High School Musical

The Lowry

22nd August - 19th September 2026 

*** YOU’LL LEAVE THE THEATRE ON A (EAST) HIGH! ***

*** FRESH. FULL OF LIFE. FULL OF FUN HIGH SCHOOL - MUSICAL PERFECTION ***

*** SIMPLY PUT - GO SEE IT! GO WILD CATS! ***

*** HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL IS THE SHOW OF THE SUMMER - DON’T MISS OUT! ***

*** GET YOUR TICKETS & GET YOUR HEAD IN THE GAME! ***

Curtain Up: 19:05

Curtain Down: 21:30

IF I COULD LIVE IN THE HSM MEGAMIX FOREVER….. I WOULD!’ HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL IS INFECTIOUS - PLEASE DON’T GIVE ME AN ANTIDOTE!’ 

22/09/2006 was the release date of a small budget Disney Venture - HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL. It’s safe to say looking back - even the big bosses at the studio were not expecting a global phenomenon….

It’s the story of High School sweethearts - Troy & Gabriella who meet at a summer ski lodge on vacation singing karaoke - then meet at high school by chance. Sound familiar? They audition for the High School Musical. Can it work out? Will they make it to the second round of auditions? Will Troy’s dad - Coach Bolton be pleased his son can sing and shoot hoops? 

Why is this movie musical so well loved x20 years later. I put it down to Disney hiring Kenny Ortega the legendary movie producer / director / choreographer. He was Michael Jackson’s creative partner for over x2 decades. Creating magic is something he has done all his life. Now 76 I’d love him to visit Salford to see what the Hopemill Boys & The Lowry have dreamt up! I don’t think he would be at all disappointed. 

HSM is hailed as the 00’s generations version of GREASE. I was a bit sceptical with this statement. But in the x4 months since I heard this….. I completely agree. 

I remember visiting Disney’s Hollywood Studios in Florida in 2007 vividly. HSM fever was electric all over the park. There was a x45 minute MEGAMIX performed by very talented Disney Cast Members. I even bought a flat cap to emulate Ryan Evans! & yes….. I did see HSM2 in Bradford on stage back in 2009. So….. a bit of a fan. I can’t help get caught up in hype around Troy & Gabriella’s return to the UK stage x20 years on. 

So…… Tonight was the press night of the eagerly anticipated Disney HSM - a joint project between those clever Hopemill chaps - Joseph & William & The Lowry. Disney were pitched with the idea of a 20-year revival celebration. The Mouse doesn’t let just anyone run with their material. They clearly had a lot of trust and belief that this production would be something special. If the mouse had any worries - they needn’t of. 

Tonight’s show was so fresh. So immersive. So well designed, lit & choreographed - we really have zero notes! The huge cast filled the full-size basketball stage set from designer ANDREW EXETER. I can’t remember the last time I saw a cast with x28 people that have so much passion and commitment to a musical. It really shows in every one of them. It’s infectious and they should be congratulated. 

The cast are phenomenal - all oozing HSM 2006 energy - & then some. 

Our Troy Bolton - TOBIAS TURLEY is a quadruple threat - Sing, Dance, Act - & Shoot Hoops! Charming throughout. Mirroring the charm his Gabriella Montez - LEONOR CORREIA with pitch perfect vocals. 

JASON DONOVAN - Coach Bolton surprisingly doesn’t sing on the show. His USA accent is difficult to place where in America, he’s meant to be from. 

KAYCEE STROH - Mrs Darbus is the drama teacher we all wish we had! She was in all x3 HSM films and her enthusiasm for the show seems as strong as ever. Bravo! 

A Hopemill regular - LUKE BAYER as camp as Christmas - RYAN EVANS mirrors his outrageously camp sister Sharpay - CAITLIN TIPPING. Both appeared in TITANIQUE in the west end recently & their Charisma, Uniqueness, Nerve & Talent makes me want to grab a top hat, a feather boa and a bunch of rhine-stones & attack my wardrobe immediately! 

AARON RENFREE - the choreographer needs to take a well-earned bow. Having worked with Kylie, Taylor Swift, Todrick, Take That among others - his current troupe are displaying world class exciting moves and left us all wanting to jump up on stage and join in. Isn’t that what a good choreo does? 

RORY BEATON’S lighting is exceptional. Complemented by GEORGE REEVE’S video designs. It makes the overall viewing enhanced with live feed cameras and large digital display boards. Some lucky audience members can sit on the Lowry’s stage for the very first time. Immersive theatre is everywhere in the west end - so to have this in Salford feels extra special. 

Hopemill Shoots. Scores & delivered a 5* HSM to be very proud of

You love DISNEY. 

You love MUSICALS. 

You love GREAT CHOREO. 

You love IMMERSIVE THEATRE. 

You love STATE OF THE ART TECHNOLOGY. YOUR GUNN’A LOVE THIS SHOW! 

Trust Manchester Theatrical on this one….. it’s worth every one of your hard-earned pennies. 

I just don’t know how - or if the Hopemill team can top this….. but I’ve said that after seeing their versions of RENT, A CHRISTMAS CAROL, NINE, YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN, & countless other productions they’ve excited us with! So please - please keep making these award-winning theatrical experiences for us all. & we must all support them. This is a company that enhances lives. It’s not lost on us all the community work you do. The blood, sweat and tears. The funding applications. The meetings. The phone calls. 11 years in & It’s all very much paying off. You’re achieving greatness. We’re just glad to of been on the ride with you from the beginning. THANKYOU 

5* OUTSTANDING - HIGHLY POLISHED WORLD CLASS DISNEY MUSICAL IN SALFORD - NO BRAINER! BOOK NOW?