REVIEW – HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL AT THE LOWRY – A FUN FAMILY THEATRE TRIP TO EAST HIGH 🏀🎭
Our Trip To See High School Musical At The Lowry 🏀
On Thursday 27th August, Lawrence, Alice and I headed to The Lowry for the opening night and press night of High School Musical.
I was really looking forward to this one. I was 23 when the original High School Musical film was released, so it wasn't part of my childhood like it was for a lot of fans, but I still really enjoyed the movie and actually still have my original DVD.
Alice, who is eight, hadn't seen High School Musical at all. While I already knew Troy, Gabriella, Sharpay and all the familiar songs, she was going into East High knowing absolutely nothing about it.
My dad dropped us off opposite the Imperial War Museum North and from there we walked across the bridge to The Lowry, arriving just after 6pm for the 7pm performance.
For press night, we entered through the old Pier 8 restaurant entrance and collected our tickets, wristbands and programme from the press desk.
Alice was also given some pom-poms, which she absolutely loved and immediately started waving around.
Pom-Poms, Photos & High School Musical Karaoke 🎤
There was plenty happening around the bar area for the opening night.
A High School Musical backdrop had been set up with basketballs and Wildcats signs to use as props, so naturally we stopped to take some photos of Alice with her new pom-poms.
Afterwards, Alice headed straight for the little toy kitchen at the back of the bar area.
Lawrence stayed with her while I went to investigate whether there was any High School Musical merchandise available.
When I came back, the press and guest area had become quite busy. It was starting to feel a little too crowded for Alice and me, so we decided to head out and have a walk around instead.
I'm really glad we did because just as we left the bar area, we discovered a High School Musical karaoke booth.
Of course, we had to give it a go!
Our singing was absolutely terrible, but Alice had so much fun singing along to some of the High School Musical songs that I don't think that mattered in the slightest.
After leaving the karaoke booth, we discovered another brilliant photo opportunity on the other side of the bar – a recreation of Sharpay's dressing table.
Alice sat on the stool in front of the mirror, waving her pom-poms around while we took some photos.
There was so much for her to do before we'd even entered the auditorium that the evening already felt like much more than simply arriving and waiting for the show to start.
High School Musical Merchandise 🛍️
While Lawrence was watching Alice in the toy kitchen, I headed out of the bar area to see what merchandise was available.
The merchandise stand was located a little past the main box office on the opposite side.
There wasn't a huge selection, but there were a few High School Musical souvenirs to choose from.
A tote bag was £15, the T-shirt was £30, a mug was £12 and the programme was also £12.
We had already been given a programme when we collected our press-night tickets, so I didn't buy anything from the merchandise stand this time.
Our Seats At The Lowry 🎟️
By around 6:30pm the auditorium had opened, so we decided to head inside and find our seats.
We were seated in the Circle, Row C, Seats 20-23 and entered the auditorium through Door K.
The view was fantastic.
One of the things I particularly like about the Circle at The Lowry is how well raked the seating is. It means your view is much less likely to be blocked by the person sitting in front of you, and on this occasion I actually think the Circle worked particularly well for Alice.
Had we been sitting in the Stalls with an adult directly in front of her, I'm not sure she would have had such a clear view, even with a booster seat.
From Row C she could see everything happening across the stage.
The stage itself looked really impressive. With the basketball court in front of us and audience members seated at either side, it already felt as though we had arrived at East High to watch a basketball game.
Pre-Show Entertainment 🏀
Even before the show officially began, there was plenty happening on stage.
A man appeared on the basketball court carrying a brush as though he was cleaning the floor. He had wired headphones in and what looked like an iPod in his pocket, occasionally taking it out as he danced around the stage with his brush.
Announcements also came through the sound system asking different sections of the audience to wave, before showing them on the large screens around the auditorium.
Then some of the East High cheerleaders came out and taught the audience a Wildcats cheer.
Everyone joined in and the atmosphere was fantastic. It really did feel as though we were spectators waiting for an East High basketball game, and by the time the musical was ready to begin, everyone seemed excited for the show to start.
The performance was scheduled to begin at 7pm but began a little later at around 7:10pm.
Welcome To East High 🎭
For anyone who hasn't seen the film, High School Musical follows Troy Bolton, the star of East High's basketball team, and Gabriella Montez, a talented student who excels academically.
They first meet during the holidays when they unexpectedly end up singing karaoke together.
They are reunited when Gabriella transfers to East High and decide to audition together for the school musical.
The problem is that everyone around them already seems to have decided exactly where they belong.
Troy should be concentrating on basketball, Gabriella belongs with the brainiacs and Sharpay and Ryan Evans consider the school theatre to be very much their territory.
It is a simple story about friendship, first love and having the confidence to try something different rather than allowing other people to decide who you should be.
What I found particularly interesting this time was watching the story with Alice.
I already knew what was going to happen and recognised the songs as soon as they began. Alice didn't have any of that connection to the original movie. For her, this was simply a completely new musical – and she loved it.
The Staging, Music & Dancing 🎶
I thought the whole production was fantastic, but the staging and choreography were particular highlights for me.
The East High basketball court forms the centre of the design, but the set is constantly adapted and transformed as the story moves around the school.
Large screens and projections are incorporated into the production, along with live footage at different points, and everything works together really well.
One of my favourite visual moments was Troy and Gabriella sitting together on a crescent moon suspended high above the stage, surrounded by glowing stars.
It was such a beautiful image and completely different from the busy basketball court scenes.
But it was the big group numbers that really brought the production to life for me.
The choreography was fantastic, especially during Get'cha Head in the Game, where the basketballs become part of the routine as the cast bounce and pass them in time with the music.
It was incredibly impressive watching so many basketballs moving around the stage in time with the choreography.
I also loved hearing songs including Breaking Free, Stick to the Status Quo and We're All in This Together performed live by such a large company.
These were the moments Alice seemed to love most. She sat watching the big dance numbers in awe, completely absorbed in everything happening across the stage.
I also particularly enjoyed Sharpay's costumes. There was plenty of pink, sparkle and glamour, and I found myself looking forward to seeing what she would appear in next.
The Cast 🌟
I thought the entire cast were fantastic and everyone felt really well suited to their roles.
Tobias Turley makes a very likeable Troy Bolton and Leonor Correia brings a lovely warmth to Gabriella. The pair work naturally together and their voices blend beautifully during their duets.
Caitlin Tipping was one of my standouts as Sharpay.
She has the confidence, comedy and larger-than-life personality you want from the character while also allowing some of Sharpay's insecurity to come through underneath it all.
Luke Bayer is great fun as Ryan and works brilliantly alongside her.
Another standout for me was KayCee Stroh as Ms Darbus. Fans of the original High School Musical films may recognise KayCee as Martha Cox, so there is something particularly lovely about seeing her return to East High 20 years later, this time as the drama teacher. She is wonderfully over-the-top and very funny, earning some of the biggest laughs of the evening.
Jason Donovan plays Troy's dad, Coach Bolton, for the Lowry run and has a strong presence as the basketball coach who is so focused on Troy's sporting future that he initially struggles to understand why his son suddenly wants to sing as well.
The ensemble also deserve a special mention. Between the huge dance numbers and all of the basketball choreography, this is an incredibly physical production and the whole company make the routines look effortless.
Ice Cream, Slushies & High School Musical Cookies 🍦
The first act lasted around 55 minutes, with the interval beginning at approximately 8:05pm.
During the 20-minute interval, we headed to the concession stand and bought some ice cream for £3.75 a tub.
Alice chose vanilla while I went for mint choc chip.
We then headed back towards the press and guest area, where glasses of red and white wine had been poured out along the bar alongside cups of red slushies and High School Musical-branded cookies.
We each picked up a slushie and a cookie.
The press area was quite crowded again, so rather than staying inside, we found a table just outside the bar where we could sit together and enjoy our snacks before heading back into the auditorium.
The second act started at around 8:30pm and the show finished at approximately 9:40pm.
That gave the performance a total running time of around 2 hours 30 minutes including the interval, with Act One lasting approximately 55 minutes and Act Two around 70 minutes.
Final Thoughts 💭
I went into High School Musical expecting to enjoy it.
What I wasn't expecting was to come away thinking I had enjoyed this stage production even more than the movie.
Seeing the story performed live adds so much to it. The huge company numbers have an incredible energy, the staging is clever, the choreography is fantastic and the whole cast are so well suited to their roles.
But I think one of my favourite things about the evening was watching Alice discover High School Musical for the first time.
She didn't know the story or the characters and didn't have any nostalgia attached to the songs. She simply sat there watching the dancing in awe and enjoying everything happening in front of her.
Afterwards, I told her there was a High School Musical movie and now she can't wait to watch it.
For me, that shows why this production works so well as a family musical. There is plenty of nostalgia for those who already love High School Musical, but you certainly don't need to know the film to have a brilliant time.
The whole press-night experience made our visit even more fun too. From Alice receiving her pom-poms and posing with the basketball props to our terrible karaoke, Sharpay's dressing table, ice creams, slushies and cookies, there was something exciting happening throughout the evening.
Twenty years after the original film, High School Musical has clearly still got its head in the game.
And it seems to have found a brand-new fan in Alice.
More Information About High School Musical 📍
High School Musical is playing at The Lowry in Salford until Saturday 19th September 2026.
Tickets are available through the Lowry website.
The production will then head to Troubadour Wembley Park Theatre in London from 12th October 2026 until 3rd January 2027.
For more information about the production and its London run, visit the official High School Musical website.
If you'd like to read my more theatre-focused review of the production, you can also read my High School Musical review on All About Theatre.
🎥 Watch Our High School Musical Theatre Trip
Our trip to see High School Musical at The Lowry will also feature in my weekly vlog, including some of our pre-show experience and our thoughts on the production.
I'll add the weekly vlog link here once the video is live.
At A Glance
📍 Venue: The Lowry, Salford, Greater Manchester
📅 Lowry Run: 22nd August – 19th September 2026
⏱️ Runtime: Approx. 2 hours 30 minutes including interval
☕ Interval: Approx. 20 minutes
👤 Age Guidance: 6+
🎟️ Tickets From: £26 available through the Lowry website
🎭 Genre: Family Musical
🎶 Features Songs Including: Breaking Free, Get'cha Head in the Game, Stick to the Status Quo and We're All in This Together
💺 Our Seats: Circle, Row C, Seats 20-23
👀 Seat View: Fantastic, with a clear view of the whole stage. The Circle is well raked, which can make it a particularly good option for children who may struggle to see over adults in the Stalls
📖 Programme Available: Yes – £12
🛍️ Merchandise Available: Yes – during our visit this included a T-shirt (£30), tote bag (£15) and mug (£12)
🍦 Ice Cream: Available from the concession stands – £3.75 per tub during our visit
🚋 Getting There: The Lowry is easily accessible by tram, bus and car
🚊 Closest Tram Stops: MediaCityUK and Imperial War Museum
🚌 Bus Access: Bus services operate around MediaCity and Salford Quays
🚗 Parking: Quayside MediaCity car park is next to The Lowry
♿ Accessibility: Step-free access and accessible seating are available. Check The Lowry website for specific access information and accessible performances
🌍 London Run: Troubadour Wembley Park Theatre, London from 12th October 2026 until 3rd January 2027
🎟️ Official Website: Visit the official High School Musical website for production information and London tickets
Our tickets for this performance were kindly gifted for review purposes. All opinions are my own.
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