When “School of Rock” was released in 2003, it was a huge hit with audiences. It’s all about a classroom of kids who get a break from learning reading and get to rock out instead, all thanks to their substitute teacher Lloyd Webber (Merritt David Janes). While Webber may have failed in his rock career, he succeeds in showing his students how to let loose and be confident in their own skin.
In its musical form, it only gets better. Lucky for us, it’s coming to Miami’s Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts of Miami-Dade County from April 9-14.
Layne Roate, who plays Ned, said “School of Rock” is best explained “in the song ‘Teacher’s Pet’ when Dewy changes the lyrics from ‘rock is the reason, rock is the rhyme’ to ‘rock got no reason, rock got no rhyme.”
For Roate, his favorite moment to act is one where his character finally stands up to being pushed around by both his girlfriend and Dewy. He gets to tell the idealistic Dewy that “not everybody is going to be a rock star,” and while Roate described it as “a poignant point in the show,” it stands to reason that his character provides some much-needed grounding to a musical that’s mostly fun and games.
More than that, the quality of any show is always bound to be greater when the cast genuinely enjoys working with one another, and Roate said, “It’s a blast.” The cast is a mix of broadway veterans and first-time child actors who compose “a whole faucet of talent.”
To anyone who wants to check out “School of Rock”, Roate said, “If you’ve seen the movie, you’ll love it. If you haven’t’ seen the movie you’ll love it. It’s a feel good story that’s really funny, and [it’s sensational] to be able to watch these kids put together a band. It’s a show for everyone.”
