1 Year of HSM with Mo Brady

Behind the Curtain welcomes guest-blogger Mo Brady, currently playing Jack Scott, the Velvet Fog of East High, in SCT's production of Disney's High School Musical.

This year, I have worked on three productions of High School Musical. Yes, you read that correctly. In the winter, I directed a 60-minute one-act version for a middle school. During the summer, I staged the full-length musical for a summer youth program. When you combine planning, rehearsing, and performing, I've been working on HSM for eleven months. In a row.

This confession might make some grown men blush. Or at least some grown men groan. However, directing the show twice gave me a great perspective on the High School Musical story: the perspective of the SCT audience.

Kids love High School Musical. The students I worked with, mostly
middle schoolers through high school sophomores, LOVE LOVE LOVE HSM. And their enthusiasm for these characters rubbed off on me. I was able to see the phenomenon through their eyes. And, in turn, I shared my professional and critical eye with them, exploring characters' motivations for sticking to the "Status Quo" and "Breaking Free."

When I walked into the first day of SCT rehearsal, I already felt like I had a leg up. I mean, I already had my lines memorized. And not only my lines, but most of the other lines in the show. Not to mention five different versions of the music on my iPod. Suffice it to say I felt prepared.

Before the SCT rehearsals began, I was worried that I might doubt some the work of our directors, solely on the basis of its difference from my previous versions. However, Linda [Hartzell, Artistic Director], Mark [Rabe, Music Director], and Kathryn [Van Meter, Choreographer] truly helped this cast create a unique retelling of the now-familiar story. We've twisted the plot even further away from the movie, and made some tweaks that keep the audience engaged but the characters truthful (in my semi-expert opinion.) In addition, Linda had a clear and unique vision for my character (including some gymnastic feats and a lot more stage time) to which I was happy to oblige.

I'm almost a year into my HSM experience, and I'm not tired of the show yet. I think that what helps me perform eleven shows a week is the excitement of our young audiences. Hearing the kids cheer at the end of each performance thrills my heart, and helps me look forward to the next show with anticipation.

Not to say I'm not looking to a new challenge. This winter, I'm directing The Pirates of Penzance, so maybe I'll spend next year with Gilbert and Sullivan.

Photo: Mo Brady as Jack Scott in High School Musical. Photo by Chris Bennion.