High School Musical Jr

High School Musical Jr follows the story of the students at East High. The basketball stars play basketball, the brainiacs focus on science, the drama club takes centre stage and the cheerleaders keep the school spirit alive. However, when new student Gabriella Montez arrives after meeting the basketball captain Troy Bolton over New Year, an unexpected friendship begins to challenge everything the students believe about fitting in. As auditions for the school musical approach, Troy and Gabriella discover talents they never knew they had, much to the frustration of Sharpay and Ryan. With rivalries growing, championship games, science competitions and call back auditions colliding, the students must decide whether to follow expectations or their hearts. It’s a celebration of individuality, teamwork and having the courage to be yourself and prove that everyone is capable of more than they think.

Corby Amateur Theatrical Society delivered a whistle‑stop tour through all the iconic moments of High School Musical, capturing the spirit, pace, and youthful energy of the beloved film. Under Marcia Mitchell’s direction, the production moved briskly from scene to scene, supported by Peter Morgan’s musical direction, which ensured the cast were confident and secure in every musical number.

Tehya gave a beautifully sincere performance as Gabriella, bringing warmth and clarity to the role. Opposite her, Aiden was a confident and likeable Troy, handling the demands of the part with ease. It was lovely to see how Aiden has grown in confidence since last seeing him in CATS’ Legally Blonde Jr. Carly and Baylee offered confident performances as Sharpay and Ryan, showing capability across singing, dancing, and acting, and portraying the characters with enthusiasm. Emily Rose’s Kelsi was shy, sweet, and perfectly characterised, while Joshua brought confidence and charm to Chad. Curtis played the role of Zeke with ease, and Maisie’s enthusiastic portrayal of Ms Darbus lit up every scene she entered. KJ commanded the stage as Coach Bolton, delivering a strong, authoritative performance and Theo as Jack Scott kept the scenes moving with his voiceover announcements.

What was most evident throughout was how much fun the cast were having. Their joy was infectious, and it was clear they loved being part of this production.

The use of a projection screen was a clever and effective choice. With such a fast‑paced show, the screen helped the audience keep track of each location instantly, enhancing the storytelling without ever detracting from the performers.

Get’cha Head in the Game was a choreographic highlight — the cast handled basketballs throughout the number without losing control once, which is no small feat. It was tight, energetic, and genuinely impressive. The nod to the original, well‑loved choreography in We’re All in This Together was a delight. The energy was infectious and it made me want to get up and join in!

The lighting throughout was bright and colourful, enhancing the upbeat atmosphere on stage. The props were minimal but appropriate for the era and setting, including a basketball hoop on stage. Each characters’ costumes were vibrant, reflecting their personalities perfectly. The basketball and cheerleading uniforms reflected the classic East High look, capturing the colours and style that audiences associate with the original production.

Unfortunately, the sound let the cast down. Backing tracks were far too loud, and even with microphones, the performers struggled to be heard over them — particularly in spoken dialogue. It was a real shame, as the cast had clearly worked incredibly hard.

Diction is an area to develop in future productions, especially when accent work is involved. Encouraging the cast to use th rather than ff would add clarity and polish to their delivery and elevate the overall performance.

High School Musical is one of my favourite shows, and Corby Amateur Theatrical Society certainly didn’t disappoint. The cast worked incredibly hard to bring this musical to life, finishing the performance with a heartfelt tribute to their late cast mate, Ella. I’m sure she would have been very proud of every single person who stepped onto that stage. Well done!

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