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Disney's High School Musical
by Bradshaw Mountain High School
The Disney Channel scored a hit with their movie High
School Musical and it’s popular soundtrack, and high school stages around
the country are keeping it rolling. This updated Grease-like tale is
about a boy and girl from different cliques who click, but their respective
friends and the school’s social norms may end their Start of Something New
before it’s hardly begun. Will auditions for the upcoming high school musical
provide them with an unlikely second chance?
Director Jantina Russell and her cast at Bradshaw
Mountain High School in Prescott Valley, Arizona were the latest to take on
this show, and they portrayed a more serious and authentic high
school environment rather than the usual over-the-top comedy. They are backed up by an
especially impressive school orchestra that nails the musical score. And that
music backs up a couple of pretty good singers in the lead roles, with Sabrina
Astle as the high school’s new “brainiac” student Gabriella and Brian
DeBlois giving a good performance as the school’s unassuming star
basketball player Troy Bolton.
Although almost everyone wants to break the two up, the most
determined is Sharpay Evans. Not only is she the school diva who dominates the
theatre scene and doesn’t want other potential rivals moving in, but she also
has a thing for Troy. Katie  Spears is a toned-down, believable Sharpay
with an enormous selfish streak. Jeremy Rohrbough is her slightly younger
twin brother Ryan who plays opposite her in all the school plays. Usually Sharpay’s
lap dog, Jeremy plays Ryan as not at all dominated by his older sister,
stepping on her toes throughout, irritated by her attitude.
Amanda Altiveros shows strong talent as a nicely
underplayed Taylor McKessie, the leader of the brainiacs whose desire to win
with the mind temporarily overrides her heart. Other standouts include Allison
Pregler as a devoted and considerate drama teacher, Talia Doerksen
as the shy and nerdy playwright, and Max Kurtz as the school’s “velvet
fog” DJ Jack Scott.
The sound needed some tweaking, as a lot of the
individual lines by ensemble members couldn’t be heard, but overall the
production ran smoothly with a cast that comes on strong for some memorable
auditions for the high school musical as well as the show’s two big ensemble
numbers Stick to the Status Quo and the finale We’re All in This
Together.
Performed April 26-28, 2007
Rob Hopper
National Youth Theatre
~ Cast ~
 ~ The Jocks ~
Troy Bolton: Brian DeBlois
Chad Danforth: Phillip Straner
Zeke Baylor: Aaron Freedman
Jason: Jason Strunk
Jock #1: Derek Phillip
Jock #2: Andrew William
~ Cheerleaders ~
Samantha Monet
Devin Jones
Candace Cain
Justine Taylor
~ Skater Dudes ~
Ripper: Cristina Fuentes
Mongo: Katt Gay
Slasher: Courtney Perry
~ Brainiacs ~
Gabriella Montez: Sabrina Astle
Taylor McKessie: Amanda Altiveros
Martha Cox: Melissa Montgomery
Kratnoff: Neal Mitchell
Sophia Driscoll: Amanda Rogers
Helen Chesney: Nathalie Saenz
Roberta Wood: Andrea Felipe
~ Thespians ~
Sharpay Evans: Katie Spears
Ryan Evans: Jeremy Rohrbough
Susan: Megan Grinter
Cathy: Colleen McDowell
Alan: Andrew Williams
Cyndra: Rebecca Rosenberg
Fran: Renee LeQuesne
Myrtle: Shea Dalpiaz
Roxy: LaToya Muse
Minnie: Danica Jeffries
Kelsi Nelson: Talia Doerksen
Jack Scott: Max Kurtz
~ The Adults ~
Ms. Darbus: Allison Pregler
Coach Bolton: James Gill
Director: Jantina Russell
Music Director: Katie Reuter
Orchestra Director: Amie Cobb
Choreographers: Aaron Burton and Corey Noeldner
Stage Manager: Erin Casperson
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