QC kids ready to debut Spotlight ‘School of Rock’
Ava Arnold
Updated on March 15, 2026
The newest show at Spotlight Theatre (1800 7th Ave., Moline) opens Friday night, and is a partnership with the QC Rock Academy.
“School of Rock – The Musical” features Andrew Lloyd Webber music, based on the hit movie starring Jack Black. The tuner follows Dewey Finn (played at Spotlight by Adam Sanders), 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?
QC Rock Academy director Greg Hipskind (who is a drum instructor and drummer for Wicked Liz & The Bellyswirls) is longtime friends with Spotlight co-owner Brent Tubbs. Brent reached out about a year ago when they found out they were getting the rights to do the musical.
“He mentioned right away that he’d love for us to partner with them and help get some of our students to be ‘the band’ for the show,” Hipskind said Thursday by e-mail. “The full band of kids are all students of ours plus a couple backing singers. One of our vocal coaches, Laura Hammes, is the musical director for the show.”
There are six Rock Academy students in the show. The drummer, Henrik Senne, 13, is one of Hipskind’s personal students and they have been working on the songs for at least four months.
Guitarist Malcolm Fraser is just 11 years old and Hipskind said he’s the perfect fit to play Zack Mooneyham. The female bassist is 14-year-old Breleigh Moran, and she has done many other local theater shows. Keyboardist Enzo Passini is 12, and “he is an amazing player,” Hipskind said.
“Two of our vocal students, Elena Skadal and Amelia Kipp, are part of the background singers for the band,” he added.
“I got a sneak peek of the show during rehearsals on Tuesday and they’ve put together a great production,” Hipskind said. “I think people will be impressed by the musical talent of these kids as they are performing the songs live each night. We are very proud of these kids for all the hard work they’ve put in and they sound great!”
The 2015 musical features lyrics by Glenn Slater and a book by Julian Fellowes (creator of “Downton Abbey”). It’s based on the 2003 film of the same name, which was written by Mike White (“The White Lotus”).
Lloyd Webber produced the stage musical on Broadway and in the West End, penning 14 new numbers for the show, which additionally features all of the original songs from the movie. The composer’s tracks “You’re in the Band” and “Stick it to the Man” are well on their way to becoming rock solid standards, while the finale with “Teacher’s Pet” brings audiences to their feet, according to a synopsis.
The Spotlight production will be performed at 7 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays (Sept. 29-30, Oct. 6-7), and 2 p.m. Sundays, Oct. 1 and 8. Tickets are $20 ($25 for floor seating), available HERE.
