High School Musical Jr. Keeps Kids Singing

The Talent Factory and local sole proprietorship, Experiments in Theater, both of North Kingstown, RI, have teamed up to present High School Musical Jr. on Saturday, April 4, 2015 at 2 PM and 7:30 PM. Performances will take place at West Warwick High School at 1 Webster Knight Drive, West Warwick, RI. Tickets are $15 in advance or $20 at the door and may be purchased at the Talent Factory on 6171 Post Road in North Kingstown, RI or by calling 401-398-0606.

High School Musical Jr is a stage adaptation of the popular 2006 Disney Channel Original Movie movie starting Zac Efron, Vanessa Hudgens and Ashley Tisdale. In light of its immediate and overwhelming success, Disney released a television sequel, High School Musical 2, in 2007. The High School Musical franchise currently consists of three full length movies including the most recent, High School Musical 3: Senior Year, which was released in 2008. Of the three, High School Musical 3 is the only movie in the trilogy that received a theatrical release.

High School Musical fans of all ages love its fun music, spirited dancing and colorful characters. As you might expect of a Disney show, the High School Musical story is rather utopian: boy meets girl, boy and girl come to realize that their respective cliques are stagnating their personal growth and girl and boy challenge one another to be all that they can be despite well-meaning opposition from friends. There is sabotage. There are lessons learned. But, in the end, everyone wins.

“And why not, right?” Says High School Musical Jr. director and Experiments in Theater owner, Valerie Remillard Myette, “Let’s face it, it’s not easy being a teenager, even if you want for nothing materially. Most days you’re just trying to figure out who you are and what you believe, while your loved ones, hopefully without meaning to, are doing and saying things to try to keep you one way or change you to someone else. Speaking as a parent, I can tell you honestly that I see it as part of my job to make my children the best people I can make them. I’m sure I have and will do things along the way that confuse and upset them but my intentions are never to hurt them or make them miserable. I truly just want the best for them.”

Ms. Remillard Myette goes on to say, “In our rehearsals, we discussed where each of the characters are coming from and their reasons for putting pressure on their friends. Not to justify the pressure so much but to hold a mirror up to it. It’s true that it all works out for everyone in the end and I spoke to my cast about that, too. We decided that the theater is a place where sometimes we tell stories that are an honest portrayal of reality and sometimes we tell stories to make people feel good and help us all get through the day with a little more hope.”

Ms. Remillard Myette’s High School Musical Jr. cast includes 27 children ages 5-16 including Sebastian Shoup (14) as Zeke Baylor, Jordan Stephen Scott (13) as Chad Danforth, Ali Hornung (14) as Sharpay Evans, Macie Johnson (13) as Gabriella, all of North Kingstown, Abby Dech (11) of South Kingstown as Martha Cox, Jenna Summer (16) as Ms. Darbus, Gabriella Weathers (11) as Taylor McKessie, and Peter Zubiago (14) as Troy Bolton all of East Greenwich, Aidan LeBlanc (11) as Ryan Evans, Grace Truslow (11) as Kelsi Nielsen and Ashlyn Gannon (9) as Jackie Scott all of Warwick and Elizabeth Dineen (9) of Cranston in the role of Jacqueline Scott. The High School Musical Jr.Ensemble consists of Lindsay Cobb (8) of Cranston, Cassidy Snyder (11), Lauren Frizzle (11), Brianna L. Cronin (8), Rachael Johnson (8), Madalyn Knutton (11), Kristy-Anna Wilson (11) and Annika Myette (5) all of North Kingstown, Mackenzie Anne Tucker (7) and Julia Byrom (7) both of Jamestown, Ellen Warburton (10), Bella Righi (8) and Sofia Adames (5) of East Greenwich and Paige Barlow (7) of Saunderstown.

Talent Factory Performing Arts Centre has been providing high caliber training in dance and theater to the West Bay and South County region for over ten years. They offer performing arts instruction for all ages and skill levels including combo classes for children as young as three, professional caliber instruction for young adults and beginner classes for adults. For more information about Talent Factory, visitTalentFactoryRI.com.

Experiments in Theater is a local sole-proprietorship that offers after school programming and camps in schools throughout Rhode Island. Specializing in theater, improvisation, acting, movement and art, Experiments in Theater challenges young people to create, collaborate, learn and grow. For more information about Experiments in Theater, please visit ExperimentsinTheater.com.