Fox High School Theatre Troupe members will perform a familiar musical this weekend that ties into the school’s theme this year.
The troupe will bring the jocks, brainiacs, thespians and skater dudes of East High from “Disney’s High School Musical” to life with four productions of the musical based on the hit Disney Channel movie.
Performances are scheduled for 7 p.m. Friday, 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. Saturday, and 7 p.m. Sunday at Rickman Auditorium, 747 Jeffco Blvd., in Arnold. Tickets cost $8 for students and those 60 years old and older and $10 for adults.
Tickets may be purchased at the door.
Fox High English teacher and play director Kameron McClinton said the musical ties into the school year theme of “We’re All in This Together,” which is one of the popular songs from the show. He also said the students were excited about performing something many of them grew up watching.
“I really enjoy the show because I grew up with this show and watched it as a child,” McClinton said. “I also wanted to fit back in with our overall theme of the building. The theatre troupe’s goal this year was to reconnect with our building and grow the program to get more people into theater.”
Junior Riley Jones, 17, of the Fenton area said she grew up watching “High School Musical” with her sisters.
Jones landed the role of Gabriella Montez, who is an intelligent and shy transfer student to East High who discovered a passion for singing the prior summer when she and the school’s star basketball player, Troy Bolton, performed karaoke together while their families were on vacation.
“When we found out about it, I started screaming,” she said. “I was so excited about it. I knew immediately I wanted to audition for Gabriella.”
Sophomore Nolan Brewer, 16, of Arnold will perform the Troy Bolton role. He said he is thrilled to have the chance to perform in “High School Musical.”
“I have loved ‘High School Musical,’” he said. “My mom used to nanny kids, and she would always put on ‘High School Musical,’ so it’s really nostalgic for me. It is super fun.”
McClinton said the musical is similar to the first movie with a few additional scenes added for the stage productions.
Brewer and Jones will be joined on stage by Sarah Gilbert, Judah Butler, Daniel Sanders, Nicole Simo, Brooke Griffin, Adam Thuli, Samuel Cook, Megan Kraus, Sose Fili, Ewan Allstat, Caden Desandro, Gage Shoemaker, Clay Burtnett, Gabriel Ostrander, Kyanna Davis, Izzy Eskew, Hailey Uding, Serena Russell, Athalia Villanuava, Anola Fake, Bernadette Wolk, Danica Gearhart, Grace Coleman, Grace Preston, Lanie Thuli, Makayla Burkard, Olivia Moravec and Zella Wicks.
