Father and son share the stage in Raleigh Little Theatre's School of Rock

Raleigh Little Theatre has turned School of Rock into a family affair, with Erik Agle cast as Dewey Finn and his son, Aaron Agle, playing Freddie Hamilton. Their debut together gives the Cantey V. Sutton Theatre production a personal hook that fits Raleigh’s arts calendar and the theater’s neighborhood role.

The musical, based on the film, is running June 5-28 with performances Thursday through Saturday at 8 p.m. and Sunday at 3 p.m. Raleigh Little Theatre has said the show features four young musicians who play live onstage as part of the production, keeping the energy rooted in the same kind of performance that helped make the story a crowd favorite.

What makes the production stand out in Wake County is not just the title on the marquee, but the relationship behind it. Erik Agle has watched his son grow as a performer, while Aaron Agle has leaned on his father for practical help during rehearsals and on the drive to and from performances. Aaron, who has spent years drumming, is taking a leap into acting, and the show gives that step a public stage in front of local audiences.

That multigenerational connection fits Raleigh Little Theatre’s larger place in the city. The company says its season runs from July to June each year, and it is entering its 90th year in the 2026-2027 season. It also says it has used theater to enrich, educate, entertain and engage for more than 75 years, a mission that shows up in productions like this one, where the cast list itself becomes part of the story.

For Raleigh, the value of a show like School of Rock is not limited to the music. In a city where downtown and neighborhood venues compete with government meetings, sports and summer events, a father and son sharing the stage in a local theater offers something more durable: a live, neighborhood-level reminder that community arts still build ties across generations. Raleigh Little Theatre’s Volunteer Access Fund also adds a practical layer of support for people with transportation barriers, reinforcing its role as a place where participation reaches beyond ticket sales alone.