Nearly 180 Hong Kong students were recently given the learning experience of a lifetime, when they brought the popular American movie High School Musical to the stage for six performances.
The students had only three weeks of theatre musical training in the 2008 Summer Musical School programme at Excel, an external education arm of the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts (HKAPA). They learned 19 songs for the two-hour performance, which has 11 scenes.
One week was dedicated to training in singing, dancing, acting and backstage know-how, while the following two weeks were devoted to rehearsals.
In all, the show had 130 actors and a backstage crew of 48 aged from nine to 21, but the three leading roles were shared among six students in two casts for the six back-to-back performances staged earlier this month at the HKAPA Drama Theatre.
Lead actress Marienne Felisilda, 16, who played Gabriella in Cast A, described the musical as an 'overwhelming' experience.
'I didn't really think I'd get the role of Gabriella because there are so many amazing people out there.