Wireless Mics and Projection for School of Rock (Lloyd Webber)
Show guide · Full-length · 13 principals plus kids' band and adult roles · Reviewed by Stage Gear staff, October 2026
Short answer: plan on 15 channels. Thirteen body mics for Dewey, Rosalie, Ned, Patty and the featured kids plus 2 spares. Add instrument mics or DI for the kids' band, and area mics for teachers and parents.
Stage Gear supplies wireless mics, rentals and projection to school and community theatres across the U.S. Our staff work in theatre; this guide is how we'd mic School of Rock (Lloyd Webber).
Who gets a mic
We counted the four adult principals (Dewey, Rosalie, Ned and Patty) and the nine kids who sing solos or carry scenes: Summer, Tomika, Zack, Freddie, Katie, Lawrence, Marcy, Shonelle and Billy. That is 13 body mics plus 2 spares, for 15 vocal channels. Theo, who fronts No Vacancy, sings like a rock frontman, so give him a handheld on a stand rather than a pack.
Borderline roles: Mason, James, Sophie and Madison have lines in the classroom scenes; area mics or a spare usually cover them. Teachers and parents can share area mics, and Concord notes the adult roles may be doubled. The kids' band needs its own inputs on top of the vocal channels: a DI for Lawrence's keyboard, mics or DIs on Zack's guitar amp and Katie's bass amp, and one or two drum mics only if your room is large.
Bigger budget: add packs for Mason, James, Sophie and Madison for 19 vocal channels. Plan your mixer inputs early, because vocals plus band can pass 24 inputs.
Mic plot
| Ch | Role | Mic | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| Channel 1 | Dewey Finn | Headset, beige | Jumps, slides and plays guitar all show. |
| Channel 2 | Rosalie Mullins | Hairline, beige | Updo hair; soprano solo needs a clean, close mic. |
| Channel 3 | Ned Schneebly | Hairline, beige | Dialogue-heavy scenes with Dewey and Patty. |
| Channel 4 | Patty Di Marco | Hairline, beige | Big comic scenes with lines over music. |
| Channel 5 | Summer Hathaway | Hairline (3 mm), beige | Young performer with a featured Act II solo. |
| Channel 6 | Tomika | Hairline (3 mm), brown | Quiet character with a big solo; ride gain. |
| Channel 7 | Zack Mooneyham | Hairline (3 mm), beige | Plays guitar; keep pack clear of the strap. |
| Channel 8 | Freddie Hamilton | Hairline (3 mm), beige | Drummer; lots of sweat and drum bleed. |
| Channel 9 | Katie | Hairline (3 mm), beige | Plays bass; pack at the back, below the strap. |
| Channel 10 | Lawrence | Hairline (3 mm), beige | Keyboard player with featured lines. |
| Channel 11 | Marcy | Hairline (3 mm), brown | Backup singer with featured lines. |
| Channel 12 | Shonelle | Hairline (3 mm), brown | Backup singer with featured lines. |
| Channel 13 | Billy Sandford | Hairline (3 mm), beige | Band stylist with big comic lines. |
| Channel 14 | Spare | Hairline (3 mm), beige | Kid-size spare for the band or singers. |
| Channel 15 | Spare | Hairline, brown | Adult-size spare in a darker tone. |
Every Bodymic is wired for one transmitter family: Shure, Sennheiser, Audio-Technica, AKG, MiPro or Creative Audio. Build your Bodymics to match the packs you own. Cast Pack: every 4 Bodymics of the same style and capsule size earn a 5th free. This plot is a starting point; change any row to suit your cast.
The ensemble
Teachers, parents and the rest of the class are covered best by 2–3 area or choir mics along the stage edge, especially for the "Faculty Quadrille" and the parent scenes. If a teacher or parent has a featured line over music, move a spare body mic onto them for that scene.
Show notes from our team
- Live kids' band. Keep amps low and angled away from body mics. DI the keyboard, mic or DI guitar and bass, and try drum shields or a lighter kit before adding drum mics.
- Packs and guitar straps. Zack and Katie wear instrument straps. Put packs in mic belts at the small of the back, below the strap, and route cables so a strap never tugs the element.
- Drum bleed. Freddie's body mic will pick up his drums. Mute or pull it down during band numbers when he is not singing, and bring it back for his lines.
- Battle of the Bands. The finale is a full rock concert with the band, Dewey and every kid singing. Build fader groups for vocals and band, ring out the system, and rehearse the finale at show volume.
Projection
School of Rock moves between Dewey's apartment, the Horace Green classrooms, the faculty lounge and a Battle of the Bands concert stage, so projections work well for fast location changes and a rock-show look for the finale. Most school auditoriums need 7,000–10,000 lumens with the right lens; smaller black boxes need less.
Our sister company Broadway Media makes Scenic Projections for School of Rock (Lloyd Webber). Not sure which projector? Read Stage Projectors for Digital Scenery.
Rent it for the run, or own it
| What you get | Next step | |
|---|---|---|
| Rent for the show | A 15-channel wireless rental, Monday to Monday around tech week. Tested before it ships, return labels in every case. | See rental systems |
| Own it | Creative Audio Show-Ready, 16 channels: receivers, bodypacks and antennas racked, programmed and tested. $ 11,190.38. | See the system |
| Mics for the packs you have | Bodymics for the whole cast: hairline from $79, earsets and headsets from $99. | Build your Bodymics |
Buying for a school? U.S. public schools can pay by purchase order. How school ordering works.
Common questions
- How many wireless mics does School of Rock need?
- Plan on 15 channels: body mics for Dewey, Rosalie, Ned, Patty and nine featured kids, plus 2 spares. Budget separate inputs for the kids' band and a stand mic for No Vacancy's singer.
- How do we mic the teachers and parents in School of Rock?
- Use 2–3 area or choir mics along the stage edge for the teacher and parent scenes. Concord notes adult roles can be doubled, and a spare body mic can cover anyone with a featured line.
- Do the kids really play their instruments live?
- In the full-length show the kids' band is a big part of the appeal, so plan for live guitar, bass, keyboard and drums. Keep amps low, DI what you can, and talk to your music director about the pit covering parts.
- Can we rent mics just for our show week?
- Yes. Stage Gear rentals run Monday to Monday around tech week, so you have mics for rehearsals and every performance. Systems arrive tested with return labels, and school purchase orders are welcome.
Doing School of Rock (Lloyd Webber) this year?
Get mic tips for your show and a reminder before rental season books up.
Stage Gear is not a show licensor. School of Rock (Lloyd Webber) is licensed through Concord Theatricals; production rights come from them. Stage Gear sells and rents the equipment. See you on stage!
