High School Musical - has it changed the way kids perceive musicals?

barnum42

barnum42

New Member
Original Poster
Finally saw High School Musical on UK TV over Xmas. To be honest it's not geared for someone of my age - knocking on the door of 40, so I found annoying spoilt teens a bit too distracting to fully get into the film (though I did like the performance of the lad who was into baking - nicely understated next to the OTT antics of the rest) HOWEVER, were I of an age, I'm sure I'd have loved it and think it's great that it's been such a hit.

My question - has it been a hit with real world high school kids and has it done anything to change pre-conceptions of enjoying or even performing in musical theatre? That is, can guys watch a show or even take part in one without the fear of constant ribbing from their friends?

I ask this from the point of view from someone who has spent well over 20 years enjoying and performing in musicals - despite many derisive comments from people I know who found it strange that it's not compulsory to be gay in order to enjoy a good show :D
 
davewasbaloo

davewasbaloo

New Member
It seems to be making a difference. But I was one of those wierdo kids who loved musicals (I even performed in 18 of them) and I am straight with 2 kids.

I actually started to really get into HSM - it reminded me of the TV series FAME.
 
RonAnnArbor

RonAnnArbor

Well-Known Member
There isn't one answer to this --

I would say HSM has increased interest in HSM, not other musicals in general.

Our local high school here in Ann Arbor did one of the first permitted high school productions of High School Musical last fall. They sold out every show and made buckets of money.

That enthusiasm has NOT carried over to any other theatrical or musical productions at the school.

The show is particularly "hot" with 13 - 15 year olds with some of the highest sales of musical CD's and DVD's ever...but those same kids are waiting for HSM 2 to be released, they are not necessarily flocking to audition for shows around town.

I direct all sorts of musical theatre here locally - and for a youth-oriented musical theatre program will be directing Grease this spring -- HSM is not generating any additional auditioners.

I think there are some kids who will watch the movie and really want to see others...for the majority, HSM isn't seen as a "musical" -- it's seen as a music video/movie with pop songs that the kids like. If I hear one more kid sing "We're all in this together" at an audition I will scream.

In general, kids are smart enough to know that the High School basketball team guys will NEVER audition for the spring musical.
 
D

darthjohnny

Active Member
I would certainly say that it is a hit with the younger crowd. I don't really think it's made that big of an impact in high schools, though, there are the High School Musical school productions as previously said.

I saw something on MTV News that was talking about how musicals were makinga resurgence and it talked about High School Musical and interviewed Vanessa Anne Hudgens. :)
 
barnum42

barnum42

New Member
Original Poster
RonAnnArbor said:
There isn't one answer to this --

I would say HSM has increased interest in HSM, not other musicals in general.

Our local high school here in Ann Arbor did one of the first permitted high school productions of High School Musical last fall. They sold out every show and made buckets of money.

That enthusiasm has NOT carried over to any other theatrical or musical productions at the school.

The show is particularly "hot" with 13 - 15 year olds with some of the highest sales of musical CD's and DVD's ever...but those same kids are waiting for HSM 2 to be released, they are not necessarily flocking to audition for shows around town.

I direct all sorts of musical theatre here locally - and for a youth-oriented musical theatre program will be directing Grease this spring -- HSM is not generating any additional auditioners.

I think there are some kids who will watch the movie and really want to see others...for the majority, HSM isn't seen as a "musical" -- it's seen as a music video/movie with pop songs that the kids like. If I hear one more kid sing "We're all in this together" at an audition I will scream.

In general, kids are smart enough to know that the High School basketball team guys will NEVER audition for the spring musical.
Click to expand...
So there is still a chasm between what is cool (pop vids) and what is not (show tunes).

Sorry to hear about having to hear "We're all in this together" so much. Do you get any comfort from knowing that at least it's not another rendition of something from Les Miz? ;)
 
RonAnnArbor

RonAnnArbor

Well-Known Member
My list of top 5 songs I never want to hear anybody sing for me at an audition:

1. Tomorrow
2. On My Own
3. We're All In This Together
4. Under the Sea
5. I Could Have Danced all Night
 
davewasbaloo

davewasbaloo

New Member
RonAnnArbor said:
My list of top 5 songs I never want to hear anybody sing for me at an audition:

1. Tomorrow
2. On My Own
3. We're All In This Together
4. Under the Sea
5. I Could Have Danced all Night
Click to expand...

Remember when every little girl sang Tomorrow. My god, I wanted to blow my brains out. Same thing with Memory from Cats (used to love it, but not anymore).
 
barnum42

barnum42

New Member
Original Poster
davewasbaloo said:
Remember when every little girl sang Tomorrow. My god, I wanted to blow my brains out. Same thing with Memory from Cats (used to love it, but not anymore).
Click to expand...
I've always hated "Memory". Same with "Don't Cry for me Argentina". Both were played to death on radio when the shows came out.

I'm surprised to see "I could have danced all night" on Ron's list of overdone audition pieces.

I think over here, people are getting fed up of songs from "Wicked".
 
davewasbaloo

davewasbaloo

New Member
barnum42 said:
I've always hated "Memory". Same with "Don't Cry for me Argentina". Both were played to death on radio when the shows came out.

I'm surprised to see "I could have danced all night" on Ron's list of overdone audition pieces.

I think over here, people are getting fed up of songs from "Wicked".
Click to expand...

Also, as much as I love it, I think the Lion King numbers are being overdone here in the UK too.
 
arielbabe

arielbabe

Member
i love musicals and i love HSM so does my mum who is in her 40's and says if the tour comes to the uk she will take me and my younger sister
 
C

caitybug11188

New Member
RonAnnArbor said:
In general, kids are smart enough to know that the High School basketball team guys will NEVER audition for the spring musical.
Click to expand...

interesting that you said this. I go to a very small school (50 kids per grade about) so kids do many different activities. Maybe its just because it is such a small school, but my school did West Side Story this year and we had a guy who is captain of the swim team (which won divionals) and member of the championship soocer team playing Tony, our star basketball player was a member of the Jets (it was his first time acting or singing ever), and many other soccer, tennis, basketball, baseball, and swimming athletes participating in the play. And thats just the guys (the girls had even more athletes participating). Like i said, it could be because the school is so small, but it was interesting to see. While i highly doubt it was because of High School Musical, it would be interesting to hear why all these kids auditioned for the first time. On another note, im going to see our neighboring town's production of high school musical tonight lol....im hoping they do a good job :)
 
RonAnnArbor

RonAnnArbor

Well-Known Member
That is definately because you go to a small school. Here in Ann Arbor, where there are 2300 kids in one of the high schools and 3100 in the other, the jocks don't even talk to the artsy-fartsy types. That is pretty much the norm, and it goes back as far as when I was in High School in the '70's in the burbs of Cleveland.

As to a previous post of mine in this thread -- I now remove "I Could Have Danced All Night" from the list of overdone audition songs - and now replace it with "Popular" from Wicked as a song I NEVER want to hear anyone sing when they audition for me.
 

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