EDWARDSVILLE - Kids and adults from across the region will be performing in “School of Rock” at SIUE.
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SIUE Theater and Dance’s production of “School of Rock” will run from July 18–20 and 25–27, 2025, at Dunham Hall Theater on the SIUE campus. This “community-based show” is part of the Summer Showbiz series and encourages kids from local school districts to lead the cast.
“I think it’s just a cool community activity,” said Katie Robberson with SIUE’s Friends of Theater and Dance. “Anybody from within probably the Metro area may know at least one person in the cast or the band or the crew because they just pull from so many different areas.”
The show is directed by Kate Slovinski, and Jenny Cartmill serves as the stage manager. Based on the movie of the same name, “School of Rock” follows Dewey Finn, a rock-and-roller who becomes a substitute teacher and forms a rock band with his students.
Caroline, Robberson’s daughter, plays roadie and backup singer Sophie. She said they have been rehearsing since June. Caroline has participated in many community theater projects before, but this summer’s production has been a completely new experience.
“This is my first college production at SIUE,” said Caroline, 10. “I’ve never done a show where you get a ton of hours of rehearsal and you have to wait almost two months for the cast list and everything. It's just a different experience than just regular community theater.”
In addition to Caroline and a few of her fellow Edwardsville Community Unit School District #7 classmates, the cast includes SIUE students, other kids from local school districts, and adults from the Metro East region. The Summer Showbiz series aims to bring in community members to the college campus. Merge V, a local band, will also be featured as one of the bands in the show.
“It's kind of a neat little mix of the surrounding area to the university,” Robberson explained. “I think that’s really the benefit of the arts…I think the arts are one area that brings in a lot of people from a lot of spaces with varied skillsets. I think especially for young people that grew up in the theater world, they have to really learn how to be a part of a bigger group, and I think that’s a really important lesson.”
But the lesson has been “really fun,” Caroline added. She encourages people to come to the show and see for themselves all of the talent in the Metro East area.
“I think people should come to the show because even though the movie and the musical are kind of insane about rock and roll, it still tells a good story,” she said. “It really shows that even though Dewey has done some insane things, he’s still a good person and cares about the kids a lot.”
“School of Rock” will premiere at 7 p.m. on July 18, 19, 25 and 26, and at 2 p.m. on July 20 and 27, 2025. You can use the promo code “SIUEROCKS” to receive $5 off your ticket through July 19. For more information, including how to purchase tickets, click here.
