High School Musical
at Freedom High School

Reviewed on March 18, 2017

Emma Rood
Herndon High School
Submitted for publication to Cappies News

The cast of Freedom High School's "High School Musical" bop-bop-bopped their way to the top during their Saturday night performance full of enthusiasm and fun. "High School Musical" is fan favorite Disney Channel Original movie that premiered in 2006 and charmed people of all ages across the world, going on to include two more movies in the franchise. A stage adaption following the same story and same songs premiered the same year, going on tour for a year but never playing on Broadway.

Many refer to the plot as a modern day "Romeo and Juliet" in a high school setting; the all-star jock, Troy, and beautiful brainiac, Gabriella, fall for each other after a fateful meeting during karaoke and meet again when Gabriella moves to Troy's high school. But their love doesn't come without tribulations; they both want to audition for the musical and be together, but their teammates and responsibilities come between them, as does the jealous Sharpay (former drama club star) and her brother Ryan. In the end through dedication, teamwork, love, and a little bit of luck, Troy and Gabriella can "Break Free" and follow their dreams together.

Duncan MacLean and Sydney Calvelli as Troy and Gabriella, respectively, shone as the leaders of their group and instead of copying directly from the movie, made the characters their own. They worked together with ease and there was a definite arc in their relationship. Sharpay and Ryan Evans are another dynamic pair, performed by Ashley Nguyen and Ethan VanSlyke with all the enthusiasm and character they could. The characters have big shoes to fill, but Nguyen and VanSlyke slid into them perfectly, along with bubbly dance numbers, killer vocals, and sparkly costumes. Not to be forgotten was Emily Sorber as the wildly eccentric drama teacher, Ms. Darbus. Sorber had impeccable comedic timing in this very natural role that she wholeheartedly embraced.

A large aspect of the show is the relationship between the different cliques in the school (jocks, brainiacs, skaters, drama club, etc.) and the ensemble really committed to their groups and specific characters could be felt within those. The energy that filled the auditorium when the entire company was onstage was thrilling in numbers like "Stick to the Status Quo" and "We're All in This Together (Reprise).

The massive set made great use of the stage space and was flexible for whatever setting it needed to be, ranging from a school announcement booth to a classroom and even a rooftop deck. Changing these settings from one to another went very smoothly thanks to the talents of the run crew and lighting electrician. Sound had a few stumbles, but overall it ran smoothly and the characters could be heard well and were balanced with the talented pit orchestra. Good use of costumes and props added sparkle and flair to the show, with the basketballs in "Get'cha Head in the Game" being of note.

A classic such as "High School Musical" can be quite a task to pull off, but Freedom High School embraced the fun nature of the show and made it a good time for everyone there. Strong dance numbers, an energetic cast, along with hardworking techs helped this show reach it's potential--they were all in it together.

Maggie Klein
Oakton High School
Submitted for publication to Cappies News 2

Come get'cha head in the game and your heart in the song at Freedom High School's production of High School Musical! Whether you're a jock, brainiac, or thespian, everyone can be a Wildcat for a night as Freedom takes you into the world of East High and proves that we're all in this together.

Based on the 2006 cult classic Disney Channel Original Movie of the same name, High School Musical was brought to the stage in 2007. The immensely popular story follows high school basketball star Troy Bolton and brainy new student Gabriella Montez as they decide to audition for their school's musical together, disturbing the status quo and raining chaos on the clique-ridden East High.

In a role familiar to young audiences, Duncan MacLean did a commendable job putting his own spin on Troy, embracing the character and clearly differentiating between his basketball-bro persona when with his teammates and his hidden vulnerabilities when with Gabriella. Especially notable was his believable father-son relationship with Coach Bolton (Jack Doyle), as their tensions over Troy's diverging path grow and eventually reach a breaking point in Act Two. Sydney Calvelli consistently embodied Gabriella's timid nature, whether bonding with Troy or leading her classmates in the Scholastic Decathlon, but she most shined when singing. Heartbroken vocals captivated the audience in "When There Was Me and You," and a powerful belt heightened the already climactic "Breaking Free."

Playing the villainous yet lovable twins Sharpay and Ryan Evans, Ashley Nguyen and Ethan VanSlyke were a dynamic duo. The pair had great chemistry and commanded attention every moment they were on stage. Nguyen played the infamous diva with consistent energy and vocals. She demonstrated strong dedication to the character while still giving a layered performance that clearly showed Sharpay's feelings towards the other characters as well as her underlying motives and insecurities. VanSlyke was equally fun as Sharpay's younger (by eight minutes) brother, his physicality, impressive dancing ("everybody loves a good jazz square!"), and impeccable comedic timing that immediately won the audience over.

Other standouts included Emily Sorber as Ms. Darbus, who brought originality and a genuine nature to the comical drama teacher as she instructed her students to act like animals and fought for the place for arts in school; and Alyssa Hudenburg as Kelsi Neilsen, who brought sweet vocals and character development as she developed from a shy songwriter to a confident girl no longer afraid of standing up to Sharpay. Basketball player Zeke Baylor (Josh Lee) and brainiac Martha Cox (Ashley Pearce) both contributed memorable solos in the energetic "Stick to the Status Quo," confessing their secret passions for baking and hip-hop, respectively, atop cafeteria tables.

This and other large ensemble numbers featured strong dancing and a large, involved cast. Stage levels were smartly utilized to allow for larger ensembles. Thoughtful costuming (Kanisha Sukhadia and Hannah Peters) reflected the story's development, clearly delineating the cliques in "Stick to the Status Quo" with jerseys for the athletes, flannels for the skateboarders, and sparkles for Sharpay, and ultimately school unity in "We're All in This Together (Reprise)," as everyone overcame their differences and dressed in school colors.

Whether you prefer to be on the court or in the lab, Freedom High School demonstrated that we can all come together in the theatre in this feel-good production of High School Musical.

Alexa Schwartzman
Oakton High School
Submitted for publication to Patch.com

Do you want the courage to go soaring, flying, and reaching the stars? If so, Freedom High School's production of High School Musical will surely take you there. In this on-stage adaptation of the beloved Disney Channel Movie from 2006, teenagers fight back against social norms and take a stand for what they believe in. While each clique seems to have a place in the school, not everyone wishes to conform to their labels. Dramatic chaos ensues when basketball jock, Troy Bolton, and new girl/brainiac, Gabriella Montez, break free from the status quo and audition for the school musical together. The show promotes individuality and acceptance as teens try to discover who they are.

With a cast of over 50 people, the organization, blocking, and energy was quite impressive. The choreography stood out with the energetic and engaging dance troupes, as well as with Sharpay and Ryan. The costumes truly represented each character and helped distinguish between the cliques. The dedication of many cast members to their roles was splendid. I never knew an earthworm could show such emotion!

Duncan MacLean, also known as Troy Bolton, definitely found what he was looking for as the musical advanced. He came out of his shell and embraced his character's true passion in Act II with songs such as "Start of Something New" and "Breaking Free". Furthermore, his relationship with Father and Coach Bolton was heartwarming and sincere. His counterpart, Sydney Calvelli as Gabriella Montez, also had her head in the game as she belted out her lovely solo song "When There Was Me and You".

The dynamic duo of the two triple-threat performers, Ethan VanSlyke and Ashley Nguyen, as Ryan and Sharpay Evans stole the show. They bopped each other to the top with their fantastic sibling chemistry, killer dance moves, riveting vocals, embodiment of their characters, and confident attitudes. Ethan had a hop in his step and excellent comedic timing. Ashley's voice helped carry the ensemble and fill the entire auditorium. Her sass and ambiance captured everyone's attention the second she stepped on stage. Additionally, the dancers had very advanced choreography in almost every scene. This at times was distracting, but overall impressive and positively enhanced the show. Emily Sorber, the actress behind Ms. Darbus made the character lovable and respectable in a new and enjoyable way. Traditionally, the character is a kooky, fractious, disliked teacher. It was fantastic to see Emily rock the character as her own. One of the most outstanding roles was that of Josh Lee, acting as Zeke Baylor. His adorable, awkward flirting with Sharpay and lively dancing were only topped by vocals so hot they could torch a crème brûlée.

Each costume was well thought out and clearly reflected each character, conveying outfits like those from the original movie as well as giving them a personal touch. Having costumes follow a red and white color scheme to match the set and school colors was very pleasing to the eye. Issues with microphones made it difficult to hear the cast, but having a large ensemble made the big musical numbers easy to understand. The orchestra did a lovely job and accompanied performers smoothly.

From dancing brainiacs, musical skater-dudes, and bossy thespians, to singing jocks, this show has it all and Freedom did a great job of bringing it all together. Those Wild Cats definitely had the drive to do what it took to make High School Musical their high school's musical.

Jess Scarano
McLean High School
Submitted for publication to Loudoun Now

Staying true to yourself and embracing what is in your heart, no matter what the social norms may be, is a challenging part of adolescence. In its endearing production of High School Musical, Freedom High School brings to life the classic "don't judge a book by its cover" story and explores issues of both identity and friendship.

Based on a Disney Channel original movie, High School Musical features a book by David Simpatico, music by Bryan Louiselle, and lyrics by Matthew Gerrard, Faye Greenberg, David N. Lawrence, and others. The US tour began in 2007 and ran for approximately a year. The story begins when Troy Bolton, star of the basketball team, and Gabriella Montez, math and science whiz, meet over winter break. When the two reconnect at school, they sign up for the winter musical. However, multiple forces, including crazy drama club members, the basketball team, and the Scholastic Decathlon team, conspire against them.

Playing the role of Gabriella Montez with a soft confidence, Sydney Calvelli embodied her character's timid nature poignantly. Calvelli demonstrated emotional vocals, particularly during her solo number "When There Was Me and You" and had cute moments with her love interest Troy Bolton, played by Duncan MacLean. MacLean had consistent energy as the Jock leader and demonstrated notable vocals throughout the show.

The actress who really stole the show was Ashley Nguyen in the role of the saucy Sharpay Evans. Nguyen was a triple threat: her voice carried many of the musical numbers, her sharp movements demonstrated exceptional dance talent, and her ability to form believable relationships with other actors was amazing. Sharpay worked side-by-side with her twin Ryan Evans (Ethan VanSlyke) to portray a deviously sassy duo that never failed to bring laughs. VanSlyke's comedic timing was on point, moving the show along and bringing life to the stage. Another source of verve was the Dance Corps ensemble. The dancers, especially Courtney Galpin (Dancer #4), beautifully filled up the stage and dazzled the audience with impressive turns and technique.

The whole cast brought heart and soul to the show-stopping number "Stick to the Status Quo." Everyone on stage cleanly executed the choreography and filled the entire auditorium with spirit. One standout was Josh Lee in the role of Zeke Baylor. Lee had a nervous energy that made his character hilarious to watch, and in addition to his commendable acting, he had a fantastic voice. Not to be forgotten is Emily Sorber (Ms. Darbus), the wacky East High Drama teacher. Sorber had a natural stage presence that made her persona seem both genuine and authentic.

The technical elements of the show enhanced the entire experience for the audience, drawing it into East High School with a giant set, color-coordinated costumes, and vibrant lighting effects. Not only did the costume crew successfully outfit a large ensemble, but it also took time to accessorize each main character - a shimmering shirt for Sharpay, a simple red dress for Gabriella, and a basketball jersey for Troy - to accentuate their personalities. The costumes popped even more with help from the lighting team. Through the use of spotlights, the lighting crew effectively emphasized various characters and points of action.

High School Musical is a movie that most of us grew up with. Freedom High School reveals a different side of the story with its inspiring production that teaches everyone that the status quo was meant to be broken.