High School Musical on Stage

This stage version of Disney Channel’s 2006 original movie “High School Musical” was the perfect vehicle to display the talents of the 45 P5 to S1 youngsters who filled the stage with great energy and enthusiasm from the opening “Wildcat Cheer” number to the rousing “High School Musical Megamix” finale which had the audience on their feet cheering and clapping along. Leo Morrice was excellent as the teenage captain of East High School basketball team with a strong singing voice, good acting skills and superb footwork. He made a truly believable pairing with Lexi-Rose Rocks as Gabreilla Montez, new girl to the school and the newest recruit to the Brainiacs quiz team, who had equally good singing, acting and dancing skills. I particularly liked their voices in the “When There Was Me and You” duet in Act 2. Hattie Smith, as over-the-top queen of the drama club Sharpay Evans, played the part as to the manor born as she tried every trick she knew to come between Troy and Gabriella and to win the lead in the school’s musical “Juliet and Romeo”. In these endeavours she was aided and abetted by her twin brother Ryan delightfully played by Jaiden Whyte. Diminutive Oral Gilmore gave a powerhouse performance as drama teacher Mrs Darbus as she swept across the stage in her loud dresses and long silver scarf eliciting much laughter from the audience. Another character who added much to the humour in the piece was Caleb Patterson’s portrayal as Jack Scott the school radio’s DJ. Strong support was given by Ildar Siderenko and Matthew Moar (Troy’s team mates Chad and Zeke), Vada McFarlane and Madison Cooper (Gabriella’s Brainiac team mates Taylor and Martha), Emily Duthie (as Kelsi Neilson the writer/composer of “Juliet and Romeo”) and Sam Boyle (Coach Bolton and Troy’s father). The singing and movement from the ensemble in the large company numbers like “Stick to the Status Quo” and “We’re All In This Together” was outstanding. The costuming was appropriate to the characters and to the era. The set was simple with multiple levels which were made good use of and the stage crew worked fast and unobtrusively when they brought on furniture and props to change the settings. The 5-piece band handled the music well and were supportive of the young voices onstage. Well done everyone for delivering a most entertaining show fully deserving of the extended applause and standing ovation received.

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