'School of Rock' musical to premiere at MCC in October

The Mediterranean Conference Centre in Valletta will host the Maltese premiere of School of Rock – The Musical in October. The production will be staged by local theatre company Revamp MT and will run for three days, from October 10 to 12, with both matinée and evening performances scheduled.

School of Rock – The Musical is adapted from the 2003 Paramount Pictures film starring Jack Black. The stage version was created by Andrew Lloyd Webber, with lyrics by Glenn Slater and a book by Julian Fellowes.

The musical opened on Broadway in 2015 and has since been performed internationally. It is notable for requiring child actors to perform live vocals and instrumentals on stage.

Instead of teaching academic subjects, Dewey Finn introduces the pupils to rock music.

The narrative follows Dewey Finn, a struggling musician who takes a job as a substitute teacher at a private preparatory school by impersonating his roommate. Instead of teaching academic subjects, he introduces the pupils to rock music and persuades them to form a band.

The plot examines themes of self-expression, confidence and the influence of music in education.

In the Maltese production, local comedian James Ryder will play Finn. Natassja Chapman will appear as headteacher Rosalie Mullins. The cast also includes Alessio Buhagiar as Ned Schneebly, Bertha Farrugia as Patty Di Marco and Rachel Elizabeth Grech as Ms Sheinkopf.

In the Maltese production, local comedian James Ryder will play Dewey Finn.

Supporting them will be a group of young Maltese performers in the roles of the schoolchildren. Each child actor will perform live on their instruments, consistent with the format established in international productions.

The production team is led by director Dorothy Bezzina. Musical direction is by Edward Mifsud, with choreography by Samaria Bezzina. The technical team includes Karl Borg (set design), Sergio Costa (sound design), and Mohamed Ali “Dali” Aguerbi (lighting design). Together they are responsible for staging the large-scale production in one of Malta’s largest venues.

Revamp MT has positioned itself as a company focused on ambitious productions for local audiences. In 2023, it staged The Band’s Visit, a musical that received critical recognition for its execution. School of Rock marks the company’s return to large-scale musical theatre and introduces a work with broader mainstream appeal.

Performances are recommended for audiences aged six and over, although the producers advise mild parental discretion due to some themes and language used in the script. The production is licensed by arrangement with The Really Useful Group Ltd, which manages Lloyd Webber’s catalogue of musical works.

Tickets for School of Rock – The Musical are available from showshappening.com.