'I'm Ready to Go!' Says School of Rock's Leading Man Alex Brightman, as New Tuner Begins Previews

Ready to pledge allegiance to the band? Andrew Lloyd Webber's School of Rock—The Musical, starring Alex Brightman and Sierra Boggess, will begin previews on November 9 at the Winter Garden Theatre. Directed by Les Miz's Laurence Connor, the production will officially open on December 6.

“I am freaking out, but in the most positive way," Brightman recently told Broadway.com about starting performances. "I’m ready to go—we are so ready for people to come see this show. It’s awesome, it’s huge, we’ve made amazing changes for anyone who saw it at the Gramercy and it’s gonna be wild!”

The tuner features music from the hit 2003 movie, as well as new music written by Lloyd Webber and lyricist Glenn Slater, with a book by Downton Abbey’s Julian Fellowes. The film was penned by Mike White, directed by Richard Linklater and starred Jack Black as wannabe rock star Dewey Finn, who poses as a substitute teacher at a prestigious prep school. When he discovers his students’ musical talents, he enlists his fifth-graders to form a rock group and conquer the Battle of the Bands.

Company members who will also be sticking it to the man include Spencer Moses, Mamie Parris, Evie Dolan, Carly Gendell, Ethan Khusidman, Bobbi MacKenzie, Dante Melucci, Brandon Niederauer, Luca Padovan, Jared Parker and Isabella Russo.