‘School of Rock’ cast includes 20 elementary students from Fontana

Twenty elementary school students from the Fontana Unified School District will make their stage debut in Theatrical Arts Foundation’s March 17-19 production of “School of Rock” at the California Theatre of Performing Arts in San Bernardino.

The musical, based on the 2003 movie, is by Julian Fellowes with music by Andrew Lloyd Webber and lyrics by Glenn Slater.

The Fontana students, from Canyon Crest and Dorothy Grant elementary schools, have been rehearsing for weeks with A.B. Miller High School multimedia design and drama teacher Joseph Henson, who is serving as producer and director of the play. The students are being choreographed and coached by professionals and will perform alongside professional actors.

In an exclusive arrangement, more than 1,200 of the Fontana Unified School District’s elementary school students will be able to see the show, made possible through a partnership between the career technical education and visual and performing arts departments, which will pay for tickets and transportation to the event.

“This is a really great opportunity for our youngest students to discover the joy of theater and work as actors in a professional show,” Henson said in a news release. “The goal is to get the students interested in pursuing a CTE drama pathway by giving them their first live theater experience, and also to have their classmates see them perform with the intent of getting them interested as well.”

Canyon Crest fifth-grader Airiel Aceves and fourth-grader Morris Giddens are among the cast members of “School of Rock.” Airiel plays Violet, one of two backup performers in the School of Rock band, and Morris plays James, who serves as the band’s security guard during their rehearsals.

“I was in a Christmas play about four years ago, and it was really fun and it inspired me to try out for ‘School of Rock,’ ” Airiel said in the news release. “It feels amazing to be in the cast and I feel very lucky that I was able to get in. Every time I walk through the doors I feel like I’m in my happy place again.”

For Airiel, the biggest challenges during rehearsals have been timing her moves around her fellow cast members and learning to hit all the high notes. For Morris, the biggest challenge has been learning his lines.

“I really like acting because my whole family does it. My cousin, my sister and my brothers have all been in plays, so I wanted to try it out,” Morris said in the news release. “I like working with Mr. Henson. He has also come up with some pretty cool moves.”

Henson’s experience includes more than 30 years as a theater and movie producer, director and graphic artist. He has staged more than 500 theater productions, both locally and across the United States, according to the news release.

Working with tutors from Cal State University San Bernardino, Henson provides after-school theater instruction at nearly two dozen Fontana Unified elementary schools.

Public performances of “School of Rock” are 8 p.m. today, 2 and 8 p.m. Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday. For tickets and information, go to californiatheatre.net or call 909885-8263.

The California Theatre is at 562 W. Fourth St., San Bernardino.