Rousuck's Review: ----School of Rock---- at the Hippodrome

It's Thursday, and that means Midday's intrepid theater reviewer, J. Wynn Rousuck, is here with another of her weekly reviews of the region's thespian offerings. This week, Judy braved the elements to attend the opening of the new touring production of School of Rock, the Andrew Lloyd Weber musical that's now raising the rafters at Baltimore's Hippodrome Theater.Based on the hit 2003 film, the musical follows Dewy Finn, a down-on-his-luck wannabe rock star who poses as a substitute music teacher at a prestigious prep school to make ends meet. When he discovers that his fifth-graders harbor some extraordinary musical talents, he encourages them to form a rock group and take a shot at winning the Battle of the Bands competition.Andrew Lloyd Weber, who has done more than his share to bring rock and romance to Broadway, has composed 14 new songs for School of Rock, and kept all the original songs from the movie. Directed by Laurance Connor, and choreographed by JoAnn M. Hunter, the talented cast includes Bob Coletti as Dewey Finn, Lexie Dorsett Sharp as Rosalie, and a band of young actor/musicians who help deliver the musical's youthful spirit and high-octane score. Music supervision credits go to Ethan Popp.School of Rock continues at the Hippodrome until Sunday, March 25.Email us at [email protected], tweet us: @MiddayWYPR, or call us at 410-662-8780.