High School Musical
Opening night goes well for show

Gabriella (Joelle Jackson) and Troy (Maurice Laperriere) do not see eye to eye on everything in "High School Musical."

Tuesday night the stage of Whitehouse High School was filled with energy, talent and potential. It was also filled with close to 100 students as the cast and crew of Disney's High School Musical invited kids of all ages to join them on stage for the finale of the junior high school's musical presentation. And what a presentation it was.

Troy, played by Maurice Laperriere, has the voice of an angel and was the heartthrob of the basketball team. The duets with Gabriella, played by Joelle Jackson, were outstanding.

As the story begins, much like one that many in their 40s will remember, Grease, Troy and Gabriella meet over a New Year's Eve vacation and find themselves at school together after the holidays.

Their new-found interests rub their schoolmates the wrong way. Sharpay, wonderfully played by Hannah Herrington, and her alwayspresent brother Ryan, the terrifically cast Keaton Stainback, along with Troy's friend Chad, (Logan Newton) and Gabriella's new friend Taylor (Caroline Weathers) try to get the two to go their separate ways.

A stage full of seventh and eighth grade students thrill the audience with songs and smiles during Tuesday evening's performance. Whitehouse Junior High continues with "High School Musical" Thursday-Saturday at 7:30 p.m.

The basketball scene was just phenomenal. Junior high guys should not be able to dance that well. The attitude was so locker room, the smell of dirty socks was almost in the air.

During the lunch scene Carlos Morales, in the role of Zeke, "comes out" to the student body that he secretly loves to bake. Along with news that Troy really enjoys singing, comes even more shocking revelations -- they have a cello-loving skater and a dance-adoring brainiac among them.

Ever yone has flipped as they all join in the song Stick to the Status Quo.

As in most high school settings, the cliques all have their own interests at heart. Whether it's the jocks, the brainiacs, the skaters, the thespians or the cheerleaders, whatever they do is most important.

Members of Whitehouse Junior High perform in "High School Musical."

But this musical teaches the radical idea that it really is NOT all about ME. It's about how much we can do if we work together. And work together they did.

Of course, as with all Disney, everybody lives happily ever after. It was so exciting to see how this huge group of kids worked as a real team to put on such a great production.

They were certainly not alone. All of the cast, crew, teachers and parents involved make the High School Musical a superb junior high hit.

Don't miss the opportunity to take in a great night of fun and enjoy the show. Kids will laugh and sing along and adults will be proud.

Join the WJHS kids as they rock the house at the Whitehouse High School auditorium for repeat performances on Thursday, Friday and Saturday beginning each night at 7:30 p.m.

Tickets are $3 for students, $5 for adults and $10 for a threeshow pass.

Play review by Suzanne Loudamy; photos by Jim Jackson