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The Middle Aged Spectator at a High School Musical


 No, not ‘High School Musical’, but a musical performed by a group of 12-17 year olds. In this case, the show was ‘Rock of Ages 101 High School Edition’.

And, more than being at the show, the MAS was an insider, as a guitarist in the band. Since auditions were conducted in February, the MAS had been involved in rehearsals twice a week (and sometimes more) with the enthusiastic and talented young people in the cast, and with the production crew, other band members and directors. Ultimately, the MAS’s role was simply to learn the music and play it.

That was a little bit of a problem. The MAS is not a confident or in any way a professional musician, really only getting the instrument out of its case every second year for one of these productions. But, with plenty of practice, some advice from other (far more talented) band members, and much personal admonishment, the job was completed satisfactorily.

‘Rock of Ages’, which has been a mainstream musical on Broadway, is about a young girl leaving home to find fame and fortune in Los Angeles during the 1980s. She meets a similarly inspired young man. They fall in and out of love; there’s a subplot around property development and the closing of a rock music ‘institution’; and in the end it all works out, sort of. Plenty of rock music: songs by Quiet Riot (really it was a Slade song, but it’s a moot point), Poison, Pat Benatar, Bon Jovi, Whitesnake, Quarterflash, Journey and others.

A friend asked during the week of production, ‘What is the cast like?’ It’s an interesting question. In a small school there’s not usually a great talent pool to work with, no matter what your enterprise is. So, like a football team from a small school, (or a debating team or a choir, or a science club) there were a handful of kids who showed terrific talent and knew what they were doing, a great majority who were just making up the numbers, but doing their best and having fun, and another handful who were probably wondering what the hell they had got themselves into, but were unable to get out of it without losing face.

This sort of production is a pretty big affair in any school – in a small school even more so. Staff involved commit an enormous amount of time and energy, along with everything else that a teacher has to do, to make these sorts of opportunities available for the students.As well, there is a considerable financial component of which most people are simply unaware, but it is an expensive proposition.

But the payoffs for (most of) the students are significant. Six months commitment to learning, rehearsing and performing is a big ask, but the students do it, along with all the other commitments they have to study, sport, work and so on. The response from the audience over the four evening performances varied between warm and enthusiastic, but people who don’t attend these shows really have no idea of what they are missing. This is the culmination of a great amount of work and dedication. And school musicals tend to be amusing in their amateur Glee-wannabe performances.

The students should be very pleased with their efforts in presenting a thoroughly enjoyable show. The production staff can breathe a sigh of relief and have a good sleep (and get on with their next task – they are all teachers).


Oh, and the band rocked.

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