Character guide
Dewey Finn
Dewey Finn is the failed rock musician who poses as a substitute teacher in School of Rock: The Musical, the 2015 show with music by Andrew Lloyd Webber.
- Show
- School of Rock: The Musical
- Broadway premiere
- 2015
- Role
- Lead
- Music by
- Andrew Lloyd Webber
Dewey Finn: from the film to Broadway
Broadway compared with the 2003 film
Alex Brightman originated Dewey on Broadway in 2015 and earned a Tony nomination for Best Actor in a Musical; Jack Black played him in Richard Linklater's 2003 film, written by Mike White. The premise is unchanged: a broke, fired rock guitarist poses as a substitute teacher at a prestigious prep school and turns his class into a band for the Battle of the Bands.
The musical gives Dewey new Andrew Lloyd Webber songs, including When I Climb to the Top of Mount Rock and Math Is a Wonderful Thing, alongside the film's title song, School of Rock, written by Sammy James Jr. and Mike White.
Who is Dewey Finn?
Dewey Finn is a broke, kicked out of his own band rock musician who impersonates his roommate to land a substitute teaching job at a strict prep school. Rather than teaching the standard curriculum, he secretly forms his students into a rock band, aiming to enter a Battle of the Bands contest and reclaim some of his own lost glory.
Over the course of the show Dewey grows from a selfish, immature slacker into someone who genuinely cares about the kids he is teaching, discovering that mentoring them means more to him than the fame he originally chased.
Dewey's role in School of Rock: The Musical
Dewey Finn is the lead role of the show, demanding a performer with both raw rock vocals and strong comic timing to carry a character who is on stage for nearly the entire runtime. Alex Brightman originated the role on Broadway and earned a Tony nomination for Best Actor in a Musical for his performance.
Audiences remember Dewey for his manic energy and unexpected sincerity, as a character who starts out as pure comic chaos but earns real emotional investment by the time he leads his students in the show's climactic performance.
Dewey Finn: frequently asked questions
What show is Dewey Finn from?
Dewey Finn is the lead character of School of Rock: The Musical, which opened on Broadway in 2015.
Is Dewey Finn a lead or supporting role?
Dewey Finn is the lead role of School of Rock: The Musical.
Who wrote the music for School of Rock: The Musical?
Andrew Lloyd Webber composed the music, with lyrics by Glenn Slater.
Think you can name today's mystery character in eight guesses?
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School of Rock: The Musical show guideMusical theatre characters A to Z