DISNEY'S HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL 2 Closes at Omaha's The Rose, 6/20

Following up the record-breaking production of Disney's High School Musical presented at The Rose last summer, Troy, Gabriella, Sharpay and the rest of the Wildcat gang will return for the sequel. Featuring a cast of 45 and directed by acclaimed New York director Rob Urbinati, The Rose's production of Disney's High School Musical 2 will be presented June 4-20, 2010.

It's the conclusion of junior year and the Wildcats are busy making their summer plans. A lucky few - Sharpay and Ryan - plan to lounge around the pool at the Lava Springs Country Club. With the impending reality of college tuition on their minds, the others have their sights set on summer jobs. Sharpay conjures up the seemingly perfect plan: to have Troy work at the country club while she works at stealing his heart from Gabriella. Her plan backfires when Troy brings all of the Wildcats with him to work at the country club - including Gabriella.

"It's a sequel with the same principal characters," said director Rob Urbinati. "But, the cliques were united at the end of Disney's High School Musical and now we have a new conflict - class."

There are real differences between the lives of the country club "guests" and the "workers." Troy becomes torn between both worlds when Sharpay and her family offer to help him secure a
college scholarship. As Troy takes advantage of Sharpay's help, Gabriella and the Wildcats get left behind. But, by the show's end, the gang reunites, and even Sharpay learns the importance of supporting those you love.

The Disney's High School Musical 2 cast includes professional actors as well as local teens and adults. The cast features 12 actors who participated in Disney's High School Musical last summer, as well as many fresh new faces.

The audience can expect to hear all of their favorite songs from Disney's High School Musical 2 plus several additional songs that were cut from the movie.

"There are big production numbers involving the entire cast, like ‘What Time Is It?,' ‘Every Day,' and ‘All for One,' and there are great solos for the principle characters, like Gabriella's ‘Gotta Go My Own Way' and Troy's ‘Bet on It,'" said Urbaniti. "There is even a "mash-up," where two
entirely different songs are spliced together, like they do on the hit TV show, GLEE."

Choreographer Sue Gillespie Booton is creating the original dance numbers for the production. "I have tried to keep the ‘flavor' of the choreography from the movie," she said. "The music has been adapted for a live stage, allowing for more big production type songs."

In creating the sets for this production, designers have re-envisioned the sun-splashed Lava Springs Country Club for The Rose's mainstage. The colorful backdrops will be accented with key props including a larger than life clock and a swimming pool that
seemingly brims with sparkling blue water.

Disney's High School Musical 2 will be presented June 4-20 on The Rose mainstage, 2001
Farnam Street, downtown Omaha, with performances at 7pm every Friday; 2pm every
Saturday and Sunday; as well as 7 pm Thursday, June 10 and 17. The production is
recommended for ages 6 to adult and will run 120 minutes with intermission.
Tickets for Disney's High School Musical 2 are $25 (main floor seating) or $20 (balcony seating) and may be purchased at The Rose Box Office, 2001 Farnam Street, by calling (402) 4849, or
online at www.rosetheater.org. Rose 09/10 family members receive a $5 per ticket discount. Group rates for parties of 10 or more are available by calling (402) 502-.4625.

The Rose's 2009/2010 season is sponsored by the Children's Hospital & Medical Center.
Disney's High School Musical 2 is sponsored by Mutual of Omaha, WOWT Channel 6, KGOR, the Nebraska Arts Council and Oriental Trading.

The book for Disney's High School Musical 2 was written by David Simpatico. The songs were written by Matthew Gerrard and Robbie Nevil; David N. Lawrence and Faye Greenberg; Randy Petersen and Kevin Quinn; Jamie Houston, Bryan Louiselle, Andy Dodd, and Adam Watts; and Antonia Armato and Tim James. The music was adapted, arranged, and produced by Bryan Louiselle. The show is based on a Disney Channel original movie written by Peter Barsocchini and is presented through special arrangement with Music Theatre International.