Anyone who has seen “Cats,” “Jesus Christ Superstar” or “Phantom of the Opera” will be surprised to learn that “House of Rock,” now at the Woodland Opera House, is also one of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s shows.
Based on the 2003 film, written by Mike White, this is the story of Dewey Finn (Dallas Tringali), a failed wannabe rock star who earns extra cash to pay for his rent so he won’t be evicted by posing as a substitute teacher for a prestigious private school. While he doesn’t know how to teach anything, when he learns that his students have music class one day a week and that they can play various instruments, he sets out to turn them in to a rock band in an attempt to win the upcoming Battle of the Bands contest.
This is a huge production for Woodland, directed by Andrea St. Clair, with some 30 people in the cast, a dozen or more of whom are children. While there is an actual band on stage, four of the students play their own musical instruments. Elsa Strubs plays bass and Azarias Teruel plays the keyboard. 11 year old Noah Rode has been learning drums since age 5 and is a great drummer, who gets audience cheers after each of his solos. Henry Lambert, who plays Zach, is actually a professional musician, but an excellent guitarist, though given his height and voice, they should have dropped the line “You’re only a 10 year old boy.”
It’s surprising to believe that Dallas Tringali is making his debut in his first ever theater production, though he has been a guitarist and songwriter for a number of heavy metal/rock bands. It’s a huge role and he handles it as if he has been starring in theatrical productions for years.
Andrea Thorpe plays Rosalie, the principal of the school, who pays little attention to Tringali (teaching under the name Ned Schneebly) and his teaching methods until she realizes that he’s not teaching the way she expects him to. But taking her out for a drink and some schmoozing changes her mind. Thorpe has a beautiful operatic voice, shown in her Act One “Queen of the Night” (based on the Mozart aria) and she brings down the house with Act Two’s “Where Did the Rock Go?”
Alexander Quinonez is the real Ned Schneebly, Dallas’ lifelong friend with whom he has been living without paying rent. Alyssa Parsons is Ned’s girlfriend Patti, who hates Dallas, and who is pretty much disliked by everybody for how she hen pecks Ned.
Liza Ivanova plays Summer, who becomes the band manager, convinced that winning the Battle of the Bands will look good on her college application. Ivanova, who has been acting and singing since age five, shows her experience in how professionally she handles the role.
Tinaya Mukome is Tomika, who is shy and feels she’s not as intelligent as the other students. But she is a gifted singer and her “Amazing Grace” is a huge hit.
Patrick Cobb is Billy, a flamboyant boy with a love of style and fashion magazines, not at all interested in watching sports with his father (Bobby Jordan). Cobb plays the role perfectly.
This is wonderful production of a loud rock show, but where else can you hear loud rock with Andrew Lloyd Webber and Amadeus Mozart?
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