Disney’s High School Musical starts performances – everything you need to know about the new revival

Disney’s High School Musical has landed its first-ever revival on UK shores, and performances start this weekend.

Presented by Hope Mill Theatre and Chris Harper Productions, the new production is also the country’s first non-replica staging of the musical. So, as the lyric goes: “This staging’s like no other…” but it may be what you’ve been looking for!

First playing in Salford before transferring to London, the cast features a star of the original film as well as a boyband member, and a WhatsOnStage Award nominee!

Read on to find out everything you need to know.

Who is starring in the show?

“T as in Troy?” No, T as in Tobias Turley! The WhatsOnStage Award nominee will take on the role of the basketball player who also happens to land a part in the winter musical. While Leonor Correia plays Gabriella, the smart new girl in town. As showbiz siblings Sharpay and Ryan, you can see Caitlin Tipping and Luke Bayer bopping to the top. The four were announced live on stage at this year’s WhatsOnStage Awards, where we also had the world-exclusive performance.

Other key roles include drama teacher Ms Darbus, who will be played on stage by KayCee Stroh, who liked to pop and lock and jam and break in the original 2006 film. She will go up against Coach Bolton, played by Jason Donovan in Salford and Harry Judd when the show transfers to London.

The Wildcats also include Char Burnett, who will play Taylor McKessie, with Jordan Benjamin as Chad Danforth, Simeon Beckett as Zeke Baylor, Olivia O’Connor as Martha Cox, Yna Tresvalles as Kelsi Nielson and Curtis Patrick as Jack Scott. Hope Mill devotees may recognise Patrick from their hit revival of Young Frankenstein last year.

The cast is completed by Alexander Black, Eleanor Bye, Harriet Caplan-Dean, Alison Driver, Conor Luke Drury, Mary Francis, Sonia Gil-Lubeiro, Tamsin January, Joseph Lennox, Lucas Morlotti, Katie Mulligan, André Phipps, Meg Silsby, Kade Stenson, Ethan Vijn and Eddie Zickerman.

What can audiences expect?

As this is the first non-replica production, we can’t say too much until audiences get in there! Excitingly, however, the proposed set designs for the show have not stuck to the status quo. Instead, they include reconfiguring the venues to create an immersive basketball court setting that features on-stage seating and an extended playing area. While we await official production photos, you can hear from set designer Andrew Exeter about his communal and nostalgic aims in the short video below.

Aside from the set, audiences can of course expect all the much-loved musical numbers including“Breaking Free”, “We’re All In This Together”, “Get’cha Head in the Game” and “Stick to the Status Quo”. The production features a book by David Simpatico and music adapted, arranged and produced by Bryan Louiselle.

We were able to visit a rehearsal room event and get a sneak peek at some of those numbers:

Where is it playing?

The production is co-directed by Joseph Houston and William Whelton, co-founders of the Hope Mill in Manchester. The revival will first be seen up north at the Lowry, where it plays from 22 August to 19 September.

After that, East High will relocate down south and take over Troubadour Wembley Park Theatre. It will play there from 12 October to the already-extended date of 3 January 2027, with an official opening night set for 20 October.

With regards to the creative team, the show has choreography (including a lot of basketballs!) by Aaron Renfree, set design by Exeter, sound design by Matt Peploe, video design by George Reeve, lighting design by Rory Beaton, costume design by Sophia Pardon, musical supervision by Katy Richardson, musical direction by Audra Cramer, casting by Pearson Casting, wigs and hair design by Jackie Sweeney and Angie Carradus, make-up design by Dominic Skinner, costume supervision by Laura Rushton and Lisa Aitken, props supervision by Marcus Hall Props, wigs, hair and make up supervision by Jackie Sweeney and Angie Carradus, orchestral management by Rich Morris for Music Solutions Ltd, dialect coaching by Aundrea Fudge, associate set design by Ryan Webster and production management by Ammonite Studios with general management by Chris Harper Productions.

High School Musical is produced by Hope Mill Theatre and Chris Harper Productions in association with Lowry and co-produced by Winkler and Smalberg, Catherine Schrieber, Drew and Dane Productions, Kevin and Kate McGrath, Merritt Baer, Marc Levine, Andrei Cotocu for Seabright Live and Michael Watt Productions.

Is there any more Disney I can see on stage?

If High School Musical has you feeling nostalgic for more Disney magic on stage, you’re in luck! The Lion King continues to rule over the Pride Lands of Covent Garden as it continues its reign at the Lyceum Theatre. But if you have a strong urge to get your final fix of Hercules, you’ll need to hurry. The show concludes its stay at Theatre Royal Drury Lane on 5 September.

Earlier this month at D23, it was confirmed that Disney’s The Greatest Showman will transfer to the West End. Leading the company are Oliver Tompsett as P T Barnum and Samantha Barks as Charity Barnum, and they are joined by Ben Joyce as Phillip Carlyle, Vajèn van den Bosch as Jenny Lind and Malinda Parris as Lettie Lutz.

What’s more, an immersive take on Disney’s Pirates of the Caribbean will be sailing into Greenwich in February.