By Jeanni Ritchie

I would’ve made a great Summer.

That was my thought going into Bolton Conservatory’s School of Rock performance, my FOMO always flaring up when I see a role I was born to play.

Even if it’s forty years too late!

Adapted from the popular Jack Black movie of the same name, School of Rock: The Musical has been making its way across stages in America since 2016.

It took coming to my alma mater to see it live. The Bolton Conservatory for the Visual and Performing Arts has teamed up with Rapides Academy and Phoenix Magnet to bring us this dynamic performance.

The premise of the stage musical follows the movie plotline closely. “Overly enthusiastic guitarist Dewey Finn gets thrown out of his rock band and finds himself in desperate need of work. Posing as a substitute music teacher at an elite private elementary school, he exposes his students to the hard rock gods he idolizes and emulates — much to the consternation of the uptight principal. As he gets his privileged and precocious charges in touch with their inner rock ‘n’ roll animals, he imagines redemption at a local Battle of the Bands, but experiences some hefty obstacles along the way!”

With a fittingly larger-than-usual score, these students sang and danced their way through two acts filled with the high-octane energy they’re required to tamp down in the classroom.

This is why arts in education matters! Kids need creative, healthy outlets and theatre affords such opportunities.

It’s a little strange to see my former high school transform into a K-12 performing arts school but sometimes change is necessary. Positive change, such as bringing arts back to Rapides Parish Schools, is something today’s generation desperately needs. There is so much negativity in the world; positive experiences equip our young learners with tools to persevere hardships.

From the website: The Bolton Conservatory for the Visual  & Performing Arts offers intensive training and performance opportunities far beyond the normal high school experience in vocal music, visual arts, theatre, dance, orchestral strings, and band.  Bolton Conservatory students enjoy enhanced training in their respective disciplines through the expert guidance of a faculty who are professional performers in their own right.

They’re doing their job as the stage musical was fabulous.

Riley Kennedy, freshmen, plays Billy Sanford and this is his first performance. “It’s been a great show. The choreography is astonishing and our directors are incredibly helpful. The other students are phenomenal as well.”

Zoned for Bolton, Kennedy would’ve come to  the Conservatory anyway. He looks forward to many more shows.

So do I!

Check out School of Rock: The Musical and show your support for arts in Central Louisiana and for our students. Shows will be Friday and Saturday at 7 PM and Sunday at 2 PM. Tickets are available at the door, or may be purchased in advance on the Bolton Conservatory Facebook page or at boltonconservatory.com. 

Jeanni Ritchie is a Bolton alumni and former arts in education director.