High School Musical Set for West End Run

Disney's High School Musical is coming to the London stage. Already a hit TV movie, a quadruple-platinum soundtrack, a bestselling book and a chart-topping DVD, the live version will open at the Hammersmith Apollo Theatre on June 30 after a 31-date U.K. tour. Jeff Calhoun, who staged the U.S. national tour of High School Musical that began life at Atlanta's Theatre of the Stars a year ago, will direct the West End production.

High School Musical is a contemporary musical comedy about Troy, a popular high school basketball star, and Gabriella, a shy, academically gifted newcomer, who discover they share a secret passion for singing. When they sign up to audition together for the lead roles in the school musical it threatens East High's rigid social order and sends their peers into uproar. In an attempt to maintain the status quo, the jocks and brainiacs, and even the drama club regulars, are soon hatching convoluted plans to separate the pair and keep them offstage. Defying expectations and taking a chance on their dreams and each other, the couple inspires the other students to go public with some surprising hidden talents of their own.

The stage adaptation of the Disney Channel original movie features a book by David Simpatico adapted from the original movie script by Peter Barsocchini and a score including all songs from the original version, including the hit singles "Breaking Free" and "We're All In This Together," plus two new numbers. In addition to Calhoun, the creative team will includes the U.S. production's choreographer, Lisa Stevens.