Harry Judd joins Disney’s High School Musical as Coach Bolton, playing the final two performances in Salford on Saturday 19 September before taking the role for the whole of the production’s London run.
Harry Judd takes over as Coach Bolton in Disney’s High School Musical from Saturday 19 September 2026, starting with the production’s final two performances at Lowry, Salford.
The McFly musician replaces Jason Donovan, who plays the role in Salford until that date. Judd then continues in the part at every performance when the production transfers to the Troubadour Theatre - Wembley, where it runs from 12 October 2026 to 3 January 2027. We reported the Wembley transfer alongside the first production photos last month.
He joins a company that plays both venues. KayCee Stroh, from the original Disney Channel films, is Ms Darbus, with Tobias Turley as Troy Bolton, Leonor Correia as Gabriella Montez, Caitlin Tipping as Sharpay Evans and Luke Bayer as Ryan Evans.
Char Burnett, last seen in the West End in Frozen and The Book of Mormon, plays Taylor McKessie. Jordan Benjamin (Hamilton, The Little Big Things) is Chad Danforth and Simeon Beckett (Back to the Future in the West End, Hamilton on tour) is Zeke Baylor. Olivia O’Connor (Why Am I So Single?) plays Martha Cox, Yna Tresvalles (Ballad Lines at Southwark Playhouse Elephant, Six on tour) is Kelsi Nielson, and Curtis Patrick (Thespians, Young Frankenstein) is Jack Scott.
The company 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. Mary Francis, Sonia Gil-Lubeiro, Meg Silsby and Eddie Zickerman are all making their professional debuts.
The staging marks twenty years since the film first aired. It has a book by David Simpatico, with music adapted, arranged and produced by Bryan Louiselle, and is co-directed by Hope Mill Theatre founders Joseph Houston and William Whelton. The score keeps the songs the audience comes for, among them Breaking Free, We’re All In This Together, Get’cha Head in the Game and Stick to the Status Quo.
Choreography is by Aaron Renfree, with set design by Andrew Exeter, sound design by Matt Peploe, video design by George Reeve, lighting design by Rory Beaton and costume design by Sophia Pardon. Katy Richardson is musical supervisor and Audra Cramer musical director, with casting by Pearson Casting.
Disney’s High School Musical is produced by Hope Mill Theatre and Chris Harper Productions in association with Lowry. The Salford run continues to Saturday 19 September 2026, with tickets from £26.
Tickets for Disney’s High School Musical are on sale now for the London run at the Troubadour Theatre - Wembley, from 12 October 2026 to 3 January 2027.
