SCHOOL OF ROCK Extends West End Run; Booking Now Through 2019

Later this month, Andrew Lloyd Webber will welcome a New Group of kids to his Olivier award-winning production of School of Rock - The Musical at the New London Theatre. Acclaimed by audiences and critics alike, the record breaking West End production of School of Rock - The Musical opened to rave reviews and in April this year the show's 'kids' cast, who play live music on stage at each performance, were the recipients of the Olivier Award for Outstanding Achievement in Music.

For the fourth time since its West End premiere, today 4 August 2017, School of Rock - The Musical announces a further extension to its West End run, now booking to 13 January 2019. In New York, the Broadway production now in its second year, continues to play to packed houses at the Winter Garden Theater.

Continuing the countrywide search for the opportunity to 'join the band', further kids open auditions will take place in the Autumn on 23 September in Liverpool and 20 and 22 November in London. If you're between 8 - 12 years old and play the drums, keys or the electric or bass guitar, registration and further details can be found at www.schoolofrockthemusical.co.uk/opencall or by contacting Jessica Ronane Casting at rock@jessicaronane.com

From 26 August 2017 the 'kids' cast comprises Jacob Swann, twelve years old from London, Annabel Gracey, twelve years old from Bradford and Siam Elvidge, ten years old from West Yorkshire who play Freddy; Santiago Cerchione, twelve years old from London, Phoenix Taylor, eleven years old from York and Jack Goodacre, twelve years old from Norfolk, will play Zack; Eliza Cowdery, eleven years old from Hampshire, Imogen Bowden, eleven years old from London and Audrey Newman, ten years old from London who play Katie; Cole Lam, ten years old from Surrey, Milano Preston, twelve years old from Hertfordshire and Johnny Evans-Hutchison, fourteen years old from London who play Lawrence; Joseph Black, ten years old from London, Harry Vallance, twelve years old from Essex and Archie Lewis, twelve years old from Surrey who play Billy; Aaliyah Monk, eleven years old from Suffolk, Stella Haden, eleven years old from Birmingham and Caoimhe Judd, thirteen years old from Essex, will play Summer; Tia Figgett eleven years old from East Sussex, Jasmine Sakyiama, eleven years old from Milton Keynes and Nerys Obeng, ten years old from London, will play Tomika; Nathan Reeve twelve years old from West Sussex, Stanley Jarvis twelve years old from London and Josh White, eleven years old from Worcestershire, will play James; Alex Stuckey ten years old from Essex, Charlie Vyacheslavov eleven years old from Berkshire and Dylan Miles-Davis, thirteen years old from Bradford, will play Matthew; Ellie Wilcox ten years old from London, Romanie Jija-Wakeham nine years old from London and Grace Wood eleven years old from Surrey who play Marcy; Cody Molko eleven years old from London, Austin Kindler eleven years old from London and Nicolas Ong twelve years old from Buckinghamshire who play Mason; Saffron Pennycooke eleven years old from London, Aaylia Rose nine years old from London and Miami Holness, ten years old also from London, will play Shonelle; Teri Ofon eleven years old from Surrey, Navaeah Hoath ten years old from London and Darcy Dennis, ten years old from Kent, will play Sophie.

The three teams of thirteen kids who make up Dewey's band are joined by the adult cast comprising 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.

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?

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