Disney's High School Musical begins performances at Lowry
The first UK non-replica staging of Disney's High School Musical plays its opening performance in Manchester tonight, with Jason Donovan as Coach Bolton before the show heads to Wembley for Christmas.
The first UK non-replica production of Disney's High School Musical begins performances tonight at Lowry in Manchester, and the producers have marked the occasion by releasing a first-look image of the company at work.
The Manchester engagement runs until 19 September 2026. The production then travels south for a winter season at Troubadour Theatre - Wembley, playing from 12 October 2026 to 3 January 2027.
Coach Bolton is shared between two familiar faces across the two runs: Jason Donovan takes the role in Manchester, and Harry Judd steps into it for the London dates. Appearing at both venues are Disney icon 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.
They are joined by 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. 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, Andre Phipps, Meg Silsby, Kade Stenson, Ethan Vijn and Eddie Zickerman.
The staging arrives twenty years on from the television film that started it all. David Simpatico provides the book, the music is adapted, arranged and produced by Bryan Louiselle, and Hope Mill Theatre founders Joseph Houston and William Whelton co-direct, with choreography by Aaron Renfree. The score keeps the numbers audiences turn up already knowing, among them 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, and co-produced by Winkler & Smalberg, Catherine Schrieber, Drew & Dane Productions, Kevin & Kate McGrath, Merritt Baer, Marc Levine, Andrei Cotocu for Seabright Live and Michael Watt Productions.