Comedian and actor David Fynn was today unveiled as the lead of the West End transfer of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s new production, School Of Rock – The Musical.
In an exciting launch event at the show’s London home, the New London Theatre, it was announced that David, whose recent credits include The Inbetweeners, Sherlock and Game Of Thrones, along with The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee at the Donmar Warehouse, will play namesake Dewey Finn in a role made famous by rock legend Jack Black in the hit comedy movie.
Speaking at the launch, director Laurence Connor said of David, “Right from the start, Andrew and I thought ‘what a terrific actor for the role'”, while Lloyd Webber urged audiences to “Go and enjoy – and realise what an empowering force music can be.”
David will be joined by Florence Andrews (The Wizard Of Oz, Wicked ) as Rosalie Mullins, Oliver Jackson (Mrs Henderson Presents) as Ned Schneebly and Preeya Kalidas (Eastenders, Bend It Like Beckham), while Gary Trainor (Beautiful) will play alternate Dewey.
The adult cast is completed by Jonathan Bourne, Nadeem Crowe, Michelle Francis, Rosanna Hyland, Cassandra McCowan, Joel Montague, Andy Rees, Cameron Sharp, Tasha Sheridan, Andrew Spillett and Lucy Vandi and swings, Charlotte Bradford, Jason Denton, Cellen Chugg James, Chris Jenkins, Alfie Parker and Charlotte Scott.
Also at the launch were 1 of 3 teams of 13 schoolchildren, fresh from the early days of guitar-slamming rehearsals. These young stars join the production following a nationwide search to find 39 young actor-musicians, and will form Dewey’s desk-vaulting, pencil-breaking rock band.
Entering the band are Tom Abisgold, Toby Lee, Jake Slack, Bailey Cassell, Jude Harper-Wrobel, Noah Key, Giles Carden, Oscar Francisco, James Lawson, Selma Hansen, Lois Jenkins, Sophia Pettit, Isabelle Methven, Lucy Simmonds, Eva Trodd, Madeleine Haynes, Leah Levman, Natasha Raphael, Jaydah Bell-Ricketts, Shoshana Ezequiel, Amelia Poggenpoel, Lola Moxom, Mia Roberts, Grace Schnieder, Nicole Dube, Amma Ris, Adithi Sujith, Jobe Hart, Joshua Vaughan, Logan Walmsley, Presley Charman, Lucas Chow, Ben Dawson, Bradley Bissett, Denzel Eboji, Sonny Kirby, Zachary Dowlatshahi, Harry Egerton and Jacob Swann.
Book writer Julian Fellowes mentioned “I was so amazed I got to the first day of rehearsals, and there were all these kids playing instruments as big as they were… it is extraordinary.”
School Of Rock – The Musical features a rocking new score by The Phantom Of The Opera and Evita composer Andrew Lloyd Webber, with lyrics by Glenn Slater and a book by Fellowes. Based on the iconic movie, the show centres on slacker and wannabe rock star Dewey Finn who poses as a substitute teacher to make ends meet, turning a class of straight-A students into a riff scorching, all conquering rock band in the process.
You can purchase your tickets for the show at the New London Theatre through us here.