Gary Trainor to Lead the West End's SCHOOL OF ROCK THE MUSICAL

Andrew Lloyd Webber's Olivier award-winning production of School of Rock - The Musical today announces that Gary Trainor, having played the role of alternate Dewey since the show's London premiere, will lead the cast as Dewey Finn from 17 May 2017, with Stephen Leask joining the cast as the alternate Dewey.

For a third time since its West End premiere School of Rock - The Musical recently announced a further booking extension with tickets now available to 14 January 2018.

Acclaimed by audiences and critics alike, the record breaking West End production of School of Rock - The Musical opened to rave reviews in November 2016, and last month the show's 'kids' cast were the excited recipients of the Olivier Award for Outstanding Achievement in Music. In New York, the Broadway production now in its second year, continues to play to packed houses at the Winter Garden Theater.

Gary Trainor's (Dewey Finn) previous theatre credits include Donnie Kirshner in the West End production of Beautiful The Carole King Musical, I Can't Sing at the London Palladium, Potted Potter at the Garrick Theatre and on tour in the US and Australia, The Shawshank Redemption at Wyndham's Theatre, Prophecy for The Old Vic New Voices and at The Public Theatre, New York, Into The Woods at the Landor Theatre and Jago at the Pleasance Theatre in Edinburgh. He has also toured the UK in Buddy, Frankenstein: The Year Without a Summer, Stones in His Pockets and The Oxford Passion.

Stephen Leask's (alternate Dewey) previous theatre credits include Robin Hood at The Egg Theatre, Bath, The Canterbury Tales at The Pantaloons, One Man, Two Guvnors at the Theatre Royal Haymarket, A Little Hotel on the Side for Theatre Royal Bath, The Revenge of Sherlock Holmes at Hoxton Hall, Staunch for Theatre 503, Potted Panto at the Vaudeville Theatre, Newsrevue at the Edinburgh Festival, The Secret Garden for Birmingham Rep and Troilus and Cressida for the Royal Shakespeare Company. Leask is a member of the Merely Players, a theatre company dedicated to producing accessible productions of Shakespeare. His television appearances include Nightmares, Our World War, The Intern and Eastenders.

The adult West End cast of School of Rock - The Musical comprises Gary Trainor as Dewey Finn with Florence Andrews as Rosalie Mullins, Oliver Jackson as Ned Schneebly and Preeya Kalidas as Patty Di Marco. They are joined on stage at each performance by one of three teams of thirteen young performers who make up Dewey's band. The 'grown up' cast is completed by Stephen Leask as the alternate Dewey with ensemble members Jonathan Bourne, Nadeem Crowe, Michelle Francis, Rosanna Hyland, Cassandra McCowan, Joel Montague, Andy Rees, Cameron Sharp, Andrew Spillett, Alex Tomkins and Lucy Vandi and swings, Charlotte Bradford, Jason Denton, Cellen Chugg Jones, Alfie Parker and Tasha Sheridan. They are joined by three teams of thirteen 'kid's who make up Dewey's band.

Based on the iconic hit movie and with a rocking new score by Andrew Lloyd Webber, School of Rock - The Musical follows slacker and wannabe rock star Dewey Finn turn a class of straight-A 10 year old students into an ear popping, riff scorching, all conquering rock band! Dewey poses as a substitute teacher at a prestigious prep school to make ends meet, and when he discovers his fifth graders' musical talents, he enlists his class to form a rock group and conquer the Battle of the Bands. As Dewey falls for the beautiful headmistress, can he and his students keep this special assignment secret as they learn to fully embrace the power of rock?

Best seats for £10.00 are available every Wednesday evening an hour before curtain to purchase as part of the School of Rock - The Musical Student Rush scheme. These tickets are only available in person from the New London Theatre Box Office.

Based on the smash hit 2003 film of the same title, School of Rock features music from the movie, as well as new music written by Andrew Lloyd Webber with lyrics by Glenn Slater and a book by Julian Fellowes. School of Rock - The Musical is directed by Laurence Connor with choreography by JoAnn M. Hunter, set and costume designs by Anna Louizos, lighting design by Natasha Katz, sound design by Mick Potter, music supervision by John Rigby with Matt Smith as musical director.

Produced by Paramount Pictures, the 2003 hit film School of Rock was directed by Richard Linklater and starred Jack Black in a career-defining performance.

School of Rock - The Musical is produced in the West End by Andrew Lloyd Webber for The Really Useful Group and Warner Music Group & Access Industries with Madeleine Lloyd Webber as Executive Producer.

Photo credit: Tristram Kenton