Bart Johnson surprises the cast of Disney's High School Musical in rehearsals
by Best of Theatre Staff on in Theatre News
Bart Johnson, Coach Bolton in the original Disney films, dropped in on the final week of rehearsals for Disney's High School Musical, which opens at Lowry in Salford on Saturday.
The cast of Disney's High School Musical had an unexpected visitor in their final week of rehearsals: Bart Johnson, who played Coach Bolton in the original Disney films, turned up to watch them work.
Johnson heard the company perform the songs that made the films a phenomenon, was reunited with his former screen colleague KayCee Stroh, and met Jason Donovan, who takes on Coach Bolton for the Salford run.
The production opens at Lowry this Saturday, 22 August, and plays there until 19 September before transferring to Troubadour Wembley Park Theatre from 12 October. Jason Donovan plays Coach Bolton at Lowry, with Harry Judd taking over the role in London.
Appearing at both venues are KayCee Stroh as Ms Darbus, Tobias Turley as Troy Bolton, Leonor Correia as Gabriella Montez, Caitlin Tipping as Sharpay Evans and Luke Bayer as Ryan Evans, with Char Burnett as Taylor McKessie, 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.
Marking 20 years since the film first aired, the stage version has a book by David Simpatico, with music adapted, arranged and produced by Bryan Louiselle. It is co-directed by Hope Mill founders Joseph Houston and William Whelton, with choreography by Aaron Renfree, and includes Breaking Free, We're All In This Together, Get'cha Head in the Game and Stick to the Status Quo.
The production is presented by Hope Mill Theatre and Chris Harper Productions in association with Lowry.