Brothers Ethan and Caleb remember watching the iconic film School of Rock, following a ragtag group of students who secretly enter the battle of the bands competition. It’s a film they loved so much they cosplayed the lead characters, guitar savant Zac and cheeky drummer Freddy. School of Rock musical
But never had they imagined singing, dancing and acting in the hit School of Rock musical, starring as the very characters they dressed up as!
Of course, the role of kids born to rock is something they have lots of experience in, Caleb having played guitar since the age of seven, and Ethan taking to drums aged three.
“My dad’s a drummer; I think I’ve kind of followed into his footsteps and gotten better than him,” 12-year-old Ethan giggles.
“Music runs in our family; I’ve been around music my whole life. My grandpa has guitars, and I’ve seen him playing, so I wanted to pick it up,” 15-year-old Caleb says.
Together with their other younger brother, they play in a band called Every Neighbour’s Nightmare, performing music they describe as ‘very loud’ at council run events and Anglo-Indian dance evenings.
The jump to musical theatre, however, was accidental, with Ethan encouraged by his drum teacher to audition, as the production, scheduled for November at St Kilda’s National Theatre, needed someone who could play drums.
Seeing his brother have a go, Caleb followed suit, and despite having no prior acting experience, they were both cast. They’ve found attending theatre rehearsals a new and challenging experience.
“I was really excited [when I was cast]; I was also nervous, but I think that’s all gone away and now I’m just waiting for the show to go on,” Caleb says.
For the brothers, the School of Rock musical is all about finding your identity through music, regardless of what adults say.
“It’s kind of like a jail escape when the teacher [Dewey Finn, a role made famous by Jack Black] finds out that they like music; he kind of brings them into the rock industry and shows them how music can be their freedom and how they need to show their parents that this is what they want to do,” Ethan says.
But that’s not something they relate to, as they’ve always had the backing of their parents and friends.
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“Pretty much my whole class knows, it’s nerve wracking – even my teachers are coming – it’s good to know that they support me,” says Ethan.
Their biggest supporter is of course their mum Nicola, who is thrilled to see them breaking out of their shell.
“I love the show – I’ve watched the movie with them a million times,” she says. “I’m so used to seeing them behind their instruments – this is going to be a whole new experience and I’m really looking forward to it.”
Being rock musical stars isn’t without its difficulties however, with the brothers balancing showtime and schoolwork.
“It’s hard, but we’re figuring it out – I have exams one week after the show. I’m working it out slowly, one day at a time,” Caleb says.
But mum’s not worried and says she wants to see her boys having fun.
“I just want them to do whatever makes them happy, and I know music in whatever form makes them happy. Bit of a surprise that Ethan has taken to the singing and the dancing and wants to continue that – more than happy to support that,” she tells us.
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