Posted: 12/6/15 at 9:05am
Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber returns to Broadway tonight, celebrating another opening night. with this new musical. Alex Brightman, Sierra Boggess and a slew of sensational pint-sized powerhouses star in SCHOOL OF ROCK, playing the Winter Garden.
Post 'em here, kids!
Posted: 12/6/15 at 11:51am
I have seen the show twice in previews and have loved every second of it. So much fun and such crazy energy from the entire cast. The kids are certainly having the time of their lives, more so than any other kids in shows. The musical is no theatrical masterpiece but it is, again, tons of fun and filled with extreme energy
Posted: 12/6/15 at 5:35pm
The first review is in, and it's from David Cote...
Posted: 12/6/15 at 5:40pm
Cote's TimeOutNY review is essentially a rave: http://www.timeout.com/newyork/theater/school-of-rock
Posted: 12/6/15 at 7:37pm
Does anyone have any more insight on the musical.
Posted: 12/6/15 at 7:55pm
Mostly positive from the Chicago Tribune:
"Crucially, this gives the show weight and enough gravitas that the fully expected final sticking-it to the (wo)man — who does not listen, who has forgotten that kids can only be happy to be themselves, who is now leading a tawdry life leavened only by the occasional Broadway musical — feels especially sweet."
AM New York is very positive!
"Any Broadway musical that opens this season is bound to be in the shadow of "Hamilton." "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."
Posted: 12/6/15 at 8:05pm
Very nice reviews! Waiting for the New York Times.
Posted: 12/6/15 at 9:17pm
Very Positive from Deadline: "Youthful virtuosity can be its own reward, and School of Rock luxuriates in it." (love the shout out for the sound designer too: "I’ll add another special mention, of sound designer Mick Potter for making every note and every word intelligible." - Jeremy Gerard
Posted: 12/6/15 at 9:22pm
Variety is positive. doesn't say much but loved it calling Brightman "immensely likable." http://bit.ly/1XU8a87
Posted: 12/6/15 at 10:02pm
Knowing Ben, he needless take his time, he generally hates anything Andrew Lloyd Webber, where is predecessor Frank Rich hated anything British.
Posted: 12/6/15 at 10:04pm
We don't even know if Ben Brantley will even be reviewing it for the Times...yet.
Posted: 12/6/15 at 10:10pm
Ben Brantley is Positive:
"...mostly, “Rock” is surprisingly easy to swallow, in large part because everyone involved seems to be having such a fine time. That includes Mr. Lloyd Webber, whose insistent signature melodiousness paradoxically feels less insidious when it’s given a pumped-up decibel count. Like Ms. Boggess’s principal, he’s letting down his hair and shaking it off, with scarcely a hint of a stiff neck."
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/12/07/theater/review-school-of-rock-teaches-the-abcs-of-power-chords.html
Updated On: 12/6/15 at 10:10 PM
Posted: 12/6/15 at 10:22pm
Washington Post was a negative, as was the Huffington Post (the blogger writing the review referred to Sir Andrew's "Les Miz" not once but twice!) - but almost everything else has been a big plus! Congrats to them all!
(and one of the kids was broadcasting live on Periscope from the dressing room as they were getting ready to head out for the opening night party)
Posted: 12/6/15 at 10:41pm
Forgive me if I feel somewhat vindicated. I freely admit that I work at the show, and I've been defending it against some pretty staunch criticism on the Preview board. It's nice to see how many critics agree that the show is as fun as 1,524 people a night know it to be.
Everyone is entitled to their opinion. I'm not going to try to force someone to change their impressions of the songs, performances, lyrics, book, etc. Ultimately, a review is just one more person's opinion and must be taken as such.
Still it is nice to gloat a little.
Posted: 12/6/15 at 10:47pm
Broadway Guru said: "I freely admit that I work at the show, and I've been defending it against some pretty staunch criticism on the Preview board. ."
You call that staunch criticism? You should have been here during the previews of Women on The Verge.
Posted: 12/6/15 at 10:53pm
ljay889 said: "Broadway Guru said: "I freely admit that I work at the show, and I've been defending it against some pretty staunch criticism on the Preview board. ."
You call that staunch criticism? You should have been here during the previews of Women on The Verge.
"I can just imagine....although quite honestly I would have had a problem defending that one. Wasn't a favorite of mine.
Posted: 12/6/15 at 10:57pm
The majority of the reviews essentially said that the show is pedestrian unless the kids are on stage jamming.
Posted: 12/6/15 at 11:01pm
I'll take that. Especially since the kids are onstage jamming for a large part of it. The story centers around the kids and their journeys. If they didn't shine it would be in big trouble.
Although you have to admit that many of them also singled out Alex Brightman. If you haven't seen the show take me word for it. He is a force of nature.
Posted: 12/6/15 at 11:03pm
The reviews say WAY more than it being pedestrian. Very nice reviews! And when did Brantley ever say he hated ALW?
Posted: 12/6/15 at 11:18pm
Broadway Guru....I listened to ALW's interview with Julie James on Sirius XM on Broadway. It was lively and informative. Julie James was being her usual over-fawning self. ALW seemed very pleased with the show and with the lead actor...the name escapes me. (I wish someone had asked him if he had any regrets concerning Sunset Blvd.) Best of luck B.G.
