The LaSalle Players last show of the season is Disney's "High School
Musical 2", an adaptation of the Disney TV movie musical which was released
on August 17, 2007. In the second show of the series, student, Troy Bolton
stresses over getting a job, with the price of college expenses looming on
his mind as well as trying to make sure he and Gabriella Montez are able to
stay together all summer. Director Thomas Haynes does a great job of
creating a country club atmosphere in the theatre while the musical
director, Michael Moise taught all the intricate harmonies for the musical
numbers. Choreographer Ann Morsilli creates topnotch dances with the cast
moving in perfect unison to dances like such as hip hop, Charleston, jazz,
rock and roll, the swim and the hula. They infuse the show with high energy
from start to finish to deliver a fantastic song and dance musical the whole
family can enjoy.
While the script isn't strong on a plotline, these high school students
do a phenomenal job with this show. In case most readers aren't familiar
with the storyline: at East High the final bell rings after Ms. Darbus
played by Regina Lutskiy gives a final lecture to the students, signaling
the beginning of summer vacation. The students converge in a song, "What
Time Is It?" and sing and dance up a storm during it. As a symbol of his
feelings for her, Troy Bolton gives Gabriella Montez a necklace with his
initial "T" on it. The Wildcats sing one last chorus of the song outside of
school before summer break. Sharpay and Ryan plan to spend the summer at
their family's country club, Lava Springs. She returns to her evil ways and
cruelly breaks up with Zeke, but Sharpay still has her claws out for Troy
whom she has arranged to be hired at the club. However, Troy convinces the
club's manager, Mr. Fulton into hiring Gabriella and their close group of
friends as well. Sharpay is enraged on learning this and urges Fulton to
give them difficult tasks so they'd opt to quit. Troy rebuilds their
confidence in "Work It Out" and convinces them that they can persevere while
he worries about funding for college. Sharpay senses his need and arranges
for Troy to be promoted to a golf pro, hoping this will convince him to sing
with her at the talent show. Meanwhile Kelsi has written a ballad "You are
the Music in Me" for Troy and Gabriella, while Troy agrees to sing it with
her not realizing that Sharpay is vying for his attention. She and Ryan trap
Troy as he prepares for a date with Gabriella. The visit from a local
college basketball team, The Red Hawks, causes a rift between Troy and his
best friend, Chad when Troy chooses the Evans companionship instead of his
friends'. Ryan realizes that he doesn't mean much to Sharpay anymore, as she
is ready to cast her brother aside to sing with Troy and replace him in the
Hawaiian. Taylor and Gabriella invite Ryan to the baseball game and Chad
offers him Troy's position. Troy and Gabriella's relationship is strained
when Troy sees Ryan with Gabriella, sparking jealousy. Owing to a "promise"
from Troy, he and Sharpay practice their song for the Midsummer's Night
Talent Show. When she finds out Ryan and the Wildcats are putting together
their own performance in the show, she orders Fulton to ban all junior staff
members from performing. When Gabriella finds out she quits her job, Troy
overhears and tries to get her to change her mind but Gabriella expresses
her loss of trust with Troy in the poignant song, "Gotta Go My Own Way. He
refuses to sing with Sharpay causing he to burst into tears and returns to
work to reconcile with Chad and the gang. Sharpay comforts herself by eating
Zeke's chocolate chip cookies, realizing she should get back together with
him. She gives Troy a new song to learn moments before the show. She calls
someone on Troy's cell phone. As Troy goes onstage singing "Every Day" alone
until Gabriella surprisingly joins him onstage. In the end Sharpay reforms
her ways promising to be friends with Gabriella and proudly presents her
brother with the award for the talent show. After the show the gang sings
and dances to the finale while Troy and Gabriella share their first kiss.
The cast is lead by senior Daniel Tracy, who will be majoring in theatre
at the University of Michigan next year, is excellent as Troy Bolton. He
captures the essence of the character as well as having incredible dancing
prowess in all his numbers. Daniel possesses a fantastic tenor voice which
he uses in"Work This Out" where he convinces the gang to stick to their
jobs, "Picnic" where he tries to kiss Gabriella. and "Bet on It", an angry
type song where Troy questions his motivations. His funniest moment comes
when he fights off Sharpay's advances on him during You are the Music in
Me". Troy sums up teen angst wonderfully when he says" He always liked the
idea of being in charge of my future until it actually started happening.
(Dan has an excellent future in the theatre after having reviewed him in
"Thoroughly Modern Millie" last December and "Lovers' Quarrels" this March
which showed he can play a variety of roles.) He and Alison Russo have
wonderful chemistry as the romantic couple, having played across from each
other in both Millie and "Lovers' Quarrels". Beautiful brunette, Alison, a
junior plays Gabriella and has a fantastic voice which she uses in "Picnic",
"Every Day" and "Gotta Go My Own Way", a dynamic show stopping
number. Gabriella warns Troy not to fall victim to the dangers of upward
mobility. Instead of jocks versus art and math geeks, this time it is the
haves vs. the have nots. Playing the scene stealing Evans twins are Tiia
Groden and Sean Walsh as Sharpay and Ryan. She has a show stopping song
called "Fabulous" which is done three times in the show and one of the lines
contains a line about Cole Porter:" Towels imported from Turkey/Turkey
imported from Maine." She is dressed in bright pink and her posse, backup
singers and dancers wear bright colors, too. (Julia Harvey, Katrina Pavao
and Hannah MacDonald) Beautiful blonde Tiia was also dynamite as Millie and
in this show she gets to go back and forth from being a mean vain rich girl
to caring sister and friend. She has a gorgeous voice . Sean is a hoot as
Ryan, making his flamboyant gestures perfectly. His standout number is "I
Don't Dance" where he and the gang does something exciting and brand new
with that familiar title. They mime playing a baseball game
hilariously. Sean plays bulldozed younger brother, Ryan, acts, dances and
sings with real feeling adding a welcome poignancy to the show after being
rejected by Sharpay. (He and Tiia played across from each other in Millie as
love interests.) Colin Whitney is a hoot as Mr. Fulton, the pompous club
manager who is bullied and bossed around by the spoiled Sharpay who finally
tells her off at the end of the show. (Colin is only a freshman but always
seems to play older characters in most of the shows. Troy's best friend Chad
is well played by Christopher Lee who makes his debut in this show, his
girlfriend, Taylor is well played by Gabi Whitney while Kelsi, the musician
and her announcer boyfriend, Jack Scott are played by Santana Roberts and
Matthew Smith. John Smith is the long suffering rejected boyfriend, Zeke
while Elizabeth Radwan is Martha who does Albuquerque's version of street
talk. Some of the standout dancers include Matthew Kilduff, Luke
Doyle, Vincent Lee and Devin Carreiro.The infectious tunes are numerous with
standouts including "You Are the Music in Me," "All for One" and "Fabulous"
transformation. So for an exciting musical with an outstanding cast, be sure
to catch "High School Musical 2" which is rewarded with a spontaneous
standing ovation at the end of the show.
HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL 2 ( 6 TO 17 May, 2009)
LASALLE Players, 612 Academy Avenue, Providence, RI
