PREVIEW: Westport’s Rice College ready to rock with ‘School of Rock’

Rice College prepare to stage musical based on hit Jack Black film in Westport Town Hall Theatre

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THEY don’t rest on their laurels in Westport’s Rice College.

With the ink barely dry on the pages of history since their stunning All-Ireland U-19 soccer final success, the boys of Rice are ready to put on a whole different kind of show this Tuesday evening.

On Tuesday, at 7 pm, they’ll ditch the white and blue jerseys for rolled-up sleeves, undone ties, face-melting guitar riffs, gut-bursting drum solos and all-around feel-good rock ‘n roll vibes as Rice College becomes West Mayo’s ‘School of Rock’ for three nights only.

As you’ve probably guessed by now, this musical is based on the 2003 film starring Jack Black, who plays Dewey Finn, a down-on-his-luck rock and roller who lands a gig subbing at a prestigious elementary school.

Instead of teaching them algebra and poetry, he ends up fronting a student-led supergroup that rehearses under the nose and ears of a stern school principal.

How do you take an iconic film like School of Rock and make it into an even better musical? By getting Andrew Lloyd Webber to write the music, of course!

Scored by the musical theatre legend behind The Phantom of The Opera, Jesus Christ Superstar and many more, School of Rock: The Musical has played to packed West End audiences since 2016.

Now, it’s Rice College’s turn to bring Hollywood gold and West End glitter to the west of Ireland.

Last Thursday, The Mayo News took a short walk down to the Town Hall Theatre for a sneak preview.

We were barely noticed as we walked into a darkened auditorium, where the only light that shone was on a rehearsal in full swing.

From the darkness emerged Marion Coulon, Rice College’s TY coordinator, who promptly organised eleven cast members to talk to us as musical director Aoife Greaby and music director, Kathy Fahey, put the rest of them through their paces.

One cast member, Ben Holmes (who plays Theo), plays Minor Gaelic football for Mayo. Another, Aron Heaney (Sonny Hathaway), played on Rice’s U-19 All-Ireland winning soccer team. They come from different backgrounds, but apart from the odd school nativity, none of these Transition Year boys have any prior experience with drama or musical theatre.

Some of the cast of Rice College's production of School of Rock: The Musical 

NEW EXPERIENCE

“It’s nice. Because sometimes TY gets a bit boring. The last six to eight weeks, it’s been all out,” Ben Holmes told The Mayo News.

“Genuinely, out of all the ones, School of Rock is only one that I actually knew and I wanted to do so I think everyone wanted to do it and we got that..

All eleven interviewees admit that getting on stage is outside their comfort zone. But, as we alluded to in our review of last year’s joint-staging of High School Musical with Sacred Heart School, you can do great things when you’re all in it together.

“It brings the whole year together and helps you work on something that isn’t what you’re used to. It’s great to get out of school and just try a new experience,” said Thomas Williams (Mr Mooney Ham).

“Coming into TY, I wasn’t too convinced on doing it,” chimed Ben Holmes. “But then I got told from brothers and even the lads last year that everyone says that it’s usually the favourite thing in the year that they’ll do. But I’d really recommend it. I have enjoyed it thoroughly and so have the lads.”

“I’ve never done anything like this before, and it’s just a different way of having fun with your friends,” said Oisín Barrett (Kevin), echoing a common sentiment.

We couldn’t leave without a word from the leading man, Tiernan Ahearne (Dewey Finn), another musical neophyte.

“It’s been great craic doing it,” he said. “You kind of let yourself go when you’re doing it. That’s how I’d put it. It’s going from standing up straight to being slumped over.”

Some of the cast of Rice College's production of School of Rock: The Musical

LIFELONG MEMORIES

IT promises to be one hell of a show.

“You should come to this show because even though we will take it seriously, it will be very funny,” said Aron Heaney.

The sad part is that it will all be over before they know it.

“We’ll always be able to look back on it, and it’s something we’ll remember forever,” said Jack Collins (Lawrence).

Rice College Westport’s production of School of Rock: The Musical runs in Westport Town Hall Theatre from Tuesday, April 8 to Thursday, April 10, at 7 pm nightly. Tickets are only available through www.westporttheatre.com and will not be sold on the night.

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