FRAMINGHAM – Walsh Middle College Theatre Arts Director Sheron Doucette saw Andrew Lloyd Webber’s School of Rock and roll on Broadway in 2016.
When she decided to bring it in order to the Framingham middle school’s stage the girl had one caveat “we do so with students playing the instruments live on stage, ” said Doucette.
So when it came time for tryouts, college students had the traditional acting, singling, & dancing but some students had a musical audition also.
Students submitted a “recording of them playing 1 of the particular songs from the show. We sent them a snippet they had to learn that and all of them they send it to us, ” said Doucette.
Except when the students are in orchestra class in the display with the cello and the violin, etc, they are all playing on their own, said Doucette.
Based on the movie of the same title, starring Jack Black, the musical theatre show features the music of Webber, the lyrics of Glenn Slater, with a book by Julian Fellowes.
“This is a show about discovering that you have something inside you that you didn’t know you experienced. It is regarding being reminded of who you once were and that the part of you thought in order to be long gone is still there. It really is about finding your voice and feeling empowered to use it no matter how old you are. These are life lessons we hope our children learn plus adults remember, ” wrote Doucette within the program book.
Doucette stated she picked the display “because she has “seen a lot of our kids trying to stand up and use their voices in our community, within our school. And this show is about discovering you have a voice even if you’re at a young age. So we really wanted to make sure that they not only knew that they could do that, but also teach them the right way to do that. We had the Rep. Jack Lewis come in plus talk in order to the whole cast about that. We shouldn’t be using Dewey Finn as our moral compass, the lady said laughing.
“Now which they realize they do have this voice and they are not too young to use this, these are usually the steps that you should do and make sure that will you’re finding the appropriate way in order to share your own thoughts, a grievance if you have it, your hopes plus make it happen, ” said Doucette.
There are more than 100 students involved on phase and behind the scenes.
The show has two casts, an evening forged and what was the “understudy” cast, now called the afternoon cast.
“We initially got started this particular and we mentioned that because of COVID, we were going to have understudies. We usually don’t have understudies, and have learned in the past two years that’s important. So we had our cast and we acquired our understudies, but the particular understudies were doing so much work because they had to learn the same music parts. They had to learn all this that we decided that wasn’t okay, plus they needed to show their own stuff due to the fact they’re pretty awesome. Therefore that’s why we made the decision that the particular understudies would have their own show and that they would do this. And they’re no longer understudies. Now we possess an evening throw and a good afternoon solid, ” said Doucette, who is director and producer from the musical.
SOURCE photographed the full dress rehearsal for the afternoon toss yesterday, December 7. That cast will perform upon Saturday mid-day at 2 p. m.
The evening ensemble will perform Friday plus Saturday night at 7 p. meters.
Tickets are available in www.showtix4U.com
There is furthermore a free dress wedding rehearsal tonight, Dec 8, from 7 at the school.
In the afternoon cast, Dewey Finn is played by Walsh student Shawn Nichols and Rosalie Mullins is portrayed by Samantha Tsekrekas.
In the evening cast, Doucette cast a female in the particular lead role of Dewey.
Layla Daigneault plays the out-of-work Finn, who becomes a substitute teacher at a private school.
Doucette stated she forged Layla because she is a “phenomenal guitar player. ”
“She was in our own shows last year as a sixth grader, and she was always on. We were just impressed with what she was able to do last year. But even more than that, her guitar audition was amazing plus her singing was amazing. She came into this knowing every single song since she loves School associated with Rock . She enjoys the character. And so whenever she came in, we’re like, okay, presently there you go. She’s great, ” mentioned Doucette.
To get much more students on stage and in front of an audience, Doucette adapted the display from the particular Broadway musical version.
“In the movie version, it’s the very, very small classroom. First, we wanted to make this a little bit a lot more realistic. Having a classroom of 10 is not something that a person would most likely see. But also because all of us wanted in order to ensure that we all could give all the students that are since talented as they are, an opportunity to shine, ” said Doucette.
“We expanded the particular classroom, we added learners, we added the entire chorus which is not really within the film, ” stated Doucette. “We desired to create sure that will we could include everybody. All of us don’t cut any students. We never want a student to try theater for the first time and then not get in. So everybody has a part. So we have over 80 children on stage and then another, 20-30 off stage. ”
Musical director for College of Stone at Walsh Middle will be Jamie Fontaine.
Alexia Vieira is the choreographer.
Technical movie director and set design is Peter Doucette.
Erin Morrill is usually the conductor and instrumental coach.
