Sign ups for our Summer Show season for our youth Performance Program begin Monday April 24.

We have eight show sessions on tap. Rehearsals will begin in June with performances in August and September. (The Senior Showcase show will have a performance in early August).

Once again, we will have an abbreviated performance at midseason as a way to pave the way for a great final full performance. This performance will not be the full show, but a set made up of the first half of the music learned.

We welcome new members to our performance program. Those not enrolled at the school should contact us at 513-770-1257 or at mason@schoolofrock.com.

The shows/sessions we plan are:

• Queen (Mondays 5:45-7:15pm)
• Queen (Mondays 7:30-9pm)
• Rage Against the Machine and System of a Down (Tuesdays 4:15-5:45pm)
• Rage Against the Machine and System of a Down (Tuesdays 6-7:30pm)
• No Doubt (Wednesdays 7:30-9pm)
• Best of the '80s (Saturdays 12:45-2:15pm)
• Best of the '80s (Saturdays 2:30-4pm)
• Senior Showcase (Sundays 2-3:30pm)

More info on each show is below. Please note the performance dates for each show. We know that vacations can affect student availability during the summer and are used to working around them.

Parents of current students will be sent instructions on how to sign up online. Current and past performance students are welcome to sign up. Those in Rock 101 or lessons only who are interested in these shows should reach out to Stephen Kuffner or Alex Cook, who will consult their show directors and instructors to determine if they are show ready.

WE STRONGLY ENCOURAGE EVERY STUDENT AND PARENT TO CONSULT WITH THEIR INSTRUCTOR TO GET A GOOD IDEA AS TO WHICH SHOWS ARE MOST EDUCATIONALLY APPROPRIATE. We wish to see all students progress over the show season. Some shows may not offer sufficient challenge; others may be too challenging and lead to frustration.

Once again, we will keep cast sizes small; therefore, we ask students to think about several shows that they would be interested in performing in as any given show may be oversubscribed.

Below is more information on each show.

QUEEN

The inimitable British rock band formed in London in 1970 by Freddie Mercury (lead vocals, piano), Brian May (guitar, vocals) and Roger Taylor (drums, vocals), later joined by John Deacon (bass). Their earliest works were influenced by progressive rock, hard rock and heavy metal, but the band gradually ventured into more conventional and radio-friendly works by incorporating elements of pop and glam rock, evolving into a style that borders on theatrical at times. Queen remains one of the most beloved and influential classic rock bands to this day.

• Opportunities for guitar, bass, drums, keys, vocals
• Intermediate to advanced skill level
• This show will be a combined performance put on by two different rehearsal groups. Both groups will rehearse on Mondays starting Mon Jun 5.
• One group will be directed by Logan Flum from 5:45pm to 7:15pm
• The other group will be directed by Lynn Beatty from 7:30pm to 9pm.
• Midseason performance at the school on Sat Aug 12
• Final performance at Southgate House Revival on Fri Sep 22
• Click here for examples of the music. Please note these are examples and may or may not be included in the show. The final set list will be fitted to the cast.

RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE and SYSTEM OF A DOWN

In the 1990’s, Rage Against the Machine blended hard rock and hip hop in a way that revolutionized both genres; few artists have been able to emulate that blend as well since then. The band’s tight rhythm section utilized heavy riffs and funky, syncopated grooves to support lead guitarist Tom Morello’s soaring lead guitar parts, which made use of effects pedals in new and creative ways to create complex textures and soundscapes. These powerful instrumentals combined with lead vocalist Zac de la Rocha’s searing political commentary made for a ground breaking new sound.

System of a Down is an American heavy metal band formed in Glendale, California. Two of its founding members, Serj Tankian (Lead Vocals) and Daron Malakian (Guitar, Vocals), grew up and went to the same school in Armenia, although they didn’t actually meet until years later when they formed their first band together. System of a Down’s debut self titled album was well received among hard rock fans, but their next two albums, Toxicity (2001) and Steal This Album (2002) made them household names in the American hard rock scene.

*Disclaimer: Students and their parents who sign up for this show should be fully aware that these bands are known for taking controversial stances and sometimes use profanity in their lyrics. We will address the language on a song by song basis and make sure that students on a song are comfortable with the original language or edit the language.

• Opportunities for guitar, bass, vocals, drums
• Intermediate to advanced skill level
• This show will be a combined performance put on by two different rehearsal groups. Both groups will rehearse on Tuesdays starting Tue Jun 6.
• James Harmon will direct both groups.
• One group will rehearse from 4:15pm to 5:45pm
• The other group will rehearse from 6:00pm to 7:30pm.
• Midseason performance at the school on Sat Aug 12
• Final performance at the Woodward Theater on Sun Sep 24
• Click here for examples of the music. Please note these are examples and may or may not be included in the show. The final set list will be fitted to the cast.

NO DOUBT

An American band based out of Anaheim, California, No Doubt’s sound was originally heavily rooted in punk, ska and new wave. The band’s first two albums went relatively unnoticed, but their third release, Tragic Kingdom (1995), launched them to stardom and saw their single, “Don’t Speak”, at the top of the billboard charts for 16 weeks. With their next couple of albums, the band leaned into reggae and dancehall styles, blended with a more pop-centric and electronic sound. In the mid-2000’s, the band went on a brief hiatus while front-woman Gwen Stefani launched her solo career with a couple of successful solo albums. In 2008, the band reunited, and eventually released their latest record, Push and Shove (2012). They have sold over 33 million records worldwide to date.

• Opportunities for guitar, bass, drums, keys, vocals. Those who can play horns as well are welcome.
• All skill levels welcome
• This show will be directed by Alex Cook.
• Rehearsals will be on Wednesday evenings from 7:30pm to 9pm starting Wed Jun 7.
• Midseason performance at the school on Sun Aug 13
• Final performance at Southgate House Revival on Fri Sep 22
• Click here for examples of the music. Please note these are examples and may or may not be included in the show. The final set list will be fitted to the cast.

BEST OF THE '80s

On August 1, 1981, music fans were catapulted into the '80s music era by the debut of a cultural phenomenon: MTV. This new music format - the music video - gave old and new artists alike the chance to reach unimaginable numbers of diverse audiences and sell millions of records and cassette tapes.

The Best of the '80s show will feature a diverse mix of styles and artists, and will be a challenging and fun experience for students of any instrument or experience level.  Although pop acts such as Michael Jackson, Madonna, Cyndi Lauper and Prince reigned supreme in the '80s, rock bands like Metallica, Guns N’ Roses, Journey, and Bon Jovi and new wave artists such as Blondie, Talking Heads, Duran Duran, Tears for Fears, The Cars, The Go-Go’s and The Pretenders reaped the benefits from the ‘decade of excess’. 

• Opportunities for guitar, bass, drums, vocals, keys
• All skill levels welcome
• This show will be a combined performance put on by two different rehearsal groups. Both groups will rehearse on Saturdays starting Sat Jun 3
• One group will have more of an emphasis on rock and metal. It will rehearse from 12:45pm to 2:15pm and be directed by Jim Woodie.
• The other group will have more of an emphasis on pop, alternative and new wave. It will rehearse from 2:30 to 4pm and be directed by Tom Shriver.
• Midseason performance at the school on Sun Aug 13
• Final performance at the Woodward Theater on Sun Sep 24
• Click here for examples of the music. Please note these are examples and may or may not be included in the show. The final set list will be fitted to the cast.

SENIOR SHOWCASE

This show will serve as a last hurrah and a celebration of our graduating seniors who have participated in at least one previous season of our performance program. It will be an abbreviated show season, lasting roughly two months (June/July) with a performance in early August in order for seniors who are starting college in August to be able to participate.  

The music for this show will be chosen with input from the seniors who are participating in it. Each student will get to perform on at least one song they have chosen to be in the show. In order to make casting and song selection as easy as possible, it is recommended that the students try to have multiple song suggestions, and when possible, to collaborate on song suggestions with their bandmates. Due to the shortened timeline of this show, it will be crucial that participating students master their songs quickly in order to have a great performance by the end of the two-month long season.

• Opportunities for guitar, bass, drums, vocals, keys
• Rehearsals on Sundays 2-3:30pm starting Sun June
• Andrew Holbrook will direct
• All skill levels welcome. The only requirement for participation is that students must be graduating from high school this spring 2023, and they must have participated in at least one show season prior to this.