin with but social at the same time, even at primary school. I was pretty much the school clown: a bit of a comedian, but I always focused on my work too.”
He first picked up a guitar – Dewey Finn’s instrument – at the age of five. “I played fingerstyle blues stuff, but I didn’t practise loads, though I did go to lessons, but then I really picked it up in my teens, when I started hanging out with my friend Will Dreyfus, playing with him at open-mic nights at Plonkers and Sotano,” says Finn.
“My guitar playing is all right. I play with a plectrum now. I’m more a chords player, when I’m singing. I’ve never been much of a guitar soloist, which you might find out at the end of Act Two!
“It’s very different playing guitar in this show, as I’ve never really had a band before. Now it’s my band with a bunch of kids, and that’s different from playing in pubs – and I’m also performing in character.”
Joining Finn’s Dewey in the band will be Charlie Jewison’s guitarist Zack, Daniel Tomlin’s keyboard player Lawrence, Matilda Park’s bassist Katie and Zach Denison’s drummer Freddie.
“We didn’t play together until maybe a month into rehearsals and then had quite a few pure band rehearsals,” says Finn, who is full of admiration for his young cohorts. “Matilda only picked up the bass after rehearsals began, having previously played other string instruments, getting tuition from Georgia Chapman.
“The guitarist, Charlie, from Leeds, already has his own band. School Of Rock is the first time he’s done a show like this, but he’s used to playing guitar live on stage.
“Our musical director Shack [Stephen Hackshaw] had already done School Of Rock at his school, and when we needed a drummer, he asked the parents of the boy who’d played drums in that show, Zach, if he could do our show and they said ‘yes’. He’s really talented.
“It’s quite a challenge, with ‘real’ school just started again and having to travel over here to rehearse and perform, but you can really tell Charlie and Zach just love playing their instruments.”
Both Matilda and keyboardist Dan Tomlin were in York Stage’s April production of Joseph And The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, as was Finn. “Even during the rehearsals, Dan was always on the piano, getting kids to sing with him,” he says. “He’s so much fun, and he loves getting into character too.”
York Stage is giving these children, along with the young ensemble, the chance to express themselves artistically, much to Finn’s delight. “I would say the kids that Dewey teaches are so talented at music and yet that’s brushed aside as a hobby because parents want them to be accountants or in a dull, high-paid job,” he says.
“At first the kids don’t understand why they’d want to play music when there are ‘more important’ things to do, but they grow to love it, to be hooked on it.”
Finn knows that feeling. “The first theatre show I did was Oliver!, playing one of Fagin’s gang, for York Light Opera Company, and I loved being on stage,” he says.
He acquired an agent at the age of 18 “for a while” after he performed in Joseph McNiece’s heist musical comedy Twilight Robbery for the Scaena Theatre Company and The Boff Ensemble at The Barn Theatre, Oxted, in Surrey in February 2018.
“I did that production after I’d done The Wizard Of Oz with Pick Me Up Theatre, when Joe [McNiece] played The Tin Man. He’d just finished a course in playwriting and directing and he’d written Twilight Robbery with Matthew Spalding, who composed the music.
“He asked me to do the show – he’s from Surrey, so that’s why we did it there – and I played a double act with [York actor] Josh Benson, my very good friend, which was great fun.”
Roll on to 2024, as Finn contemplates his future. “I’m still thinking about training to get some ‘proper credentials’,” he says. “As much as I love theatre, film interests me the most, though you don’t get to experience that immediate audience reaction you do in theatres. Film is what I love watching and what I’d love to be involved in.”
York Stage presents School Of Rock: The Next Generation, Grand Opera House, York, September 13 to 21; Tuesday to Saturday, 7.30pm; Saturdays, 2.30pm; Sunday, 4pm. Box office: atgtickets.com/york.
Copyright of The Press, York
Who’s in the York Stage cast and production team for School Of Rock?
Cast:
Dewey Finn – Finn East
Principal Rosalie Mullins – Megan Waite
Ned Schneebly – James Robert Ball
Patti DiMarco – Amy Barrett
The adult company is completed by Florence Poskitt, Matthew Clarke, Stuart Hutchinson, Jess Burgess, Ashley Ginter, Julie Fisher, Cyanne Unamba Oparah, Phil Charles Green, Declan Childs, Oliver Lawery, Theo Ryder, Kalina O’Brien and Evie Latham.
Dewey’s Band, performing live every show:
Zack (guitarist) – Charlie Jewison
Lawrence (keys) – Daniel Tomlin
Katie (bass) – Matilda Park
Freddie (drums) – Zach Denison
Plus two teams of ten students.
Production team:
Director/Producer – Nik Briggs
Musical director – Stephen Hackshaw
Choreographer – Danielle Mullan-Hill