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School's in for summer
By Louise Jury, Evening Standard 28.01.08
Singing stars: the stage version of the film will run for 10 weeks at the Hammersmith Apollo
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High School Musical, the blockbuster children's TV film, is coming to the London stage.
Disney has sanctioned the theatrical version in the wake of the movie's international success.
A 31-date regional theatre tour opens today in Bromley, with one of the biggest advances in British touring history - £9 million.
Disney is now adding a 10-week season for the summer holidays at the Hammersmith Apollo.
Steve Fickinger, a Disney senior vice-president, said: "It was the natural thing to bring it to London."
The company had planned a stage version even before the film was shown.
"It had heart, humour, pathos, something that kids would probably feel they could embrace," said Mr Fickinger.
The show tells the tale of Troy, a popular high school basketball star, and Gabriella, a shy and clever newcomer, who discover they share a secret passion for singing.
When they audition for the school musical it threatens the rigid social divide between sporty "jocks" and academic "brainiacs". But the pair resist peer pressure and inspire others to buck the status quo.
The first part of what will soon be a trilogy has been seen by more than 200 million people since it began on the Disney Channel two years ago. The DVD format topped the charts.
A 60-city theatre tour started in the US last year. "From the anecdotes there are many children coming to the theatre for the first time to see a spirited, entertaining and, hopefully, slightly moving experience," said Mr Fickinger.
Disney's theatrical licensing arm approves stage shows for schools and amateur groups as well as professional productions.
Mr Fickinger said: "The initial idea was it would be done in schools by kids - it's a story of kids experiencing life with each other. But as soon as it was written and put up in a workshop, we could see its charms translated to an older audience, including mothers and fathers who have had the questionable pleasure of seeing the film 300 times."
High School Musical : Live On Stage, Hammersmith Apollo from 30 June.
How High School Musical graduated with honours
• 200 million people in more than 100 countries have seen the original Disney Channel film since it was first aired in 2006
• The film was nominated for six Emmy awards and won two, including outstanding children's programme
• It earned a Guinness Book of World Records entry for being the first TV film to generate nine concurrent singles in the American Billboard hot 100 chart
• It became the fastest selling TV movie on DVD
• The soundtrack was the No 1 album in the world in 2006
• The stage show is expected to be seen by more than 600,000 people in Britain
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