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鈥淪chool of Rock,鈥� a musical based on the hit 2003 Jack Black movie and featuring music by Andrew Lloyd Webber, has opened on Broadway.聽

鈥淪chool鈥� tells the story of musician Dewey Finn, who takes a job as a substitute teacher at a private school and gets his students excited about rock 鈥榥鈥� roll.聽

The show stars Alex Brightman as Dewey as well as 鈥淭he Phantom of the Opera鈥� actress Sierra Boggess as uptight principal Rosalie and Brandon Niederauer, Jared Parker, Isabella Russo, and Bobbi MacKenzie, among others, as Dewey鈥檚 students.聽

So far, the musical itself, which opened on Dec. 6, has received mixed reviews but almost all critics have praised the younger members of the cast, many of whom play their own instruments in the show.

When the show was announced, the fact that 鈥淪chool鈥� was being adapted for Broadway wasn鈥檛 all that surprising 鈥� it鈥檚 far from the first critically well-received hit to come to the Great White Way. But one of the aspects that got the most attention was the involvement of Webber, who composed the music for the show. (Another famous name is on the script 鈥� 鈥淒ownton Abbey鈥� creator Julian Fellowes penned the adaptation.)

Webber is best known for his hits such as 鈥淭he Phantom of the Opera,鈥� 鈥淐ats,鈥� and 鈥淓vita.鈥� It could be said that the composer hasn鈥檛 scored a big hit in some time 鈥� such efforts as the 2010 West End 鈥淧hantom鈥� sequel 鈥淟ove Never Dies,鈥� which never came to Broadway; 2005鈥檚 鈥淭he Woman in White鈥�; and 2004鈥檚 鈥淏ombay Dreams鈥� all fizzled.聽

But Webber had an astonishing early run. His 1970s musicals 鈥淛esus Christ Superstar,鈥� 鈥淛oseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat,鈥� 鈥淓vita,鈥� and 鈥淐ats鈥� all became hits and 鈥淧hantom鈥� was the biggest of all. It鈥檚 still running on Broadway, becoming the longest-running show there in history. Until a few years ago, it was also the highest-grossing Broadway musical of all time, though the Disney show 鈥淭he Lion King鈥� has now surpassed it.

How is the influence of Webber鈥檚 shows still being felt today? 鈥淪uperstar鈥� arrived as Broadway musicals based more in the rock genre were gaining popularity. Such shows as 鈥淪uperstar,鈥� 鈥淗air,鈥� and 鈥淕rease鈥� all added a more modern feel to Broadway musicals and could be said to have paved the way for more current hits like 鈥淪pring Awakening鈥� and the current smash 鈥淗amilton,鈥� which incorporates hip-hop sounds, among many other genres.聽

In some ways, Webber鈥檚 shows also cemented a certain earnestness and over-the-top aura that many still associate with Broadway musicals. Some critics and theatergoers decry, for example, the melodramatic plot of 鈥淧hantom鈥� and over-the-top songs. Some of Webber鈥檚 shows established these qualities as the first characteristics people think of when they think of Broadway musicals.

In addition, "Phantom" was an important component of the 1980s popularity of the mega-musical. These productions, which include "Phantom," "Les Mis茅rables," and "Miss Saigon" (which opened on Broadway in 1991), are shows that all boast many special effects and often elaborate sets. These shows can become staples of Broadway, running for many years. With crowd-pleasers like "Phantom" and "Les Mis," the familiar titles may attract Broadway visitors unfamiliar with other productions and audience members can be lured in with the promise of spectacle.聽

Whether 鈥淪chool鈥� becomes a hit or disappears quickly, Webber and his legacy will remain an important part of modern theater culture.