High School Musical is pitch perfect noughties nostalgia

Marketing, Communications and External Relations Lead, Naomi Clark, jumped at the chance to review this year’s Senior School Production of 'High School Musical'. Read her take on this Disney Channel smash-hit, below... 

The High School of Glasgow Senior School Assembly Hall was transformed into East High, Albuquerque, New Mexico for this year’s Senior Production of High School Musical. 

Much loved by millennials, this was the High School’s first foray into this particular era of Disney Channel musical theatre under the direction of Mrs Alexis Viswanathan and Assistant Director Miss Emma McGrath, alongside Stage Manager Mr Jack Bullen and Deputy Stage Manager Athena T (S6). Musical numbers form an integral part of the show and were led expertly by Musical Director, Mrs Sarah Stuart, accompanied by her Music Department colleagues and Zayd K (S6) on drums and Music Assistant Mrs Jennifer Lewis.  

Audience members were transported from Glasgow to the halls of East High thanks to eye-catching sets, bright costumes and of course, the cast’s pitch perfect American accents. From the opening bars, the tempo was set by the cheerleading squad who pumped up the audience and infused everyone with true ‘Wildcat’ spirit! 

For the uninitiated (anyone under the age of about 27 and over the age of about 36), jock Troy Bolton, played by Fergus M (S6), and book smart Gabriella Montez, played by Maya K M (S5), couldn’t be more different, yet their new found love for singing and performing unites them, breaking stereotypes and causing chaos amongst their peers as they try out for the school musical.   

Not ready for their delicate school ecosystem to be shaken up, drama kids, Sharpay Evans, played by Erin M (S6), and Ryan Evans, played by Calum B (S3), kept the audience on their toes thanks to formidable Sharpay’s scheming ways in a bid to ensure both Troy’s heart, and their rightful place as leading roles, were secured when threatened by Troy and Gabriella breaking out of their tightly cast identities within school life.  

Meanwhile, Francesca O (S6) played Drama Teacher Ms Darbus extremely convincingly - it seems she could have a career as a Drama Teacher on her horizon should she wish! Passing around an invisible ball of noise, Ms Darbus let her pupils know that they were limited by only their imaginations, urging them to open their minds and widen their horizons – just the message that Troy and Gabriella needed to receive as they toyed with the pull of the theatre and their hearts. The on-stage clashes between Ms Darbus and basketball coach, Coach Bolton, played by Ruairidh M (S6) were hilarious, with both members of staff passionate about their department and its place in the hierarchy of importance within school life. At times, it almost felt like art was imitating real life...  

Providing perfect segues was narrator and brainiac, Jack Scott, played by Oren F (S4), whose hilarious one-liners and zippy American sports commentator cadence wouldn’t go amiss in a Superbowl final. He helped to keep the audience across the many school announcements being made each day and ensured we were on top of just how high the stakes were at East High with the winter musical callbacks, the Wildcat’s championship game and the scholastic decathlon competition all taking place at the exact same time... 

With so many all cast musical numbers, as well as solos and duets from many, including, Troy, Gabriella, Sharpay, Ryan and more, it was a truly toe-tapping spectacle. An early song is choreographed using basketballs for syncopation, and the dexterity and musicality of the performers was quite something, not to mention the vision from Miss Kirsty Melville who was behind the choreography!  

The dance numbers, coupled with the musical score, helped to convey the passion and enthusiasm of the East High students as they grappled with entrenched cliques starting to fracture as new identities and passions were formed. Troy especially went on quite the narrative arc as he was able to show he was more than just a “basketball guy”, as he and Gabriella shared tender moments while experiencing falling in love for the first time. 

No noughties production would be complete without boys sporting side-swept fringes and girls in low-rise jeans, helping to ground the production in the era in which it was created. Kudos must go to Mrs Elaine Clark for the costumes and Mrs Kirsty Rinaldi who oversaw make-up. 

Props were expertly created and sourced by Mrs Carolyn Bell, Carter De L-G (S2) and Miss Karen Moore, and if the audience started to feel remotely sleepy towards the end of the performance (unlikely), a touch of pyrotechnics helped to keep everyone alert!  

An emphatic moment in the later scenes sees musical composer and demure drama kid, Kelsi, played by Maya A-N (S4), standing up to scary Sharpay, with Ms Darbus noting: “Now that’s showbiz!” with the entire audience in agreement. 

Finding your voice and not being afraid to be who you truly are, are key lessons from this feel-good musical. It culminates in the much-anticipated call-back audition by Troy and Gabriella singing ‘Breaking Free’ (a true anthem for anyone at school in the late 2000s), helping to unite the cliques and break down preconceived notions.  

The show ends with a rousing musical number with the entire cast singing ‘We’re All in This Together’, something that, as an audience member, you can’t help but feel inspired by, and again, perfectly reflects the ethos of the cast and crew who have worked tirelessly this term to bring this production to the stage. There are too many individuals involved to name them all, but every single person was vital to its success.

School shows are an immense amount of work that take many weeks and months of preparation and rehearsal. It was evident just how much time pupils and staff, both front of house and backstage, had dedicated to ensure High School Musical was a triumph. In the words of Ms Darbus: “Brava!” High School Musical 2 anyone? 

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A gallery of images is below.