The Franklin Performing Arts Company (FPAC) will open their 2024-25 Season with School of Rock - The Musical starring Broadway’s Liam Fennecken October 18-27 at THE BLACK BOX in downtown Franklin, MA. Fennecken will play Dewey Finn, a role he played on the Broadway Tour of School of Rock. The production will be directed by FPAC Artistic Director Raye Lynn Mercer, choreographed by Broadway’s Clay Rice-Thomson (Moulin Rouge, Matilda, Newsies, King Kong), with music direction by FPAC’s Resident Music Director Hallie Wetzell. 

Based on the hit movie, School of Rock follows Dewey Finn, a failed, wannabe rock star who decides to earn an extra bit of cash by posing as a substitute teacher at a prestigious prep school. There he turns a class of straight–A pupils into a guitar-shredding, bass-slapping, mind-blowing rock band. But can he get them to the Battle of the Bands without their parents and the school’s headmistress finding out? With its sensational live kids’ rock band, School of Rock - The Musical is a loving testimony to the transforming power of music. 

Liam Fennecken recently starred in Broadway’s Chicago as Amos Hart He recently toured the US and South Korea in School of Rock, and has toured North America with Once, American Idiot, and Peter Pan 360. He is a member of the viral a cappella sensation “T.3” with whom he performed on America’s Got Talent. 

Fennecken is joined by NYC actress Ali Funkhouser as Principal Rosalie Mullins and Boston’s David Livingston and Anissa Perona as Ned and Patty. A cast of talented young local actor-musicians have been selected to play Dewey’s “band”: Scotty Kippenhan as Zack on guitar, Colette Lelievre as Katie on bass, Owen Charles as Freddy on drums, Grayson Kerrigan as Lawrence on keys, and Aida DiChiara as Summer the band manager. Portraying the other musical students of Horace Green in School of Rock are Hayley Pezza, Matthew McGuirl, Helena Cornwell, Baree Frigon, Hailey Hulbig, Ani Corkran, Liam Kerrigan, Whitney Williams, Bella Pereira, and Rowan Vadenais. 

Rounding out the adult cast are NYC, Boston, and local performers as well as Musical Theater majors from Dean College: P.T. Mahoney, Melissa Baratta, Michael Baratta, Elijah Bondar, Jessica Cain, Kim Frigon, April Lisette, Connor Meehan, Nick Paone, Kylie Parsons, Kellie Stamp, and Isis Wilson. 

Franklin Performing Arts Company (FPAC) is an Actors’ Equity Association Small Professional Theater. Each season, FPAC produces musicals, plays, ballets, and more featuring Broadway stars, professional and regional performers, and emerging artists. Tickets for School of Rock and FPAC’s entire 2024-25 Season are available now at FPAConline.com or by calling the box office at (508) 528-3370.