DREAMS are coming true for an 11-year-old guitar prodigy who is about to rock the West End stage.
Princethorpe College pupil Toby Lee shot to fame after recording a piece of music for the late BB King which went viral, being viewed more than five million times online.
And after a whirlwind year which has seen the youngster perform across the globe, and at the likes of the London Palladium and Hyde Park, he is set to take on the ‘role of a lifetime’.
Toby beat off stiff competition to bag the role lead guitarist Zack Mooneyham in Andrew Lloyd Webber’s new West End show, School of Rock the Musical.
He told the Observer: “School of Rock the film is the reason I picked up a guitar in the first place. I played it so many times the DVD broke.
“I’ve wanted to be like Zack Mooneyham since I was about five years-old. It’s a dream come true to actually get to be him in the West End.”
But the show – which is based on the hit film starring Jack Black – has not stopped Toby from his studies as he has a private tutor in London and returns to Princethorpe when he can.
Toby is currently practicing for the show at the New London Theatre , which tells the tale of a wannabe rock star who poses as a teacher and turns a class of straight-A students into a rock band.
Toby said: “ I was asked to audition for the show so that’s what I did. I couldn’t believe how many people were at the auditions and it was great fun and I got to meet some really cool friends – some who are now in the show with me.
“I love the rehearsals – everyone is sounding great and it feels like we have been a band for ages.
“Normally when I play onstage it’s with people a lot older than me so I’m really enjoying rocking with kids my own age.”
Tickets are available from October 24 to next January. Visit uk.schoolofrockthemusical.com to find out more.
