Wellington Junior High to perform 'High School Musical'

By Brenda Rader Mross
Correspondent

OTroy, Troy, wherefore art thou, Troy?"

So Shakespeare it's not. Nonetheless "High School Musical" has oft been compared to "Romeo and Juliet," its plot described as a modern retelling of the bard's famed tragedy.

Most of the Wellington Junior High School choir probably hasn't yet read the centuries-old tale of star-crossed lovers, but nearly all of them have "High School Musical" committed to memory because the Eagle Ambassadors will be performing it Jan. 11 through 13 at the Lincoln Center.

Ninth-grader Gavin Norris would rather not be compared to either Romeo or Troy and was shocked when cast as the male lead in the junior high school's upcoming presentation.

"I figured I had a good chance," Gavin said, "but I convinced myself I wouldn't get it so I wouldn't be disappointed."

The 15-year-old said he's not at all like the Disney character made famous with teens and tweens by actor Zac Efron. The fictional Troy Bolton is an extremely popular BMOC (Big Man on Campus) and captain of the basketball team, while Gavin Norris is more into swimming, his studies and defying categorization.

"Actually," Gavin quipped, "I'm more the Gabriella type!"

Gabriella Montez is "the new shy girl," per female lead Candra Zander, a not-at-all-shy girl born and raised in the area. "I'm the total opposite!" Candra, also a ninth-grader exclaimed. "I'm so outgoing. And I'm a jock."

The 14-year-old isn't kidding; she plays basketball, football and volleyball and participates in track.

For the uninitiated, the "High School Musical" short story is this: Hoops star Troy and brainy Gabriella meet while on vacation. During a karaoke contest, they discover they each have a love for singing - and each other. After vacation, Troy finds out that Gabriella is the new girl at his school. Both decide to audition for the upcoming high school musical despite protests from their best friends, Chad and Taylor, and efforts to stop them by the school's top theatrical talents, the envious Evans siblings.

Candra and Gavin say they have been having a lot of fun together since winning the lead roles in October. "I really, really wanted the part," Candra said of Gabriella, whom she described as a good student who doesn't want anyone to know she's smart.

Neither lead brings to the current production much in the way of prior stage experience. Candra was part of the chorus in the Eagle Ambassadors' presentation last year of "Godspell," while Gavin said his one real claim to fame was playing Fritz in "The Nutcracker" when he was 5 or 6 or so back in Davis, Calif.

Both credit WJHS music director Linda Anderson as the reason they are learning so much and yet having so much fun at the same time.

"Ms. A. makes everything seem possible," Gavin said.

"I have no idea how she does it," Candra said. "All the pressure...it's crazy! I think I'm working hard and she's working a thousand times harder."

Leads have been rehearsing Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays after school, and the rest of the choir joins in at night to learn choreography. There is additional work on vocals done in choir class during the day.

Anderson said her group knows when they step on the Lincoln Center main stage, they will have a big impact on children in the audience.

"My students are focused on 'becoming' that person they are playing," Anderson said. "We know how these characters have moved their fans and are intent on doing it right."

Kyle Smith, 13, and Rachael Trotter, 15, play the two other main leads, the villainous brother-sister team of Ryan and Sharpay Evans. It is the Evans' mission to thwart Troy and Gabriella from winning the lead roles in the school's winter musical "Twinkle Towne."

Rachael described "High School Musical" as the show to do, saying it's a musical that brings people together.

Other leads include Jacob Walston, 15, as Chad Danforth, a member of the East High Wildcats basketball team and Troy's best friend; Dani Demaree, 15, as Taylor McKessie, leader of East High's science club who befriends Gabriella; Jamie Hettinger, 13, as Kelsi Nielsen, pianist and composer of the "Twinkle Towne" musical; Michael Cienfuegos-Baca, 14, as Zeke Baylor, another Wildcat ballplayer who secretly enjoys baking and has a crush on Sharpay; Missy Brown, 14, as a brainiac who clandestinely loves hip-hop; and Ian Dreitz, 14 as the nerdy school P.A. announcer Jack Scott.

The four leads interviewed said line memorization has come "pretty easy" - not surprising as each admitted to having seen the movie at least 30 times.

The Eagle Ambassadors will only be performing "High School Musical" at the Lincoln Center four times: 7 p.m. on Jan. 11, 2 and 7 p.m. on Jan. 12, and 2 p.m. on Jan. 13. Tickets are $15 for adults and $12 for students and seniors and may be purchased at the Lincoln Center box office by calling 221-6730.

The Eagle Ambassadors are supported by volunteers from the Friends of the Arts.