Matthew Murphy
Broadways School of Rock – The Musical, Andrew Lloyd Webbers stage adaptation of the 2003 Jack Black film comedy, will end its run at the Winter Garden Theatre on January 20, bringing a finale to an engagement of more than three years.
When it closes, School of Rock, which began previews November 9, 2015, and opened the following December 6, will have played 1,307 performances and 31 previews. The production recouped its Broadway investment in May 2017.
The musical currently has productions running on Londons West End and across the country on a U.S. national tour. An extended sit-down production at Her Majestys Theatre in Melbourne, Australia, begins October 31 before touring Asia.
School of Rock, which features young performers playing musical instruments, also has been performed by about 1,000 schools around the world in a special agreement between Lloyd Webber and R&H Theatricals, a division of Rodgers & Hammerstein.
The show — which earned four 2016 Tony noms inclusing Best Musical, Book and Original Score — features music from the movie along with an original score by Lloyd Webber, lyrics by Glenn Slater, a book by Julian Fellowes and direction by Laurence Connor. The Broadway staging was nominated for four 2016 Tony Awards, including Best Musical, Best Score (Lloyd Webber and Slater), Best Book and Best Leading Actor in a Musical (Alex Brightman).
Among the young performers that have passed through the production is guitar player Brandon Niederauer, who originated the role of Zack and, now 14, has, among other gigs, played Jimi Hendrixs rendition of “The Star-Spangled Banner” at venues across the country, and recently opened the NBCs broadcast of Jesus Christ Superstar Live in Concert.
School of Rock – The Musical is produced on Broadway by Lloyd Webber for The Really Useful Group, Warner Music Group & Access Industries, the Shubert Organization, and the Nederlander Organization. Madeleine Lloyd Webber serves as executive producer.
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