School of Rock - The Musical (NYC) NYC Reviews and Tickets

"'School of Rock' doesn’t strain to mix whimsy with grandeur...For its first half, at least, it charmingly walks the line between the cute and the precious…In the more lazily formulaic second act, you can taste glucose in the air. But mostly, 'Rock' is surprisingly easy to swallow, in large part because everyone involved seems to be having such a fine time...Family audiences should be grateful for a Lloyd Webber show that only wants to have fun and hopes that you do, too."
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"It worked for the movie, and wow, does it work on Broadway, a double jolt of adrenaline and sugar to inspire the most helicoptered of tots to play hooky and go shred an ax…This is one tight, well-built show: underscoring the emotional arcs, and knowing when to get out of the way and let the kids jam. 'School of Rock' has absorbed the diverse lessons of 'Rent,' 'Spring Awakening' and 'Matilda' and passes them on to a new generation."
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"'School of Rock' has a fair amount to offer...The kids are terrific: They sing very well and play their own instruments…Webber grabs whatever tropes seem handy, from power to glitter to punk, garbling our understanding of Dewey’s inner soundscape...Anyway, Lloyd Webber isn’t the problem.The problem is what the point is, and that falls on Fellowes, who has not resolved, but rather exposed, the confusions latent in the material."
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"It might sound lame to suggest that 'School of Rock' works in large part because of the charms of a bunch of adorable kids. But their infectious delight as they etch their distinct personalities and seize both their individual and collective right to be heard is irresistible…Some of Lloyd Webber's more traditional numbers feel like filler…The direction of Connor is not always the most elegant…But the minute they launch into ecstatic head-banging, pogoing release, all is forgiven."
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"It’s all very obvious, sure. And the musical perhaps more so than the movie…Webber has written a fun, catchy, rock-ish score. And if the plotlines about the adults feel leaden, when those kids — Dewey’s 10-year-old students — take the stage, 'School of Rock' is a delight…'School of Rock' isn’t perfect. But if, as the musical suggests, perfection is less the point than trying hard and having fun doing so, then it succeeds."
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"An exuberant feel-good musical…A cast of super-talented kids who rock out on the kind of songs you always wished had been in the movie…Webber has the ideal sensibility to relate to children whose freakish talents might make them seem a little bit…peculiar…Thankfully, nothing savage has been done to the original film story…The creatives have given the children a sensitive backstory about their parents and home lives that’s missing from the movie."
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"Turning 'School of Rock' into a musical isn’t the worst idea in the world, and if you need a safe, undemanding show to take your baby-boom parents to see over the holidays, it’ll do perfectly fine—but if that sounds like lukewarm praise, it is...I’ve seen worse and so have you...Just be forewarned: This is the kind of musical that sends you home wanting to rent the movie. I don’t know about you, but that’s not why I go to the theater."
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"Exuberantly loud, high-spirited and upbeat...While none of the songs is equal to Webber’s best they’re more than good enough...The show mirrors a little too baldly the 'Kinky Boots' thing of having a nasty bitch of a fiancée drive the plot, and the stereotyping of the boy-who-would-be costume designer is de trop. These are not small issues, but they’re subsumed by the fact that this is a fable…You may have forgotten all of it before you leave, but you will be leaving with a big smile."
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"The highly proficient child actors definitely tip the quality scales here in favor of worth-your-time, but only if you are a parent and looking for a boisterous, epithet-free evening for the seven-year-old-and-up crowd…It doesn’t cover much territory that the movie on which it is piggy-backing already did. And in important ways, it proves to be less than the sum of its filmic parts…The roles of the other adults are thanklessly cartoonish. It’s the kids who get to have all the fun here."
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"Webber has pushed to the fore a group of rockin'-out U.S. youngsters so capable, charming, vulnerable and aspirational, their open hearts surely will fell any and all resistance...'School of Rock' offers the audience a chance to be kids again, only with more talent than we ever had...Connor made one great decision above all others, which was to ensure that the kids stay serious and vulnerable. Crucially, this gives the show weight and enough gravitas."
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"The kids are downright charming — a breath of fresh air in a musical that too often settles for stale competence…Between the cacophonous score and over-obvious book, I was ready to pronounce 'School of Rock' a miserable failure before the first act was even halfway through, but something happens once Dewey decides to turn his classroom into an incubator for the next Mick Jagger and Janis Joplin…'School of Rock' squeaks by with the lowest of passing grades."
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"The impressively pedigreed creative team of this wildly energetic but uneven show hews close to the source…Most of the new songs tend to be just okay at best. Kids singing about parents who ignore them for them feels generic. And at many points during Act I, the music is just too loud for its own good, suppressing what may be decent lyrics under amplified purple haze…The show wants to rock your socks off, but it just moves in fits and starts and feels labored."
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"A highly enjoyable and heartwarming adaptation…Although occasionally serviceable and sappy, 'School of Rock' contains his best music in a very long time, bursting with excitement more often than not…The children are wildly talented and absolutely adorable. I dare you not to smile as they stomp around and chant that they will 'stick it to the man.' 'School of Rock' may not be a game-changer, but it is a solid, well-structured musical comedy, and you can never have enough of those."
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“'School Of Rock' is a rock solid hit!... All of the pieces come together in perfect harmony thanks to Laurence Connor’s flawless direction...The secret weapon in this show is the kids. Magnificent talents all, it’s thrilling to witness these young stars in action impressively singing and acting...'School Of Rock' may not be groundbreaking, but as crowd- pleasing entertainment, it doesn’t miss a beat."
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"'School of Rock' is cute and occasionally funny, but not any more than its source material, making its onstage existence something of an extravagant 'meh'… Songs resemble a cell phone ringtone...Still, they're often catchy and hard to forget…Glenn Slater's lyrics are adequate yet unremarkable…'School of Rock' has a supercharged cast to transform this leaden material into musical-comedy gold…An undeniably fun musical that is nevertheless not particularly special."
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"A fast, funny, adrenaline-laced entertainment...Fellowes' book cruises through the exposition smoothly, but one wishes he had done a little bit more to make the film's shaky premise plausible...Director Laurence Connor's confident handling of a big, fast-moving production and a cast heavily populated by the under-12 set goes a long way toward obtaining our emotional engagement in what amounts to a heavy-metal update of 'The Music Man.'"
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"Webber still knows how to craft and orchestrate a rock melody, his tunes at once ultra-cool and searing hot....There's no reason that this musical has to be dressed up in such brain-dead stereotypes and dramatic one-dimensionality...The commitment that Brightman and the children display only causes the other deficiencies stand out more...Seeing them unleash all they have and then some is one of the most scintillating joys of this Broadway season, and worth the price of admission."
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"s it time we let Generation Z take over Broadway? Judging from the junior phenoms who shine in 'School of Rock,' it might not be a bad move. Not only are these kids already proven prodigies, they seem totally at home on stage. Exhibiting not a whiff of showbiz-kid cutesiness, they’re just there to act, and play, and give the rest of us a good time."
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"It will have plenty of adults tapping into their inner rocker along with kids of all ages...Weber proves that he hasn't forgotten how to write catchy rock tunes…There are plenty of bouncy numbers for the kids...Forget about looking for any especially deep or controversial themes…The overall improbability of everything keeps 'School of Rock' strictly what it is — a not to be taken seriously hard rocking, feel good romp."
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"This is Lloyd Webber’s best rock score in decades. There isn’t a weak song in the show, and the cast is up to its demanding vocals as well. I should probably mention at this point that although there is also an offstage band, these kids are actually playing those instruments, and they are off the charts amazing...Director Laurence Connor’s loving and tight control of the material, never loses sight of the goal; let’s rock!"
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"It’s not a platinum success, maybe just a silver ‘Starlight‘ one…Blisteringly loud and infectious, 'School of Rock' is a rocking fun musical that does slap a smile on your face whether you want one or not. The kids are amazing...Brightman definitely can rock out like no other...But his bigger talent comes in the way he is able to balance the very difficult task of being a loser, a liar, a trouble-maker, and being loved by us in-spite of all that and more."
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"Watching these characters as they confront and grapple with their fears reveals a transcendent level of success uncommon to the Broadway stage...The cast is uniformly excellent, each member giving thoroughly honest and authentic performances. It is so easy to connect to each of these well-defined characters and the particular conflicts that drive the musical’s energetic plot."
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"Sure, we’ve seen children sing. We’ve seen them dance. We’ve seen them act, and we’ve seen them play instruments. But this cast is doing it all with more intensity than you’d expect…'School of Rock' is not one of the best shows on the boards right now. It is extremely loud and bombastic. But through all of the clutter, a great, big heart exists."
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"With such a powerful creative team, a show with sky-high name recognition, a company of insanely talented boys and girls, and a promising new star, its success is practically guaranteed, no matter what its flaws. “School of Rock” teaches us that it’s sometimes okay to break the rules and stick it to the man, but also that Broadway has a bottomless pit of extraordinarily talented kids who can do practically anything the stage requires, including making a B-minus show into an A-minus one."
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"Andrew Lloyd Webber has chosen to adapt a movie with a plot that could hardly be sillier, and supplies a new score that could hardly be more addictive. 'School of Rock' is full of both hard-charging rock n roll and supremely catchy melodies…The kids don’t just sing exquisitely and dance with infectious abandon, they also reportedly play the musical instruments themselves – astonishing if true…There is plenty of hard-driving music here, including several from the movie."
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"'If you have a great finish, you don't have to worry about anything else' comes close to working for 'School of Rock'…And like just about every other of the not abundant high points in 'School of Rock,' it involves the terrific young actors working like cheerful demons...The bigger names above and below the title hit wonky notes…I can only imagine that something crucial was lost in the transition from screen to stage…All the numbers swiftly begin to sound alike."
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"'School of Rock,' the perfectly pleasant, perfectly innocuous new musical is strictly adult contemporary…The early musical numbers are unhappily anodyne...But things perk up when the younger cast members finally get a chance to sing and play. The children are universally adorable and several of them are staggeringly accomplished musicians. It is an absolute treat to hear them…It wants to please and please it does. But rock it doesn’t."
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"It may be simplistic, manipulative and slick, but this musical version of the popular 2003 film is a fast-paced family-friendly entertainment that is hard to resist...Alex Brightman is a veritable powerhouse as Dewey Finn...Best of all are the appealing child actors who have prodigious musical talents...The choreography by JoAnn M. Hunter is lively and the direction by Laurence Connor is seamless and assured. The show is far from subtle, but resistance is futile."
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"Other actors and another director might have made this 'School' better. But then there’s the material itself. 'School of Rock' is no movie classic. What the musical most needs is a complete overhaul for the stage; instead it gets Julian Fellowes‘ faithful-to-a-fault adaptation…After a few musical flops, Andrew Lloyd Webber goes back to his mild rock roots...Again, he’s adequate at writing generic rock."
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"Webber, happily, has approached the project with a healthy sense of humor, though he and lyricist Glenn Slater also provide a few earnest ballads to help propel the story…It's the younger cast members who engage us most…Does their sheer cuteness give these performers an edge? Probably. No matter; you'll root for all of them, and have a grand time doing so."
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"A hard working ensemble that, under Laurence Connor's sure-handed direction, takes on triple duty as Dewey's old band mates, the kids' parents and other teachers at the school, helpfully distinguished by Anna Louizos' sly costumes. But the true key to the show's appeal is the multi-ethnic group of kids, none of whom have yet hit puberty."
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"A high-energy, enjoyable, unrelentingly eager-to-please…The first thing to know is that the kids are genuine children who play their own instruments, and they’re all terrific…The production is as slick and sure of itself as if it had been running at the Winter Garden Theatre since 'Cats' closed 15 years ago…The book by Julian Fellowes moves amiably along with less of the film’s history of rock and more family back story for the kids, which works fine."
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"Between their musical prowess, thrashing dance moves, and spectacular charm, the show’s young stars are living the dream, and it’s both heartwarming and thrilling to watch...Fortunately, their near omnipresence distracts from the Andrew Lloyd Webber-ness of it all — a uniformly unoriginal score sung at high decibels, a disregard for subtlety, and of course, extra cheese."
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"A dozen pint-sized and pitch-perfect performers bring heart to 'School of Rock…' An otherwise workaday screen-to-stage adaptation…The student characters sometimes verge on stock depictions, but the parents fully cross the line…I don’t imagine most of the big numbers here will enjoy an afterlife...The story doesn’t particularly resonate for me, but I won’t soon forget the feel-good vibe radiating off the talented young performers after their turns in the final competition."
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"For the most part it comes across as a one-dimensional outline of plot with no other purpose than to get from one musical number to another. The direction by Laurence Connor seems content to let the story unwind in predictable fashion...Against its retinue of cardboard teachers and parents, 'School of Rock' exists to show off the kids, and it does that exceedingly well."
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"The songs are rousing and fun, and the young cast attacks them with relish, and delivers them to us with amazing talent and enthusiasm."
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"It’s a well put together crowd pleaser. With the tirelessly entertaining Alex Brightman as Dewey Finn, a washed up slob who pretends to be a substitute teacher and in the process galvanizes his students into rock stars, the show is 'Matilda meets' 'Sister Act' on the road to 'The Music Man,' and tons of fun."
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"'School of Rock' keeps a smile plastered on your face for the entirety of its 2 1/2-hour running time...You could complain that the two main female parts are such tired, rhymes-with-witch cliches. Or you could sit back and enjoy a musical that reminds us that 'family-family entertainment' need not also be an insult to a grown-up's intelligence and good taste. 'School of Rock' may not be one for the history books, but it nonetheless has plenty of valuable lessons to teach."
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"The kids are really, really charming. And talented....The sunny easiness of the story and the cuteness of the kids is marred by two things. First, rampant gay stereotypes...And second, Patty is written as a one-noted witch...These flaws — and the very traditional staging and script — make the show feel cynical, like it's pandering to the audience's worst tendencies. If only it had been brave enough to break out of its own musical theater box."
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" Laurence Connor keeps things constantly moving and never allows the children to be annoying or cloying. He respects them and gives each one of them a distinct personality and we get to know them as individuals. In the end, it is Julian Fellows (book), Andrew Lloyd Webber (music) and Glenn Slater (lyrics) who are the real rock stars of 'School of Rock.' Without them, we wouldn’t have had this infinitely delightful head-banger."
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"Legendary show tune composer and stage musical impresario Andrew Lloyd Webber obliges without inspiration: lots of boiler-plate rock, mind-numbingly derivative of the unmemorable '90s...'School's' 2 ½ hours aren’t without interest. It’s amazing to watch the hugely talented Alex Brightman almost single-handedly carry the whole production...The last scene rips a page out of the 'Kinky Boots’ playbook. Except it's missing the magic."
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"The show is a big ball of fun and everyone on the stage looks like this is afternoon playtime, not a stressful performance. Mr. Brightman and these kids are the stars and deserve all the credit to the fun of the evening under the swift direction of Laurence Connor. Sloppy and abrupt scene changes and a book like Swiss cheese will all be ignored. Class dismissed."
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"The crowd-pleasing, upbeat musical 'School of Rock' opened with a wondrously rebellious spirit and a superb cast...While leaning a little bit too much on 'Stick It to the Man,' Webber turns in some perfectly solid mainstream rock-ish anthems...A heartwarming story and a stage full of pre-pubescent kids who know their way around an amp prove irresistible…Connor leads a crisp, snappy show that neither gets bogged down in irrelevant secondary stories or in easy manipulation."
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"Absolutely enjoyable...Can come off as an 'after school special' designed to teach children some important life lessons while also letting them enjoy a fun day at the theater...An important piece of Broadway theater that combines genres, contains spectacular music, and represents an important moment in the history of musical theater...Full of adorably sassy children, hilarious rock anthems, and an extremely talented cast of child and adult actors."
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"Somehow the show never feels completely old had and always manages to charm...Aspects of the show don’t always delight as much as the parts that focus on the kids, but they need to be part of the mix. Thankfully, Fellowes’ book and Lawrence Connor’s efficient production make sure that the young performers—with Dewey at their side—are never far from the spotlight...it’s the rock tunes that linger well after the curtain has fallen on immensely enjoyable new show."
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"Sad to say, a few believability problems from the film haven’t been changed...The musical does improve on the film’s implication that Dewey was as much out for his own glory as the students’ success...But these speeches should have been songs...It’s a musical, guys...What a marvelous Dewey is Alex Brightman...Brightman could be upstaged by the kids – or vice versa — but no one is. They’re all willing to share the glory...These little pros. They’re to be cherished."
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"A light-hearted and playful romp...I like this better than anything composer Webber has written since the late 1970s, partly because he is clearly having a blast returning to his rock roots...The sound design is a problem; lyrics aren’t always easy to make out in the murky mix...As Dewey, Alex Brightman movingly undergoes a transformation...He knows who the real stars of this show are – the kids. They are all real instrumental and/or vocal virtuosos. Recommended."
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"On the whole, 'School of Rock' is incredibly hard to resist. Why did no one think of putting a bunch of kids on stage playing rock and roll before? It's frickin' adorable. Despite the formulaic nature of the story, 'School of Rock' drew me in and had me on my feet cheering almost despite myself."
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"None of the new songs created by Lloyd Webber and Glenn Slater, his lyricist, do much to enhance the existing tunes from the source material…Energetically directed by Laurence Connor…The musical’s book, by Julian Fellowes, the creator of 'Downton Abbey', honours the movie’s storyline with a Dowager’s dutifulness. But the transitions are abrupt and the characters’ backgrounds a little sketchy. The show’s chief pleasures reside in the performances of the children."
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"Charming and engaging and the kind of big, shiny Broadway musical you could totally bring your kids or your friends from out of town to...The whole cast, really, is energetic and hard-working...Here's the thing that bugged me: 'School of Rock' plays on a bunch of racial and cultural stereotypes that I'm really, really tired of seeing on Broadway all the damn time...Can't Broadway delight and entertain and dazzle without relying on the the same bullshit cultural tropes and lazy assumptions?"
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"What really works is the fact that the cast of children all play their instruments amazingly well besides singing...Lloyd Webber’s score is energetic though repetitious...While Laurence Connor’s direction moves the action along, he cannot do much to fast forward those lethargic scenes not featuring the children. But it is easy to get past those moments, for when those kids and Brightman are together the chemistry is so winning that you come away with a smile on your face."
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"Children in Broadway shows sometimes turn me off, but this band of newly aspiring actors, actresses and musicians are really quite good. 4 or 5 of them including the drummer, a keyboard player and a guitar player are way better than you could possibly expect from 9 - 11 year olds...It’s noisy, it’s full of life and you’ll be able to rock all night after you see it. 'School of Rock' like all of its schools around the country, including some here in the East, really rocks!"
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"Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber is responsible for some of the best musicals in theater history! His latest, 'School Of Rock,' is not one of them...However, the bar is too high for himself and the genre of kids on Broadway, and this show is not up to par...The kids in this production are all very solid. But, just down the street at 'Matilda,' the child performers there are on a whole other level. It definitely helps that they have better material and direction."
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"In general, though, it’s the kids who rule the show, though – they’re a very talented group. While not perfect, I suspect the producers are still ironing out imperfections (clunky storylines, loud music are two examples), 'School of Rock' is already a hit at the box office and I have a feeling it will be around for a while. I’m most grateful to the show for bringing my son back to Broadway after a long hiatus."
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"A rock and roll, heavy metal tribute to, and very smart adaptation...The energy level is phenomenal, Brightman's sandpaper voice apparently indestructible and his touch with the kids, impeccable...The score is more than a stitching together of the movie items. There are some splendid new anthems and chorales...Mike White's movie has been deftly adapted, efficiently directed, wittily designed and lit with rock concert flair."
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"This is it. This is that $16 million Broadway show for the whole family, with something for everyone. One caveat: those with sensitive ears, bring your earplugs. This opus is loud...If audience appreciation is any factor, it’s easy to predict a long, healthy, and really loud future for "School Of Rock.'"
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"Andrew Lloyd Webber bought the rights to the story and has turned it into a full-scale musical with new tunes by him, while retaining several of the film's songs. The transfer from the mostly-spoken film is natural because the subject matter is music. Webber has nicely expanded the old material and added new dimensions…This whole enterprise needed an acceptable substitute for Jack Black. Fortunately, Alex Brightman is more than that."
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"There are tender moments amid the high-energy po-going...And there are few bum notes, save the unnecessary over-camping of Tomika’s two gay dads, and the wholly predictable partial unbuttoning of Miss Mullins. However, the minor missteps are drowned out by the joyful exuberance of the show and the polished performances of its young cast. 'School of Rock' is likely to have a waiting list for quite some time to come."
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"The show has a number of undeniable strengths that leave you no other choice but to get on your feet and embrace that child within who has an unhealthy obsession for the air guitar...On the topic of musical numbers, I sadly have to say that this is where the show is slightly off the mark. Despite Lord Webber's usual tricks of gleefully bombarding the audience with reprises, begging for you to be humming the melodies as you exit the theatre, not many of the songs stuck."
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"'School of Rock' is best in these big, brash, unabashedly rock ’n’ roll moments..'.School of Rock' isn’t a revelation...But 'School of Rock' is likely everything it wants to be—totally delightful, purely entertaining, the crowd-pleasing kind of show—that you can bring your kids and out-of-town cousins to. Not liking it is akin to not liking fun."
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"This is a great musical. It’s fun, it’s FUNNY, there are touching moments, and it makes you really want to rock out. I have been trying for hours to think of a better movie-to-stage adaptation and I just can’t. I think they really hit the nail on the head with this one...this was just awesome. JUST GO, okay? Just go see it so I can stop babbling."
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"All the music and all the songs were brilliantly composed and performed along with the playful choreography. I was immensely impressed and should’ve expected nothing less.This review would be considered incomplete if I forgot to mention the outstanding job director Laurence Connor and his production staff had done. The flow of the story and the set transitions were smooth throughout. There was never a dull moment during the 3 hour show."
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