Eleanor Roosevelt High School showcased the High School Musical stage play on April 24th, 2024 during 4th and 6th periods. The High School Musical Play is about a charismatic basketball player, Troy Bolton (Shawford Jackson) who meets an intelligent transfer student, Gabriella Montez (Sofina Davis), at a party. Together, they realize their passion for singing and decide to try out for the school musical. There are some challenges that Troy and Gabriella face along the way, such as peer pressure from others, cliques, and trying to discover their true selves outside of their comfort zones. Troy and Gabriella’s motivation to achieve their goals are a universal theme set throughout the performance. The main message highlighted in the play is the importance of being yourself.
Overall, the performance by the ERHS theatre students was superb. The upbeat personalities of the characters kept me glued to my seat. I was highly intrigued by the performances conducted by the cast, especially when the songs, “We’re All in This Together” and “What I’ve Been Looking For” were performed. The songs were upbeat and catchy, and the voices were in sync with the melodies. One of my favorite scenes was the ending of the first act, where all of the actors gathered together to sing a combination of the songs. They exhibited joy, energy, and pure enthusiasm on the stage, and their bright smiles showcased the natural affinity between the audience and the characters.
On a scale of 1-10, I rate this act a 10 because of the captivating way the actors were able to keep the audience interested from the beginning to the end. Shawford Jackson as Troy Bolton and Sofina Davis as Gabriella Montez captured the spirit of this play through their heartwarming personalities. When asked about her favorite experience of the performance was, Sophomore Esther Sonoiki cast as Cathy/Susan, said she “enjoyed communicating with her co-cast members” claiming “they even made the most tedious day enjoyable.” The strong knit community the ERHS theatre students have is what made the High School Musical show a spectacular success.
The actors cooperated with each other, and the expressions in the theatre scene felt authentic. Of course, what truly matters after the play’s showcasing are the friendships formed, the memories created, and the fun times. Although the performance was superb, there were some flaws. When asked about the execution of the play and its’ organization, Sophomore Audrey Canaday, who played Kelsi Neilson said “I believe it had a good vision, however the execution could’ve been improved. The audio and microphone work could’ve been practiced a bit more before each performance.” Although plays often have a few flaws in them, as long as the actors have passion and motivation, the audience will have a wonderful experience. As bright lights shown on the stage, I watched with awe at the captivating acts of each and every scene, honestly, I couldn’t even catch the minor weaknesses in the stage play since the actors kept me intrigued with their compelling personalities.
The charismatic charm, along with the inspiring messages are what made everyone truly enjoy the act. There were so many funny scenes in the High School Musical play, several of them made my friends and I laugh so hard till we cried. This was a memorable experience, one I will never forget because I had one of the best times watching the plot unfold.