In the park across from Jonathan Wagner’s New York City home, the hills are alive with the sound of, well, his music.
As part of his training process to tackle the role of Dewey (a role made popular by Jack Black) in this summer’s Tuacahn production of “School of Rock,” Wagner has been hiking the hills of Manhattan while practicing his lines and songs at the only two volumes his character uses: loud and louder.
“If you’ve ever attempted to do something physical while holding a note, it’s very difficult,” Wagner said.
After reaping the results of a COVID-era lifestyle for the last year Wagner said he knew he had to get back in shape before revisiting the role he understudied on Broadway.
“It’s the Dewey Finn workout, best shape of my life,” Wagner said with a laugh.
Beginning July 17, Wagner’s musical sounds will be reverberating off of a new set of rocks — the majestic red rock backdrop of Tuacahn — when he and his talented cast-mates crank out the energetic rock and roll score by Andrew Lloyd Webber.
“It’s a story that is all about being heard,” Scott Anderson, artistic director for Tuacahn, said of the message behind “School of Rock.” “Not just ‘heard’ in the basic auditory sense, but being listened to and understood. It’s something everyone wants — especially kids.”
Now that Wagner is on site at Tuacahn for rehearsals, he’s keeping up with the “Dewey Finn workout,” but with a few adjustments.
“The mountains here are beautiful, but I can’t handle the sun,” Wagner said. “I get my maximum amount of daily sun just walking to rehearsal.”
Even with the sun and the heat, Wagner is having the time of his life gearing up for the opening of the show.
“We are having so much fun! Maybe too much? No, we’re having exactly the correct amount of fun,” he said.
The Tuacahn production is the first regional version of this musical outside of Broadway and the national tour, something Anderson said Tuacahn feels “extremely fortunate about.”
A high-energy show if ever there was one, Wagner said, “It’s not like ‘Phantom of the Opera,’ where Christine stands still and sings a beautiful song. Every one of Dewey’s songs is sung while sprinting.”
Considering he’ll be sprinting across an 80-foot stage while belting out lyrics to fill a 2,000-seat amphitheater — the mountain climbing fitness regimen makes sense.
“It doesn’t matter if my voice is in shape if I can’t breathe,” Wagner said.
But Wagner won’t be maintaining all that energy alone. Joined by a cast of young musicians culled from both local and national talent pools, Anderson said the level of skill is just incredible.
“It’s going to be a very pleasant surprise to people who are fans of the film,” Anderson said. “To hear it performed by these young people, playing their instruments live on stage, is a real treat.”
Alternating with “School of Rock” in the Tuacahn lineup is a performance that requires just as much energy and passion, put forth in a more calculated, controlled way. After all, how can “The Count of Monte Cristo” exact revenge on those who have wronged him if he’s not subtler in his tactics?
Brought to life as a musical adaptation of the book and film, thanks to the genius of Frank Wildhorn (”Scarlet Pimpernel” and “Jekyll and Hyde”) and Jack Murphy, “The Count of Monte Cristo” is a story of enduring hope, enduring faith and justice.
“People often bring out the idea of redemption within this story, but we find that redemption doesn’t give him the reward he wants,” Anderson said of the journey the title character takes throughout the course of the show. “Sometimes redemption is not justice.”
David Toole, who plays the role of Edmond Dantes/The Count, said it has been a dream come true working with Wildhorn and Murphy on this project, seeing the script massaged and updated to a be even better than in the past.
“These two guys are the best at creating these larger-than-life narratives and these soundscapes that transport you to this huge world,” Toole said.
A world brought to life by Tuacahn’s masterful set designers and scene shop to create a backdrop worthy of what Wes Hamblin, technical director for Tuacahn, refers to as “epic, monumental scores and storytelling.”
Playing Dantes’ love interest and leading lady is Caitlyn Caughell in the role of Mercedes — a woman who exudes strength even in a time when female voices were quieted by society at large.
“I’m always looking for, ‘what did strength look like in that time period?’” Caughell said of her portrayal of Mercedes. “What I love about this story is the reflection on justice and forgiveness and the tension between those two things.”
More than anything, Caughell joins her fellow cast members in rejoicing in the opportunity to return to the stage.
“This last year has been a time to reflect on the gift that it is to be able to tell stories in person to an audience,” Caughell said. “It is such a unique experience.”
Cast and crew at Tuacahn will continue to follow health and safety guidelines put in place that allowed Tuacahn to open its Broadway season this year. Masks, social distancing, regular COVID-19 tests and vaccinations are all part of the process that led to being able to take the stage without masks to perform each night.
“There is something so human about live theater that I have missed and I can’t wait!” Caughell said.
In addition to The Count of Monte Cristo and School of Rock, Tuacahn’s Broadway season includes Disney’s Beauty and the Beast, Annie, Million Dollar Quartet and A Christmas Story. For details on show dates, times and tickets, log onto www.tuacahn.org or call 435-652-3300.
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