Open Forum

We did Rock of Ages High School Edition in the spring of 2019. My kids and I loved it and had a great time producing it. TRW and the playwrights have changed the Venus Club to a go-go club and all of the obviously crude references have been changed or completely deleted. The toughest thing about this show is finding enough males with voices that can hit the rock-and-roll pitches of Steve Perry and Jon Bon Jovi, etc. I don't know how successful we were in that regard, but, as a small, private, rural school, we did the best we could. Our audiences absolutely loved it! We got more community pushback doing "Over The River and Through the Woods" last year (don't ask) than we got for doing "Rock of Ages."

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Tim Buchheit, Director
Department of Theatre and Speech
St. Francis Borgia Regional High School
Washington, Mo.
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Original Message:
Sent: 06-14-2020 12:02
From: Kathryn Chapin
Subject: Rock of Ages for High School

Have any of you done the ROA high school edition? I'm curious how it can be done appropriately on a high school level. What's changed/cut from the regular show? IF we get the chance to do a spring musical, I want to do something fun and upbeat. My fall back would be Footloose. Advice?

Thanks in advance! 

Oh my gosh! My favorite musical I have directed!! Students LOVED it and parents loved it even more! I am in a small Catholic High School and somehow got away with it. School edition is cleaned up, but still has funny innuendos that adults will laugh at. The music is fantastic...your Stacy Jax will need to be a rather solid singer, but you can fudge with Lonny and Dennis! Such a great show!!!!

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Karin Neal
Theatre Director
Trinity Catholic Jr. Sr. High School
Hutchinson KS
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Original Message:
Sent: 06-14-2020
From: Kathryn Chapin
Subject: Rock of Ages for High School

Have any of you done the ROA high school edition? I'm curious how it can be done appropriately on a high school level. What's changed/cut from the regular show? IF we get the chance to do a spring musical, I want to do something fun and upbeat. My fall back would be Footloose. Advice?

Thanks in advance! 

We just did this right before the pandemic hit. We were able to get the opening weekend in, but not the closing weekend. The students and community LOVED it. I think the HS version is very safe. Our kids felt it was a little too safe, but safe none the less. We are also a small private Catholic school. Definitely a favorite one of mine. Feel free to reach out with any questions. Would be glad to discuss more as needed.

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James Fry
Director of Student Life and the Malvern Theatre Society
Malvern, PA
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Original Message:
Sent: 06-14-2020 12:02
From: Kathryn Chapin
Subject: Rock of Ages for High School

Have any of you done the ROA high school edition? I'm curious how it can be done appropriately on a high school level. What's changed/cut from the regular show? IF we get the chance to do a spring musical, I want to do something fun and upbeat. My fall back would be Footloose. Advice?

Thanks in advance! 

We want to do the show so bad. Just don't have the cast.

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Crit Fisher
Lighting/Sound Designer
New Albany High School
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Original Message:
Sent: 06-14-2020 12:02
From: Kathryn Chapin
Subject: Rock of Ages for High School

Have any of you done the ROA high school edition? I'm curious how it can be done appropriately on a high school level. What's changed/cut from the regular show? IF we get the chance to do a spring musical, I want to do something fun and upbeat. My fall back would be Footloose. Advice?

Thanks in advance! 

Chris D'Arienzo, who wrote Rock of Ages, did an outstanding job on the re-writes for the high school edition.  He really gave it some thought and didn't just cut things.  This was one of the most enjoyable shows we have ever done.  Our audiences loved it and the students loved it and the production staff loved it!

   Pat

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Patricia J. Santanello, Ed.D.
Educational Theatre Association - Ohio Chapter
Co-Chapter Director
Dublin Scioto High School
psdirector2003@hotmail.com
Dublin, Ohio
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Original Message:
Sent: 06-14-2020 12:02
From: Kathryn Chapin
Subject: Rock of Ages for High School

Have any of you done the ROA high school edition? I'm curious how it can be done appropriately on a high school level. What's changed/cut from the regular show? IF we get the chance to do a spring musical, I want to do something fun and upbeat. My fall back would be Footloose. Advice?

Thanks in advance! 

I applied for a license to do ROA in the fall, which I received. However, Concord Theatricals was unable to negotiate streaming rights with the copyright holder(s), so I need to put that production on hold for now given the projected health regulations for the upcoming Fall. 

I have perused the HS edition and found it charming. I do have some belter-seniors this year so I'm a bit sad about having to shelve it.

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Annemarie Bean
Director of Drama
Long Trail School
Dorset VT
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Original Message:
Sent: 06-14-2020 12:02
From: Kathryn Chapin
Subject: Rock of Ages for High School

Have any of you done the ROA high school edition? I'm curious how it can be done appropriately on a high school level. What's changed/cut from the regular show? IF we get the chance to do a spring musical, I want to do something fun and upbeat. My fall back would be Footloose. Advice?

Thanks in advance!