Category: Shows

I’ve received many emails about how to obtain legal license rights to perform Disney’s High School Musical. MTI (Music Theater International) handles the license distribution so you can legally perform this musical at a high school or local theater group. The MTI website is at http://www.mtimusicalworlds.com

During an initial rehearsal with the vocal chorus of a musical, something seemed out of place to me. The cast was very talented, there was just a lack of focus. How do you get all that talent to bring it as far as they can? I spent the better part of a week mulling this over. I came to the conclusion that the lack of focus had nothing to do with a lack of intent. It had more to do with a lack of knowledge on how to rehearse most effectively. Or more accurately, a lack of quality rehearsal habits.
Thoughts and actions repeated become habits. Through repetition you can create the habits you want for your cast that will make the difference in between an ok show and an exciting adventure.

Breaking in a cast can seem a little like breaking in a horse. So know in advance what your expectations are and keep driving that home until it happens without thinking. Here’s a two step process I used tonight for breaking in a new cast and I feel it was effective.

FOCUS AND CONCENTRATION

I think a non-equity (read non-professional) cast needs a delineation for when concentration begins. I began by showing them a hand clap signal. I clap a “ta-ta-teetee-ta” rhythm and they respond in like. Over the evening we repeated this with an expectation of total silence at the end. Perhaps a little grade-schoolish, but a good tool bringing a large cast back to focus. If there wasn’t silence then I would repeat the sequence. The whole idea being to make the instant focus switch a habit.
Most pros have an imaginary veil they step through that delineates a time for focus. At some point they were probably taught how to do that. If there’s something you do well, there’s probably a little pause you take before beginning the task. That’s your mental preparation.

VISUALIZATION

I had the cast split up into four sections. We did “Row Row Row Your Boat” as a round with each part singing once through and starting every other line. There were some snickers because that was a bit silly. Then I asked them to do it again but not to sing. They were instructed to hear the parts in their head. There were a lot of confused looks and hands went flying up, and I just cued the first group who started singing. A few started singing, not quite understanding the game yet. I stopped and told them again that we were doing the song but no one should sing, they should just hear it in their head. I started the first group, then the other three.

Here’s the great part. In many of the cast’s eyes I could see a lightbulb shining. An “AHA” moment. Many of them could indeed hear the singing in their minds. I wonder if for some of them this was the first exposure they had to visualization as a rehearsal tool.

Then they were instructed that while one part was practicing, they should be running their own parts in their minds. That’s the purpose of this exercise. For cast members to get in the habit of rehearsing parts in their head while other groups are singing.

Keep demonstrating different takes on visualization until it becomes a habit for the cast. As a musician, I can see most of the music I play in my head. If I can’t see it, that means I don’t really have a grasp on it. Many times I’ll practice in my head to find out the rough parts I need to work on. If I can’t see it, then that’s what I have to work on.

May seem like work, but this is one rehearsal tip for lazy people. By incorporating visualization into your practice time you can get as much done in 1/3 the time.

If you have other visualization tips for actors and singers please drop a comment here and let me know about them.

Breakdown of songs in the stage version of Disney’s High School Musical. Most character parts are referenced by the page number they occur in the MTI piano/conductor score. Main roles (Troy, Gabriella, Sharpay, Ryan) are not listed by song. This page is for reference during HSM rehearsals.
SINGING ROLES:
Drum Major (spoken intro)
Guys, Girls (SATB split)
Troy
Gabriella
Sharpay
Ryan
Auditions – 8 soloists
Zeke – p. 11, 75, 78. 81, 117, 156
Taylor – p. 11, 73, 78, 117, 123, 157, 158
Chad – p. 11, p. 74, 78, 117, 154, 156, 158
Martha – p. 75, 78, 84, 117, 123, 156
Ripper – p. 87
T,G Friends – p. 87
4 soloists – 50 Megamix

KELSI
21 – What I’ve Been Looking For – Play Piano
22 – Cellular Fusion p. 77
34 – Boom Box/Theater – Play Piano start on measure 5
40 – All In This Together – p. 156
46 – Kelsi Tries – p. 170 Play Piano

NOTES: Thespians – add vocalists to fill out sound?
23 – Fill out 97-99 with more vocals (only cliques/rebels)

ALL CAST SONGS
1 – Wildcat Cheer p. 2-5
2 – Start of Something New p. 11-19
3 – Cellular Fusion p. 76-80
40 – We’re All In This Together p. 155-
47 – Breaking Free p. 196-210

JOCKS (3-part T1, T2, B)
11 – Get’cha Head in the Game p. 29-41
12 – Get’cha (Playoff) into Lab
23 – Stick to the Status Quo – p. 82
30 – Counting on You – p. 118-128
32 – When There Was Me and You – p. 135-141
40 – All In This Together – p. 158
42 – Bop to the Top
47 – Breaking Free p. 187-191
50 – We’re All in This Together (Reprise) p. 196

THESPIANS
18 – Auditions p. 51-61
Group 1, Group 2, Also Girls/Guys split
SOLOISTS – James, Susan, Cathy, Alan, Cyndra, Kid 1-2-3,

BRANIACS
23 – Stick to the Status Quo – p. 84-86
30 – Counting on You – p. 118-128
32 – When There Was Me and You – p. 131-141
40 – All In This Together – p. 158
42 – Bop to the Top
47 – Breaking Free p. 187-191

SKATERS
23 – Stick to the Status Quo – p. 87

REBELS
23 – Stick to the Status Quo – p. 89, 92-94, 96

CLIQUES
23 – Stick to the Status Quo – p. 94, 96

CHEERLEADERS
29 – Wildcat Cheer (Reprise) p. 115

1 – Wildcat Cheer
Drum Major, Girls Guys (SATB split)

2 – Start of Something New
Troy, Gabriella – Part One
All Cast – countdown
Chad, Taylor, Sharpay, Ryan, Zeke – Part Two

3 – Start of Something New (Playoff)
Music Only

4 – Homeroom
Music Only

5 – Gabriella’s Phone
FX Only (cellphone ring)

6 – School Bell
FX only (school bell)

7 – Announcement Transition 1
Music Only

8 – Hallway
Music Only

9 – Announcement Transition 2
Music Only

10 – Basketball Practice
Music Only

11 – Get’cha Head in the Game
Troy, Jocks, 2 solos

12 – Get’cha (Playoff) into Lab
Troy, Jocks

13 – Sharpay Dials
FX only (cellphone dialing)

14 – The Plot Thickens
Music Only

15 – Announcement Transition 3
Music Only

16 – Detention
Music Only

17 – Announcement Transition 4
Music Only

18 – Auditions (Bop to the Top/What I’ve Been Looking For)
Thespians, 8 soloists

19 – What I’ve Been Looking For
Ryan, Sharpay

20 – School Bell
FX only (school bell)

21 – What I’ve Been Looking For (Reprise)
Troy, Gabriella, Kelsi

22 – Cellular Fusion
Taylor, Zeke, Chad, Martha, Ryan, Sharpay
Girls/Guys split

23 – Stick to the Status Quo
Zeke, Martha, Troy, Gabriella, Sharpay, Ryan
Jocks, Braniacs, Skaters, Rebels

ACT TWO
24 – Entr’acte (Stick to the Status Quo)
Music only

25 – Rooftop Garden
Music only

26 – I Can’t Take My Eyes Off of You
Troy, Gabriella

27 – Sharpay’s Locker
Music only

28 – Study Hall
Music only

29 – Wildcat Cheer (Reprise)
Cheerleaders

30 – Counting on You
Chad, Taylor, Zeke
Jocks, Braniacs

31 – Taylor’s Cell
FX only (cellphone ringer)

32 – When There Was Me and You
Gabriella, Troy
Braniacs, Jocks

33 – Boom Box Rehearsal
Music only

34 – Boom Box / Theater
Kelsi – piano

35 – Gabriella’s Cell
FX only – cellphone ringers

36 – Start of Something New (Reprise)
Troy, Gabriella

37 – Study Hall
Music only

38 – Announcement Transition 5
Music only

39 – Sorry, Troy
Music only

40 – We’re All In This Together
Chad, Zeke, Kelsi, Martha, Taylor
All Cast

41 – Bumpy Ride
Music only

42 – Bop to the Top
Sharpay, Ryan
Braniacs, Jocks

43 – Meltdown
FX only – circuit breaker and generator failure

44 – In the Lab
Music only

45 – In the Theater
In the Theater

46 – Kelsi Tries
Music only – Kelsi piano

47 – Breaking Free
Troy, Gabriella,
Full Cast

48 – Game Buzzer
FX only – Game buzzer

49 – Wildcat Vamp
Music only

50 – We’re All In This Together (Reprise)
Troy, Gabriella, Sharpay, Ryan
All Cast

51 – High School Musical Megamix
4 soloists
All Cast

52 – Exit Music (Bop to the Top)

Rumor mill, accuracy of this info not validated.

High School Musical 2 (proposed title may change) is the sequel to the Disney Channel Original Movie, High School Musical, planned for release on January 19 2007. Bill Borden, producer of High School Musical, said the film is signed for as a three-part telefilm (as its predecessors Zenon and Halloweentown were). Zac Efron, Vanessa Anne Hudgens , Ashley Tisdale, Lucas Grabeel, Corbin Bleu, and Monique Coleman have been confirmed to return for the sequel, as well as the director and choreographer, Kenny Ortega. Cast Zac Efron as Troy Bolton Vanessa Anne Hudgens as Gabriella Montez Ashley Tisdale as Sharpay Evans Lucas Grabeel as Ryan Evans Corbin Bleu as Chad Danforth Monique Coleman as Taylor McKessie Kay Panabaker as Allyson Garfield.

As of yet, all that has been revealed is that Troy, Gabriella, Sharpay, Ryan, Chad, and Taylor are organzing a talent show at the local country and golf club to which Sharpay, Ryan, and their family belongs to and where Troy is a life guard as a summer job. But during his summer job, Troy meets Allyson, a girl who is crazy over him. The producer for High School Musical reported to a recent online newspaper that the plot is currently being edited and has not been finalized as of yet.

“Currently we are in the process of making the final changes to make High School Musical, the sequel, even better then the first.” Rumors speculate that Sharpay and Ryan will be causing chaos in an attempt to restore the “natural order” that came forth by the nerds gaining popularity with the Jocks and give them their own social high back. High School Musical 2 will test the character’s true feelings and trust for each other.