snowy mountains grammar school middle and senior school students
TEEN EDITION
I WANNA ROCK!
THURSDAY 28 MAY | FRIDAY 29 MAY | SATURDAY 30 MAY LIVE AT THE SNOWY SHED RUN TIME APPROX. 2HRS
Rock of Ages - Teen Edition. Fun for all ages, with a few moments best enjoyed most with a parent or guardian.
TEEN EDITION
Book by Chris D’Arienzo
Arrangements and Orchestrations by Ethan Popp
Presented by arrangement with ORiGiN™ Theatrical on behalf of Samuel French, Inc., A Concord Theatricals Company.
Featuring the Music of Rock’s Biggest Hits
Rock of Ages celebrates the unforgettable sound of the 1980s with a soundtrack packed full of crowd favourites and rock classics. Audiences will recognise iconic songs including Sister Christian, We Built This City, I Wanna Rock, We’re Not Gonna Take It, Wanted Dead or Alive, I Want to Know What Love Is, Here I Go Again, The Final Countdown, Hit Me With Your Best Shot, Can’t Fight This Feeling, Every Rose Has Its Thorn and Don’t Stop Believin’.
This show is a celebration of the music that defined a generation.
We acknowledge the Ngarigo People, the Traditional Custodians of this land that we live. We pay our respects to their Elders of the past who once walked this land and left their footprints behind with their History, Culture, Customs, Traditions and Language.
SYNOPSIS
Set on L.A.’s infamous Sunset Strip in 1987, Rock of Ages takes you to the tail end of the big, bad 1980s, where Aqua Net, Lycra, and heavy metal rule the night. At one of the Strip’s last legendary venues, rock god Stacee Jaxx commands the stage while fans line up for their shot at fame. Amid the chaos, Drew, a city boy with big dreams (and a job cleaning toilets), longs to become the next rock sensation, and to win the heart of Sherrie, a small-town girl fresh off the bus from Kansas chasing her own dreams of stardom.
As their rock ‘n’ roll fairy tale begins, the future of the Sunset Strip is suddenly threatened by developers eager to replace it all with a strip mall. With the spirit of rock on the line, Drew, Sherrie, and their friends must fight to save their dreams, and the music they love, before it disappears forever.
Featuring the electrifying hits of iconic bands such as Journey, Bon Jovi, Styx, Pat Benatar, and more, this high-energy, Tony Award-nominated musical celebrates a time of big dreams, big egos, big guitar solos and even bigger hair!
DIRECTOR’S MESSAGE
Ms Emma Darling
Welcome to Snowy Mountains Grammar School’s production of Rock of Ages: Teen Edition.
Thank you for joining us tonight and for supporting our talented cast, band and backstage crew. As the new Head of Performing Arts, I have been so impressed by the energy, commitment, and talent our students have brought to this production, and I know that will shine through on stage tonight.
This show has been a fantastic opportunity for students from different year groups and backgrounds to come together, connect and create something exciting as a team. It has been a pleasure to watch their confidence grow and to see the sense of fun, trust and community that has developed throughout the rehearsal process.
A production like this only happens through the support of many people. More than ten staff members have contributed their time and expertise across set design, choreography, costumes, props and countless behind the scenes details. I am especially grateful to have worked alongside the Performing Arts faculty, Mrs Sell and Mrs Le Pavoux, in bringing this show to life.
Rock of Ages is bold, loud and full of personality. With iconic songs, big characters and plenty of heart, it promises to be a night of high energy entertainment.
Thank you for being here and for continuing to support the performing arts at Snowy Mountains Grammar School. Your support means a great deal to our students and to our wider school community.
MUSICAL DIRECTOR’S MESSAGE
Mrs Sue Sell
Bringing Rock of Ages to life has been an incredible journey and I could not be prouder of this outstanding group of students. They have embraced the show with enthusiasm, dedication and courage from start to finish.
Each student has stepped outside their comfort zone, whether through vocal challenges, comedic timing, or character-driven dialogue and has risen to meet every opportunity. It has been wonderful to witness their growth throughout the process.
Musically, this production would not have been possible without our rocking band. Oscar on drums has held everything together, Archie has delivered consistently strong performances on both electric and acoustic guitar and Bentley took on a steep learning curve with the score, ultimately delivering powerful electric guitar solos. Completing the ensemble were Mr Tim Bland on vocals and Ms Erin Lee on bass and vocals. A very special thank you to Erin for her ongoing vocal coaching and support of our students.
What has stood out most is the courage these students have shown, the courage to take risks, perform boldly, support one another and grow. Many have pushed beyond what they thought possible, discovering new strength in both their voices and their confidence on stage.
It has been a privilege to guide them on this journey. Their dedication, resilience and passion have been truly inspiring and I hope audiences enjoy the energy and joy they bring to every moment of this show.
So sit back, turn up the volume and enjoy the ride, because these students are ready to rock.
THE CAST
STACEE JAXX
HILDA KLINEMANN
Lilly Brauer
ENSEMBLE/ JA’KEITH GILL
Molly Cavallaro
Justin Klempfner
ENSEMBLE/MOTHER
Grace Ashcroft
JUSTICE
Whitney McLean
ENSEMBLE/FATHER Joshua
ENSEMBLE/ CONSTANCE SACK
Ayla Mawhinney
ENSEMBLE/MAYOR
Isla Robertson
ANITA BATH
Snowy Baxter
LONNY
DENNIS DUPREE Cohen Page
ENSEMBLE/MUGGER
Maxwell Dasilva
ENSEMBLE/ WAITRESS #4
Nina Sheppard
ENSEMBLE
Rosie Dasilva
ENSEMBLE
Gabriella Siragusa
THE CAST
ENSEMBLE/ WAITRESS #1
Gracie Byron
ENSEMBLE/ LEAD PROTESTER
Tahlia Grisbrook
ENSEMBLE
Ashleigh Hampton
ENSEMBLE
Charlotte Kendall
ENSEMBLE/ WAITRESS #2
Milla Curl
ENSEMBLE/ LEAD PROTESTER
Isla West
ENSEMBLE/ WAITRESS #3
Charlotte Burke
ENSEMBLE/PRODUCER
Meghan Reed
THE BAND
DRUMS
Oscar Whitehead
Oscar (Year 12) has fully committed to the demanding rock drumming that drives the show from start to finish.
GUITAR
Archie Whitehead
Archie (Year 10) has been invaluable on electric, acoustic and 12-string guitar, adapting his playing style to meet the many musical shifts throughout the production.
BACKSTAGE CREW
GUITAR
Bentley Deane Bentley (Year 9) completes the student lineup, delivering searing 80s-inspired electric guitar solos with confidence and flair.
Joining the student musicians is Ms Erin Lee our outstanding vocal coach and bass guitar diva while Mr Bland’s powerhouse vocals keep everyone on their toes. Mrs Sell is the glue holding it together behind the scenes.
LIGHTING DESIGN
Madeleine Moore, Lucy Rankin and Emerson Mar
Sophia D’Agord (not pictured)
Minnie Pearce (not pictured)
Charlotte Clark and Hannah Campbell-Pike
SET ASSISTANTS
Lilly
Hill, Chloe West, Tayla Schulz, Isla Robertson, Sasha Malligan and Bronte Whitehead
Acknowledgements
A heartfelt thank you to the many students whose time, energy and creativity brought this production to life. From our dedicated ushers to those supporting hair and make-up on performance nights, your contributions have been invaluable.
We also thank our guest starring teachers as the “Police”!
We extend our sincere appreciation to our outstanding staff and support teams: Director Emma Darling and Musical Director Sue Sell. Vocal Director Erin Lee; Assistant Directors Evelyn Le Pavoux and Tim Bland; Set Designer Sidney Tulau; and Scott Frize and our talented costume team Kylie Wharton, Helen Blackmore-Lee, Emma Smith and Juliet Dymond. Thank you also to James Peake and Laurent from Rouge Ascent for sound engineering. We are grateful to Samantha Cavallaro (props), Mr Scott Frize (design), Emma Smith and Mikaela Connors (choreography) and Jo Larkin, Sarah Elliot and Jesse Penfold (marketing). Finally, a very special thank you to Executive Producer Luke Wharton for his leadership and tireless support in bringing this production together.
