High School Musical hits the stage

First the smash hit Disney Channel Original Movie, then the record breaking soundtrack, and now Disney’s High School Musical spreads its magic across the country on its first ever UK theatre tour.

This spectacular stage production, complete with everyone’s favourite characters and all of the unforgettable songs from the movie, will tour to towns and cities across Britain throughout 2008.

The producers have announced the full cast for the show, which opens at the Churchill Theatre, Bromley on 24 January 2008, as well as additional dates to the tour, booked due to huge public demand.

The leading roles of Troy Bolton and Gabriella Montez are played by Ashley Day (On The Town and Mary Poppins) and Lorna Want (Les Miserables and Evita) respectively.

Ruling drama queen Sharpay and her faithful brother and sidekick Ryan will be played by Helen George and Lee Honey-Jones and the principal cast is completed by Carlton Connell as Chad, Hannah Levane as Taylor, Claire Machin, Mark Dickinson, Cathryn Davis, Jennifer Tanarez, Richard Vincent and Dominic Tribuzio.

The cast also includes Ashley Andrews, Drew Campbell, Matthew Cheney, Dan Cooke, Lewis Greenslade, Natalie Hope, Mark Hilton, Robert Jones, Sarah Kitson, Richard Leeson, Buchi Osuji, Simone Palmer, Soeli Parry, Tania Pieri, Jessica Phillips, David Purdue, Amy Ross, Bonnie Laura Smith and Charlotte Walcotte.

Also announced today are the following additional touring dates; Oxford, Canterbury, Northampton, Belfast, Crawley, Aberdeen, Plymouth, Cardiff and Leeds. A total of 28 venues will now be visited on the tour with further dates likely to be announced soon.
This new stage adaptation of the hit musical Disney Channel Original Movie features a book by David Simpatico (adapted from the original movie script by Peter Barsocchini), and a score including all songs from the original chart-topping soundtrack, including the UK hit singles Breaking Free and We’re All In This Together, plus two new numbers.

The production will be directed by Jeff Calhoun, whose credits include the award-winning Broadway revivals of Grease and Big River. The creative team in completed by Choreographer Lisa Stevens, Scenic Designer Kenneth Foy, Costume Designer Wade Laboissonniere, Lighting Designer Ken Billington, Sound Designer Rick Clarke and music producer Bryan Louiselle.

High School Music is a contemporary musical comedy about Troy, a popular high school basketball star, and Gabriella, a shy, academically gifted newcomer, who discover they share a secret passion for singing. When they sign up to audition together for the lead roles in the school musical it threatens East High's established pecking order and sends their cliques into uproar.

In an attempt to maintain the status quo, the ‘jocks’ and ‘brainiacs’, and even the drama club regulars, are soon hatching crazy plans to separate the pair and keep them offstage. Defying expectations and taking a chance on their dreams, and each other, the couple inspire the other students to go public with some surprising hidden talents of their own.

First broadcast in 2006 the Original Disney Channel Movie, soundtrack album, and other High School media have gone on to create a global entertainment phenomenon with children and their families across the world falling in love with the kids from East High. The sequel, High School Musical 2, broke TV viewing records in both the US and UK when broadcast earlier this year.

High School Musical is produced by Stage Entertainment, in association with Disney Theatrical Productions.

For booking details, venue information, additional dates and lots of fun facts go to Highschoolmusicalonstage.co.uk.

BROMLEY Churchill Theatre 24 January – 2 February 2008
STOKE-ON-TRENT Regent Theatre 4 – 9 February 2008
NORWICH Theatre Royal 11 – 16 February 2008
EDINBURGH Edinburgh Playhouse 19 February – 1 March 2008
YORK Grand Opera House 3 – 8 March 2008
WOLVERHAMPTON Grand Theatre 10 – 15 March 2008
WOKING New Victoria Theatre 17 – 29 March 2008
LEICESTER De Montfort Hall 31 March – 5 April 2008
SOUTHEND-ON-SEA Cliffs Pavillion 7 – 12 April 2008
NOTTINGHAM Royal Concert Hall 14 – 19 April 2008
BRADFORD Alhambra Theatre 21 – 26 April 2008
SOUTHAMPTON Mayflower Theatre 28 April – 10 May 2008
HULL New Theatre 19 – 24 May 2008
BIRMINGHAM Hippodrome 26 May – 7 June 2008
MILTON KEYNES Milton Keynes Theatre 9 – 14 June 2008
WIMBLEDON New Wimbledon Theatre 16 – 21 June 2008
MANCHESTER Palace Theatre 23 June – 5 July 2008
BRISTOL Bristol Hippodrome 7 – 19 July 2008
NEWCASTLE Theatre Royal 21 July – 2 August 2008
GLASGOW King’s Theatre 4 – 16 August 2008
OXFORD New Theatre 25 – 30 August 2008
LIVERPOOL Empire Theatre 1 – 13 September 2008
CANTERBURY Marlowe Theatre 22-27 September 2008
NORTHAMPTON Derngate Theatre 29 September - 4 October 2008
BELFAST Opera House 6-11 October
ABERDEEN His Majesty’s Theatre 21 October – 1 November 2008
PLYMOUTH Theatre Royal 4 - 15 November 2008
CARDIFF Wales Millennium Centre 17 - 22 November 2008
LEEDS Grand Theatre 24 November – 6 December 2008