Waikato Herald
  • Waikato Herald home
  • Latest news
  • Sport
  • Business
  • Rural
  • Lifestyle
  • Lotto results

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • On The Up
  • Sport
  • Business
  • Rural
    • All Rural
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology
  • Lifestyle
  • Lotto results

Locations

  • Hamilton
  • Coromandel & Hauraki
  • Matamata & Piako
  • Cambridge
  • Te Awamutu
  • Tokoroa & South Waikato
  • Taupō & Tūrangi

Weather

  • Thames
  • Hamilton
  • Tokoroa
  • Taumarunui
  • Taupō

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / Waikato News

Hamilton High School Muscial Play a story of teenagers growing up

By Geoff Lewis
Hamilton News·
10 May, 2018 07:36 PM2 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  Sign in here

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save

    Share this article

The two lead characters in Musikmaker's production High School Musical, Gabriella Montez played by Hayley Monaghan and Troy Bolton played by Zachary Clarke. Photo / Supplied

The two lead characters in Musikmaker's production High School Musical, Gabriella Montez played by Hayley Monaghan and Troy Bolton played by Zachary Clarke. Photo / Supplied

Musikmakers' production of Disney's High School Musical, opening night, Riverlea Theatre. Reviewed by Geoff Lewis Deluged with young talent during auditions, show management selected a young and vibrant cast, many of whom could already call on experience in both school and amateur productions.

High School Musical is a cleaned-up and modernised version of the classic 70s musical Grease. Set in the mythical East High School in Albuquerque, New Mexico, it is typically American — loud, brash and flashy.

But underneath are the common struggles of teenagers trying hard to be grownups.

Centre is the relationship between newby student Gabriella Montez, played by Hayley Monaghan and the coach's son Troy Bolton, played by Zac Clarke.

Stand-outs include the attention-seeking Sharpay Evans (Mimi Boister), her hen-pecked companion Ryan Evans (Jonathan Hawthorn), on-stage pianist and composer Kelsi Neilson (Bride Case-Miller) and school radio jock Jack Scott (Jack Turner).

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

The cast is bolstered by veteran stage performers including Leona Lenora Robinson as the affected drama teacher Ms Darbus and Scott Chaplow as the single-minded school B-ball coach Bolton.

High School Musical is packed with rousing musical numbers from poignant solos and duets to thumping gang-show choral numbers. Musical director Coryn Knapper and choreographer Abby Dutton focused a tonne of youthful energy into Riverlea's limited stage, finishing the evening with a stomping high-pressure version of We're All in This Together followed by a megamix recap of all the major songs in the show.

Save

    Share this article

Latest from Lifestyle

Lifestyle

Watch: The latest highlights from Smokefreerockquest and Showquest

Waikato Herald

NZ actress accuses Australian policeman of using CCTV to spy on her

Lifestyle

Watch: Smokefreerockquest and Showquest's finals around the motu


Sponsored

Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from Lifestyle

Watch: The latest highlights from Smokefreerockquest and Showquest
Lifestyle

Watch: The latest highlights from Smokefreerockquest and Showquest

Regional finals from Auckland, Canterbury, Far North, Northland, Nelson and Wairarapa.

14 Jul 10:25 PM
NZ actress accuses Australian policeman of using CCTV to spy on her
Waikato Herald

NZ actress accuses Australian policeman of using CCTV to spy on her

06 Jul 12:48 AM
Watch: Smokefreerockquest and Showquest's finals around the motu
Lifestyle

Watch: Smokefreerockquest and Showquest's finals around the motu

03 Jul 06:00 AM


Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky
Sponsored

Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky

06 Jul 09:47 PM
NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • Waikato Herald e-edition
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Subscribe to the NZ Herald newspaper
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • Waikato Herald
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Photo sales
  • NZME Events
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP