School of Rock announces Dewey and the children’s cast

It is just 5 months until Andrew Lloyd Webber’s School of Rock opens to the public at Her Majesty’s theatre in Melbourne. Today we learn who will be playing the coveted role of Dewey Finn as well as the incredibly talented children that will accompany him.

WAAPA graduate, actor / composer Brent Hill was announced today as wannabe rock star Dewey Finn. Having previously appeared Little Shop of Horrors, Rock of Ages, Eddie Perfect’s Vivid White at MTC and The Resistible Rise for Arturo Ui, as well as numerous Production Company Shows in Melbourne.

Hill will be joined on stage each night by an extraordinarily talented group of young Australian performers, aged nine to 13 years of age, who will deliver scorching riffs, pounding drums and all-live rock. After a nationwide search, these 36 performers will alternate in the following roles:

ZACH

• Ben Swissa, 12, from Rose Bay NSW
• Jayden Tatasciore, 9, from Landsdale WA
• Zane Blumeris, 11, from Mooroolbark VIC

FREDDY

• Kempton Maloney (Wind in the Willows), 9, from Newtown VIC
• Bailey Landeg, 11, from Riverside TAS
• Ethan Stephenson, 12 from Nunawading VIC

LAWRENCE

• Caleb Elbourne, 11, from Ferntree Gully VIC
• Orlando Schwerdt (Carmen, Matilda), 12, from Sandhurst VIC
• Heath Jelovic (Parsifal and Turandot, The Secret River), 13, from Cherrybrook NSW

KATIE

• Samantha Zhang, 10, from Menai NSW
• Remy Grunden, 10, from Oakleigh South VIC
• Tiana Mirra (Matilda, Strictly Ballroom), 13, from Park Orchards VIC

SUMMER

• Ava McInnes, 10, from Geelong VIC
• Stephanie Kipnis (Matilda), 10, from Mount Waverley VIC
• Yvette Pugat, 10, from Clyde North VIC

TOMIKA

• Bella-Mia Bortolin, 11 from Heidelberg Heights VIC
• Chihana Perera (Matilda), 12 from Hartness VIC
• Riley Thomas, 10 from Taylors Hill VIC

MARCY

• Annie Jones (Sound of Music), 10, from Glenroy VIC
• Kayla Muir (Sound of Music), 10, from Warrandyte VIC
• Riya Mandrawa, 10, from Hawthorn East VIC

SHONELLE

• Ashlyn Norman, 11 from Port Melbourne VIC
• Ava Rose Houben-Carter, 10 from Pakenham VIC
• Rachel Kipnis (Sound of Music, Les Misérables), 13 from Mount Waverley

SOPHIE

• Lucia Schwerdt (The Wind in the Willows), 10 from Sandhurst VIC
• Maya Corbett, 10 from Edithvale VIC
• Ruby Moore (Sound of Music), 11 from Armadale VIC

BILLY

• Hudson Sharp (Matilda, Dream Lover), 12 from Balwyn North VIC
• Amon Prete (Dream Lover, Carmen), 12 from Warranwood VIC
• Lenny Thomas (Priscilla), 11 from Bonbeach VIC

MASON

• Aston Droomer (The Bodyguard, The King And I), 10 from Templestowe
• Oscar Mulcahy (Dream Lover, Kinky Boots), 11 from North Melbourne VIC
• Elijah Slavinskis (Kinky Boots, Priscilla), 9 from Ashburton VIC

JAMES

• Gabriel Ingram (The Bodyguard, Kinky Boots), 11 from North Carlton VIC
• Zac El-Alo, 10 from Coburg North VIC
• Lachlan Young (Dream Lover, Kinky Boots), 12 from Glen Iris VIC

Of the Australian child cast, Andrew Lloyd Webber said: “I’ve just seen all of the audition tapes for School of Rock in Australia and I know we’ve got a really great cast. We’ve got great kids in a show that is all about how music can empower children.

“I’ve never had such a good time as I have had with School of Rock and I know it’s going to be fantastic in Australia too.”

Based on the hit film, this hilarious new musical follows Dewey Finn, a failed, wannabe rock star who decides to earn a few extra bucks by posing as a substitute teacher at a prestigious prep school. There he turns a class of straight-A students into a guitar-shredding, bass-slapping, mind-blowing rock band.

Tickets are currently on sale, with new seats released on Monday 28 May.
For tickets and more information visit: SchoolofRock.com.au