Disney’s High School Musical

It was a pleasure to return to Pendle Hippodrome Youth Theatre for their production of Disney’s High School Musical (ON STAGE). This story tells the tale of Troy Bolton and Gabriella Montez, who initially meet whilst singing karaoke on holiday, they are reunited when Gabriella transfers to East High, Troy’s school. Their blossoming romance is the cause of much debate amongst their friends, who run within their own cliques and social circles. The moral, stay true to yourself and do not be afraid to try new things.

This production was energetic and bright from the onset. The musical numbers catchy, instantly recognisable in the wake of the massively popular Disney 2006 film. Director, Paige Brett created an exciting show. It was slick, vibrant, and well paced. The cast and crew worked tirelessly; the results were impressive. The company looked and sounded fantastic as they sang close harmonies. I particularly enjoyed ‘Stick to the Status Quo,’ I thought the collective harmonies sounded fabulous. Musical Director, Tim Mason and his orchestra worked hard, the music was high paced, the tempo upbeat. Incidental music went with set changes, keeping the rhythm going throughout. The combination of vocals and music was fantastic. Vocal coach, Matt Whatley had clearly worked hard with the company, resulting in hair-raisingly good harmonies and some strong solo performances. Sound, run by Marcus Whitaker, was clear, with no feedback or dropouts.

The ensemble was full of energy. Choreographer, Charlotte Lawson created exciting routines. The Wild Cat cheerleaders moved with synchronicity; their enthusiasm was obvious. The various ‘cliques’ all moving together when needed, giving everyone an opportunity to display their own talents. The atmosphere during the routine for ‘We’re All in this Together’ was electric; the whole cast clearly enjoying themselves. Routines were pacy, effervescent and thoroughly enjoyable.

The stage looked impressive; it had the appearance of a generic American High School sports hall, the large panels at the rear of the stage turned during scene changes, placing the action in the basketball court, complete with hoop, and the school locker room, to name a few. Both aprons were used to their fullest extent with a large desk and microphone sat stage left, a large mathematical board stage right. The desk was used by the announcer of East High, whilst the students used the maths board, both effectively covering scene changes where needed. A combination of artful lighting and a truck with a flower arbor transformed the stage for the rooftop scene. Set changes were swift and unobtrusive. Stage Managers Paul Thompson and Penelope Hatfield kept everything running smoothly throughout.

Lighting by Stevan Manley and Alice Birt, was colourful throughout, red, blues, cyan and white, picked out certain scenes, highlighting the action on stage. I particularly liked the lit basketball passed through the ensemble at the end of the show, it was most effective. Lighting cues were bob on, rising and falling to perfection. Spotlights picked out the scenes on the aprons, drawing the eye, covering substantial changes on the main stage. The overall effect was fantastic.

The costumes in this production were impressive, the company, split into various groups, jocks, brainiacs, cheerleaders, thespians, skaters, each clearly defined by their clothing, reinforcing the cliques and divisions of the characters played out in the vocals and dialogue. The cast looked great, I loved the cheerleader costumes, they were bright, the reds and whites standing out under the stage lights. The wardrobe team put together an amazing lineup of costumes. The stark white coats of the brainiacs stood out amongst the dark slightly ‘emo’ style skater costumes. The stage was awash with colour. I loved the costumes Sharpay and Ryan wore, clearly defining them as rich and self-absorbed. Visually the whole cast looked great.

James Winter played Troy Bolton. After falling for Gabriella, Troy came under attack from his father (Coach Bolton) and his fellow basketball teammates, as he tried to keep his personal life and sporting integrity intact. Breaking free from the expectations his peers had of him, he set the precedent for the other students to follow their dreams rather than conform to the rules of society. James was confident in this role, his interactions with his fellow actors were strong. I enjoyed his rendition of ‘Get’cha Head in the Game,’ a difficult song that James sang with gusto. An impressive performance from James.

Playing the role of Gabriella Montez was Natalie Barritt. Gabriella, being new to East High, was unaware of the social etiquette of the school. Being intelligent automatically forced her into a specific group of likeminded students. Pressure from all around tried to keep her in her place. She convinced Troy to audition for the school winter show only to be criticised and cajoled by her peers. Natalie had great stage presence, her dialogue was clear, concise, her singing voice beautiful as she hit some astonishing notes. Able to hold her own in duets, her harmonies were strong. I loved ‘Breaking Free’ sung with James, it was melodic, simply lovely, a rounded, memorable performance from Natalie.

Emily Smale played Jack Scott the school announcer. With a desk and microphone, Jack Scott was akin to a narrator, moving time along with witty banter and school information. Emily was jolly funny, delivering lines with clarity and confidence, drawing the eye as the scenes changed in the background. A robust performance, earning Emily plenty of laughs from the audience.

The formidable drama teacher, Miss Darbus, was played by Isla Rigby. Darbus was all things drama, in her flowing colourful outfits, with a melodramatic attitude, she made the audience laugh aloud on many occasions. Isla is an impressive character actor with a powerful stage presence. I loved the overly emotional thespian vibe, the way Isla reacted to certain scenes, all arms and floaty material, a cracking performance from a talented actor.

Freddie McLoughlin played Coach Bolton, basketball coach at East High and Troy’s father. His love of basketball and loathing of the drama department put him at loggerheads with both Troy and Miss Darbus. Freddie was great as the obstinate, pushy coach, his chemistry with fellow actors strong. I loved the scene with Darbus, arguing the merits of sport versus drama. Wonderful character acting from Freddie.

Two great performances came from Amelia Turner-Smith as Sharpay Evans and Thomas Homer as Ryan Evans. Twins who overtook the drama department in the school. Used to getting her own way, Sharpay tried every trick in the book to ensure she got the leading role in the school play. The more dominant twin, she berated and bossed her brother around constantly. Amelia was great in this role, her attitude, facial expressions, and hair flipping solidifying her character. I loved the scene where she sat on another student like a chair, it was very comical indeed. Amelia had strong vocals, her ability to show discontent whilst performing ‘Bop to the Top,’ when Ryan did not perform as she wanted was notable. With an impressive vocal range and confident attitude, Amelia stood out on stage, a wonderful performance all round.

Constantly in Sharpay’s shadow, poor Ryan could not do anything right. Thomas Homer was excellent as Ryan. His characterisation was comical, his outfits loud. I loved the way he portrayed the character, not as nasty as his sister but equally self absorbed, throwing out flippant comments whilst he walked away with his head held high. Thomas confidently ‘messed up’ his dance moves during duets and his vocals were strong throughout. I thought the scene with the newspaper was fabulous, the twins spying on fellow students with eyeholes cut into their paper, hilarious. An impressive performance from Thomas.

Chad Danforth, basketball player and Troy’s best friend, was played by Louis Peel. Louis had an abundance of energy on stage. His dance moves were impressive, his vocals strong. Louis has a great stage presence, and he threw himself wholeheartedly into his role. An impressive performance from the onset.

Zeke Baylor, the basketball player who harboured a crush on Sharpay and liked to bake, was played by Jacob Tierney. Jacob was wonderful in this role. He is a talented actor, with a deep sense of characterisation and a confident singing voice. Well done Jacob.

Ruby Haynes played the role of Martha Cox, a brainiac, cheerleader, who admitted to a love for dancing during ‘Stick to the Status Quo.’ Ruby was excellent in this role, her vocals impressive. Ruby is an actor who draws the eye, she has bundles of energy and stands out whenever she is on stage. An exceptional actor, with a fantastic singing voice.

Lucja Korol played Taylor McKessie, Captain of East High’s Scholastic Decathlon Team, and best friend to Gabriella. Along with Chad, she tried to stop Troy and Gabriella from singing in the winter musical. Lucja gave a solid performance, confident and clear.

Rounding up the principal cast was Tahlia Korol as the character, Kelsie Neilson. Pianist and writer of the songs for the winter show. Tahlia’s movements as she ‘played’ the piano were most convincing. Initially timid in the presence of Sharpay, she stood up for herself and her right to play her music her own way. Tahlia was great in this role. With clear vocals and excellent timing.

With a strong cast and an excellent ensemble this was a thoroughly entertaining show from start to finish. The cast had taken pains to perfect their American accents, and the energy was abundant throughout. I would like to thank everyone at Pendle Hippodrome Youth Theatre for inviting me to their production, and for the warm welcome myself and my husband received. I look forward to many more shows from them in the future.

 

 

 

 

 

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