NEW BERLIN – If Wednesday’s dress re-hearsal of Disney’s “High School Musical” by Unadilla Valley’s fourth through seventh graders is a glimpse of the school’s upcoming performances, the community is in for a treat.
The play is scheduled for 4 p.m. April 5 inside the auditorium. Admission is non-perishable food items, which in-turn students will donate to the local food pantry.
The plot, and a great deal of dialogue, emerge in a UV-style rendition of the original movie source: Basketball hero Troy (Lucas Lyons) meets Gabriella Montez (Kaitlyn Jackson) while on vacation; Gabriella subsequently transfers to Troy’s school, where the two learn, in their everyday milieu, they are part of two opposing cliques (jocks and brains) whose members are not expected to fraternize nor fall for one another.
Young love appears impossible until word travels of tryouts for their school’s annual musical. Having bonded over karaoke during their initial meeting, the duo realize they can bridge their differences through the great equalizer of musical theater.
In an attempt to ruin the tryouts is Gabrielle’s nemesis, the vicious, conniving miss-popularity and president of the drama club, Sharpay Evans (Alexis Race) and her ever-so-gullible side kick brother, Ryan (Hunter DuVall).
In a series of small acts, dance and singing numbers and scene changes, the events of the “Stormcats” unfold as peer pressure and teen romance seem to intermingle when Troy’s teammates and father (John Jackson) try to keep young Bolton’s head in the game and win the championship game while Montez’s friends say she is needed for the ultimate science decathlon.
It seems as though there is no hope for the duo to perform for Ms. Darbus’s Juliet and Romeo production as evil rears its ugly head and the whole world seems to be working against Bolton and Montez.
As the Evan’s duo connives and viscously plots against them, the scenes lead up to a plot twist to the big day when all of the events collide and a lesson is learned by all. Supporting actors and actresses, including the rowdy cheerleaders, the braniacs, basketball players and the skater dudes gave positive performances with their school spirited attitude and family-like atmosphere.
Directed by Terry Jackson and Katie Craine, the play which required a great deal of commitment and discipline closely reflects the Disney’s new age classic and anyone watching can easily see how much fun the production has been to create and perform. With the addition of faculty and administration as cast members, the performances that are un-canny in nature will easily cause amusement throughout the night.
The choreography, that seems to fall in place easily from scene to scene, was designed by two 10-year-olds, who not only used their backgrounds in dance to create a well laid out piece of drama, they also carry the two lead female roles. Jackson and Race who wore many hats before and during the production included all students, created an up-beat production and stated after, that the cast acts like one big family.
The overall play that lasts roughly an hour, will keep the audience interest and parents delighted as these characters light up the stage.