Matt Maretz and Alexis Young lead the cast as Troy and Gabriella, their young love threatened as Troy is torn between his relationships and the prospect of getting a lucrative basketball scholarship from Sharpay’s dad. Matt does well as the confident Troy determined to Work This Out who becomes the soul-searching Troy in Bet On It. Alexis makes for a sweet Gabriella, the two of them joining forces for some good new duets, especially Gotta Go My Own Way sung as their relationship teeters on the edge.

Trying to push that relationship over the edge is romantic rival and diva extraordinaire Sharpay Evans, with Adriana Yedidsion starring as the Fabulous one who has a posse of amusingly ditzy “Sharpettes” and, in this production, a mini-me posse of ditzy “Shar-petites.” They give Sharpay plenty of ego-boosting and validation as she pursues her Troy obsession with every gun in the arsenal and doesn’t take any failures very well (usually involving some anger and some funny little noises, but eventually some softened soul searching of her own). Jonathan Edzant is her very charismatic twin brother Ryan who leads the cast in the big I Don’t Dance number. The other person who has to deal with Ryan’s diva sister is Fulton, the country club’s manager, featuring Micah Frank who uses a calm, roll-with-the-punches personality and dry humor to terrific effect in the role.

Performed March 7 - 22, 2009.

Rob Hopper
National Youth Theatre