Review: HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL, starring KayCee Stroh and Harry Judd

The Troubadour transforms into East High as we follow Troy and Gabriella’s budding relationship amid social pressure and petty rivalry. High School Musical was the network’s first big success, skyrocketing the careers of Zac Efron and Vanessa Hudgens, among others. Twenty years after its premiere on Disney Channel, the Millennial staple hits the stage in a charming, energetic production. The original target audience will have grown out of the material by now (and will have re-set their aim from Troy to his dad), but nostalgia is king, so it makes perfect sense to celebrate such a turning point in teenage television with a large-scale and snazzy theatre adaptation. 

Though the originating Disney team doesn’t seem to be involved, the vibe of the film is perfectly maintained. Bryan Louiselle takes over the musical aspect, adapting and producing the soundtrack as well as writing new songs. David Simpatico writes the book: his script can be a bit cheesy and straightforward in its easy unpretentiousness, but it delivers all the beats without a hitch. That saccharine quality of the movie that has previously divided critics is also carried over, justly and rightfully. 

Hope Mill Theatre’s Joseph Houston and William Whelton co-direct with a snappy pace that flows into Aaron Renfree’s absolutely enthralling choreography. The large choral numbers is where the real strength of the project lies. The dancing ensemble is a taut, cohesive group of exceptionally skilled young performers. From dancing with basketballs to coordinating three different scenes (Troy’s game, Ryan and Sharpay’s audition, and Gabriella’s science competition) at once, Renfree’s work is truly impressive, with many evocative examples of collaborative stagecraft. 

Acting-wise, the piece is mostly good. The show is being sold with two main stars: Kaycee Stroh (who iconically portrayed Martha in the movie, the quiet girl with a passion for hip-hop) and Harry Judd. She tears the house down as Ms Darbus, the inflexible, stern drama teacher, but McFly’s drummer plods along as Coach Bolton. If Stroh is a revelation, Judd’s contribution is a handful of overacted segments. She steals the scene and saves it for both their sakes.

Tobias Turley and Leonor Correia make an endearing teenage couple. They’re sensible choices for the leads, each making the character their own. Troy and Gabriella are quite bland by nature, but Turley and Correia have enough chemistry to lift their personalities. Caitlin Tipping and Luke Bayer are endlessly comical as Sharpay and Ryan, the showbiz twins with a variety of insecurities that are more pronounced here than in the film. Tipping is remarkable, and her shoe collection (Sophia Pardon at the costume design) is to die for. A few mentions of honours: Curtis Patrick is a lovable nerd; Char Burnett is a confident Taylor; and Yna Tresvalles is simply adorable as Kelsi.

While the “immersive” elements may seem mostly visual at first glance, the company is hands on with crowd engagement. The cheerleaders kick off the action by teaching you the Wildcats cheer, and there are plenty of call-and-response moments à la real-life matches including cameras on the audience. It’s fun. All things considered, this is commercial theatre at its finest: slightly soulless, but incredibly entertaining and appealing to the nostalgic kids who grew up pining for Zac Efron. The story is evergreen, covering themes of authenticity and school politics. The young thespians who may have seen the new series will adore it, and their Millennial counterparts will relish the opportunity to reminisce

Reader Reviews

To post a comment, you must register and login.