Think of prep school substitute teacher Dewey Finn in "School of Rock" as a 21st century musical variation on Harold Hill in "The Music Man." Anyone family with the high energy, often hilarious Jack Black movie of the former(2003) knows that Dewey, like River City school band-leading Hill, is a clever charismatic con man—one who knows more about making his Horace Green Academy classroom exciting than teaching students about music.

If you loved the film's stirring if somewhat thin plot, very positive message of diversity and understanding and appealing musical segments, you will be rocking in your seat at an above average tour that captures the fectious spirit of its Broadway predecessor (a best musical nominee running through at the Winter Garden).

Sporting one of Andrew Lloyd Webber's better recent scores—with evocative lyrics by Glenn Slater, "School of Rock"—as in the film—takes would be rock and roll star Dewey on a madcap odyssey to self-realization.

That odyssey begins with an impulsive decision by the jobless hero to take on the substitute job meant for his best friend Ned. As Dewey seems to improvise his classroom techniques, he proceeds to elude questions from standards-conscious Horace Green principal Rosalie about his methods. Even so, he succeeds in encouraging his students to rise to the challenges of their respective voices and musical instruments.

Eventually his very bright students become a unified ensemble whose rewarding musical performance demonstrates self-empowerment even as it impresses their parents. Those parents include an African-American businessman and a doting gay couple.

Musical buffs will appreciate the fact that the young actors who portray the students in "School of Rock" actually play their instruments—and very well, for that matter. Notably Mystic Inscho plays a mean lead guitar as Zack—who introduces his own composition, and Leanne Parks the same on bass as Katie.

Theo Mitchell-Penner has the right passion on keyboard as intense Leonard, while Cameron Trueblood is properly hard-driving on drums as Freddy. In "The Music Man," their counterparts simply make enough sounds to satisfy their own parents about Hill's credibility leading them as band leader.

By contrast, both shows are similar with regard to romance. Where Hill falls in love with River City's Marian the librarian in "The Music Man," Dewey and Rosalie share an unlikely but delightfully convincing romance in "School of Rock."

Another essential difference between "The Music Man" and "School of Rock" involves the young people being generally more supportive characters in the former and the students actually become more and more important in the latter as its title suggests. Character wise, "School of Rock" could do with more individually developed parents and faculty members with connected songs.

Even so, director Laurence Connor gives smartly balanced attention to Dewey and the students' respective challenges and blossoming as characters. Merritt David Janes (Gary Trainor at some performances) is properly expansive and likeable as Dewey. He fully convinces firing up the class—especially on the snappy number "Stick It to the Man." Lexie Dorsett Sharp moves smoothly from a restrained principal to a date comfortable with both Dewey and the music of Stevie Nicks. Her vibrant delivery of the beautiful solo "Where Did the Rock Go?" is a true highlight.

Camille de La Cruz—who finds ostensibly diffident Tomika's niche as the class' lead singer—movingly sings "Amazing Grace" in a rendition deservedly receiving extended applause. Layne Roate has the right early reserve and nerdy body language as Ned.

As the Horace Green students arrive at the Battle of the Bands, Dewey heartily reminds them, "We came here to rock." To borrow from the show's soulful score, the entire cast climb to the top of Mount Rock.