First the smash hit Disney Channel original movie, followed by the record-breaking soundtrack, and now Disney’s High School Musical spreads its magic across the country on its first ever tour. This spectacular stage production, complete with everyone’s favourite characters and all of the unforgettable songs from the movie, opened in January 2008 and has broken box office records wherever it has visited, delighting families in towns and cities across the UK and Ireland. The producers are delighted to announce that the tour will now continue in 2009, including a season from Tuesday January 20 to Saturday January 31 at the Royal Castlebar Theatre and Event Centre. The leading roles of Troy Bolton and Gabriella Montez are played by Ashley Day (On The Town and Mary Poppins ) and Claire-Marie Hall (Les Miserables and High School Musical, Hammersmith Apollo season ) respectively. Ruling drama queen Sharpay and her faithful brother and sidekick Ryan will be played by Emma Kelly (Mamma Mia ) and Lee Honey-Jones. This new stage adaptation of the Disney Channel original movie hit musical features a book by David Simpatico (adapted from the original movie script by Peter Barsocchini ) and a score that contains all the 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 Musical 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 rigid social order and sends their peers into uproar. In an attempt to maintain the status quo, the “jocks” and “brainiacs”, and even the drama club regulars, are soon hatching convoluted 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 Musical 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 it was broadcast in Autumn 2007 and most recently, High School Musical 3 opened in cinemas around the world to huge ticket sales. Tickets can be booked through www.theroyal.ie, www.ticketmaster.ie, any ticketmaster outlet nationwide or, for the price of a local call, the box office of the Royal Castlebar at 0818 300000; this number is operational 24/7.
