Young Ava Masters Talks Playing Live & Her Tour Experience In School Of Rock’s UK Tour
It’s time for part 3 of our School of Rock UK Tour cast interviews – and last but certainly not least is one of the incredibly talented members of the younger cast. Discussing everything from what instruments she plays live in the show to how she felt getting the part and more, here’s our chat with Ava Masters aka Katie in the show!
Tell us about yourself! Where do you come from, and which character do you play?
My name is Ava, I’m 12 years old and I live in Kent. I’m just about to start playing the role of Katie, the bass guitarist, but I have played Sophie, the roadie, for the last 6 months.
What instruments do you play (in the show and outside of the show)?
In the show, I play the bass guitar, but I’ve only learnt how to play this instrument recently. When I was playing Sophie, I used to watch my friend playing in the role of Katie and think how great it would be to do that role, so I taught myself how to play the bass. My friend used to help me when we were backstage and I got tips from the other musicians on the show. I’ve learnt a lot in this role already and can’t wait to develop my skills further as I progress on the tour. Outside of the show, I was learning how to play the electric guitar, which I love…but not as much as my bass now!!
Tell us what it was like finding out you were going to be in School of Rock?
For my first role, the audition process was just under 12 months because of COVID, but when I did find out, it was the best news I had ever received as this was my dream show to be a part of. As a surprise, my Mum, Dad and brother had put balloons and banners around the house and when I walked in from school they had ties around their heads and were jumping around to the music ‘You’re in the band’. I burst into happy tears and started jumping around, I couldn’t believe how lucky I was to be in such an amazing show. For my role of Katie, my mum kept handing me bass related items, like a bass key ring, a jumper with lots of bass guitars on and a hat with a ‘K’ on…as soon as I realised why, I started crying again and practising my bass face, it was the best feeling ever!
What’s your favourite song in School of Rock?
That’s an easy one, it’s definitely ‘Stick it to the Man”, as this is where the children from Horace Green discover their inner rock!
What are your favourite subjects at school?
My favourite subjects are Drama, Music, English and History. I like the practical elements of drama and music and I also love to read and I find learning about the past interesting.
How is it working with so many other like-minded people your age? Do you ever have jam sessions in between shows?
It’s amazing to be around others who are just like me with a passion for drama, especially musicals. We are always singing our favourite show tunes (poor chaperones). Before every show, we have ‘Band Jam’, which is when we play our instruments together in a fun and relaxed way. Sometimes we play songs from the show and sometimes we are taught new songs, which is so much fun. Band Jam really gets us ready for a great show and also helps the whole band bond together.
What’s touring been like?
Touring is an incredible experience, having the opportunity to travel all over the UK is such a fantastic opportunity. My favourite place so far has been Belfast, I loved going on the aeroplane with everyone and the chaperones took us around the city, which was so cool. It’s also great sleeping in hotels with my friends-we have so much fun (hotel breakfasts are incredible). On standby, the chaperones play games with us and we get to watch films with popcorn. We have to complete schoolwork each day in tutoring sessions, but that’s not too bad as we are all together, so it feels like school with your best friends. I do miss home, but we speak to our families every day and they come to see me on tour as often as possible.
Lastly, how would you describe the show in 3 words?
Energetic, hilarious and inspirational!
That concludes our series of cast interviews with School of Rock. Thanks so much for talking with us Ava, and congratulations on your new role!
Check out the behind the scenes show experience and buy your tickets here:
