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High School Musical
On Tour
Produced by Disney Theatrical Productions
and Broadway In Chicago
At the LaSalle Bank Theatre
18 W. Monroe
Chicago, IL
Call 312-902-1400, tickets $20 - $78
Wednesdays at 2 & 7:30 pm
Thursdays at 7:30 pm
Fridays at 8 pm
Saturdays at 2 & 8 pm
Sundays at 1 & 6:30 pm
Running time is 2 hours, 10 minutes with intermission
Through September 2, 2007
Disney is mining gold with stage version of High School Musical
Based on the mega-hit TV movie, High School Musical amazingly has become a phenomena—one of those inexplicable events. The TV movie and the CD sold well with 10-12 year old girls and have reached cult status among the junior high set. Amazing.
Disney didn’t realize the commercial stage potential opting to allow amateur and community theatre to mount the show. But Disney sure isn’t against cashing in on phenomena like High School Musical---therefore the national tour opening here in Chicago at the LaSalle Bank Theatre tonight.
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The opening night audience found a large segment of little girls offering a buzz seldom witnessed for an opening. I guess anyone under age 15 has seen High School Musical on TV? I was not aware of this subculturesque show. No one can tell me why this show has such an appeal to 10-12 year old girls? After all it is a light-weight, C+ TV film with vanilla characters in high school, a noisy pop/rock score with mediocre dancing and stereotypical story. Who can tell? The stage version is innocuously mediocre, unusual for a Disney show. But it makes no difference—if you have a 10-12 year old girl in your family—they’ll want to see this show. High School Musical is bullet-proof from critic’s reviews. It already has a large following, so we don’t count.
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I’m dumbfounded as to how and why such average, by-the-numbers material has become such a mega-hit? But it is, despite its being cliché ridden standard high school fare. Again, it makes no difference. High School Musical will become a major stage touring hit.
My main problem about such formula shows lies in their inherent playing down artistically or lowering the standards to play to a young audience. I believe the performing arts must attempt to lift young audiences to a higher level. High School Musical is ersatz material that panders rather than challenges its audience. We must always strive to uplift the experience of the performing arts for children setting a high standard that they’ll want to emulate. This material is crassly commercial as it reaches out to kids. It’s all about money here. Art and financial success can work together and Disney sure has the resources to do that. One can hope that Disney returns to the standards of past shows like The Lion King and Beauty and the Beast. But, I’m aware that little girls seem to love High School Musical and who can refuse a little girl?
From a consumer reporter’s perspective: take the little girls in your family to see High School Musical (you’ll have to anyway). But then take them to see Spelling Bee and Wicked and Mary Poppins (when it come here) so they’ll see what wonders the stage can really offer.
Somewhat Recommended
Tom Williams
Tom99@chicagocritic.com
Talk Theatre in Chicago podcast
Date Reviewed: August 1, 2007
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