School of Rock (Seoul, 2024)

It was a welcome surprise to have a touring team from the Broadway production of an Andrew Lloyd Webber show while The Phantom of the Opera was still running in Korea. School of Rock played at the Opera Theater in Seoul Arts Center. Because the student band plays live on stage, the orchestra pit was covered. I sat in the second row, close enough to see every detail. Around me were foreigners, some from sponsor company Mercedes-Benz in suits, and others dressed casually. During intermission, I found out many parents of the young cast were in the audience. One father told me about their touring schedule and the challenges of traveling with children. His daughter, who was part of the band, really stood out — he has every reason to be proud.

Conner Gillooly played Dewey Finn, and it was very much his show. He sang more than half of the songs, played the guitar, and handled a mountain of dialogue with ease. He had the true voice of a rocker and never dropped the energy. His persuasive technique when forming the band out of his classroom was particularly memorable — energetic, funny, and weirdly convincing. The way the classroom gradually transformed into a band practice space was fun to watch.

The students were a joyful bunch. Among them, the bass player, lead guitarist (Harry Churchill), and keyboardist made especially strong impressions. They had to win the audience over with their first notes — and they did. The solo vocalist, too, had a strong presence and clear voice. And the manager girl — Hanya Zhang — who pretended to sing Memory off-key was the cutest thing on stage. I smiled every time she appeared.

The story is simple. Dewey, kicked out of his band and living in a friend’s house under his wife’s disapproving gaze, stumbles into a substitute teaching job at a strict prep school. A die-hard rock fan, he doesn’t so much discover talent as impose his passion — urging the students to ditch their classical instruments and form a rock band. The contrabass player becomes a bassist, the pianist switches to keyboard riffs, and even the shy ones are pushed into solos and lyrics. They go on to compete at a battle of the bands, and although they lose officially, they win the crowd and gain the acceptance of their once-demanding parents. Dewey, of course, ends up with a job — and a budding romance with the principal.

The audience energy was high — unlike the usual musical theater crowd in Korea. It felt more like a rock concert. People even spoke aloud during the show out of excitement, but it didn’t matter. Sharing joy during a concert is normal.

“Stick It to the Man” was a highlight. At first, the kids hesitated with the rebellious lyrics, but quickly warmed up, becoming full-blown participants by the end. The final number had the audience cheering hot. I was seated in front of one of the student actors, and at curtain call, I raised my arms with rock hand signs, shouting, “You rock!” He saw me, returned the gesture with a big smile, and looked around the theater, clearly stunned by the audience’s explosive energy. It wasn’t just me — the cheers were loud, genuine, and unreserved. I could tell he was overwhelmed in the best way. Maybe that’s what keeps him going. Moments like this — when the joy is shared so freely — are what live theater is all about.

As I left, I found the actor’s father again and told him, “She was really good — cute as a button.” I meant it.