Young performers with Mosaic Theatre Company have spent months not just memorizing lines and blocking, but learning to play instruments for the organization’s upcoming production of “School of Rock the Musical.”
- The show opens Friday at the Fort Walton Beach Civic Auditorium and runs for five performances through April 4.
Based on the 2003 film starring Jack Black, the musical follows Dewey Finn, a down-on-his-luck musician who fakes his way into a substitute teaching position at an elite prep school. After discovering his students have musical talent, he transforms them into a rock band and enters them in a Battle of the Bands competition — all while dodging the school’s strict administration.
The stage adaptation features music by Andrew Lloyd Webber, whose credits include “The Phantom of the Opera,” “Cats” and “Evita.”
What sets this production apart is the commitment from its young cast members, many of whom learned instruments specifically for the show, according to director Sophia Hagan-Metcalfe.
- “This show is about more than just putting on a performance — it’s about watching young people discover what they’re capable of,” Hagan-Metcalfe said. “Seeing these students step outside their comfort zones, learn new skills, and truly become a band has been something special.”
A live band made up of local musicians — including parents, alumni and community members — will back the student performers, making the production a collaborative effort across the Fort Walton Beach arts community.
Performances are scheduled for March 27, 28 and 29 and April 3 and 4 at the Fort Walton Beach Civic Auditorium. Tickets are available here.
Additional information is available here.
