STAGES secures license to mount Disney’s “High School Musical”

STAGES recently got the nod of Disney Theatrical Productions and Music Theatre International (MTI) to mount the newly adapted stage musical based on Disney Channel’s hit original movie “High School Musical” in the Philippines. Auditions will be held in November.

STAGES mounts “High School Musical” as a fitting follow-up to its successful staging of another youth musical, “Footloose,” late last year, which starred RnB Prince Jay-R and Myx VJ Iya Villania.

Since Emmy-winning “High School Musical” premiered on Disney Channel U.S. last January, it has been televised 13 times and was seen by over 37 million viewers. Its maiden telecast alone set record-breaking ratings for Disney Channel. The TV movie has since established ratings records in Australia and South East Asia. In the Philippines, “High School Musical” ranked no. 1 in its timeslot beating all other kid TV channels during its premiere telecast.

Moreover, the TV movie’s soundtrack is the top-selling album of the year to date in the U.S., selling over 2.7 million copies. Its DVD release has sold over 2.3 million copies since May, making “High School Musical” the best-selling TV movie on DVD of all time. A junior novel based on the Disney movie landed on no. 1 spot in the New York Times’ bestseller list (children’s paperbacks). Music sheets for guitar, piano and vocals are also selling like hotcakes.

“High School Musical” follows the sugar-sweet story of popular high school basketball star Troy Bolton and timid, math genius Gabriella Montez who discover that they share a secret passion for singing, and must learn to break free from their cliques’ typical expectations in order for the two to fulfill their dreams.

Both TV movie and stage versions of “High School Musical” boast of catchy “break into song” production numbers, which include “Start of Something New,” “Get’cha Head in the Game,” “What I’ve Been Looking For,” “Stick to the Status Quo,” “When There Was Me and You,” “Bop to the Top,” and “We’re All in This Together.” The soaring duet and U.S. Billboard Top 4 hit, “Breaking Free,” two new songs, and a “High School Musical” Megamix complete the song list in the adapted full stage version.

STAGES will hold auditions in November. “Tweeners,” teens and young adults, 13 to 22 years old, who can act, sing and dance, may try-out. Interested parties and show buyers may contact Tes Bolneo at tel. no. (632) 818-1111 loc. 209 or email stages_pr@i-manila.com.ph for details.

STAGES’ production of Disney’s “High School Musical” is slated to run at Meralco Theater in August 2007.

Apart from producing stage musicals, STAGES is into booking and casting models and talents, talent management, event management, and public relations.