Central Coast students are leads in local ‘High School Musical’

Two local high school students will star in Kelrik Productions’ rendition of the smash hit “High School Musical,” which opens tonight at the Spanos Theater in San Luis Obispo.

Nipomo High School senior Lauren Seidenberg will take on the role of Gabriella, a science geek who snags the lead in the big school show — and the affections of Troy, the school’s resident heartthrob — while Arroyo Grande High School senior Ally Schmitt will play her rival, Sharpay.

Another Arroyo Grande resident, Zac Efron, now 20, shot to fame when he played Troy in the original Disney movie and its two sequels.

So far, the show is 75 percent sold out, said director Erik Austin.

“It’s kind of a modern day ‘Grease,’” he said.

Austin is also the founder of Kelrik Productions, a San Luis Obispo-based community theater company.

The “High School Musical” craze reached a feverish pitch in 2006, when the first of the three Disney movies premiered on cable television.

The story packs a one-two punch by combining the theme of a “mismatched” love with chart-topping musical numbers.

Popular Troy, who is also the captain of his school’s basketball team, meets the scholarly Gabriella, while on vacation at a ski resort over winter break.

Though the two never expect to see each other again, fate soon intervenes, and Gabriella’s mother’s job is transferred to New Mexico, which means Gabriella must make her own transfer — to Troy’s high school.

With several twists and turns along the way, Gabriella and Troy smash the established high school social structure when they fall in love and score the leads in the big school show over their rivals, siblings Sharpay and Ryan.

“High School Musical” — which has spawned an entire brand — was adapted for the stage soon after the success of the first film.

The stage production had a 16-show run at the Kodak Theater in Los Angeles, which Austin caught, leading to his decision to bring it to San Luis Obispo.

“It’s a phenomenon right now,” he said. “I saw it ... and I thought, ‘this is kind of fun.’”

More than 200 people auditioned for 37 slots in the Kelrik production, Austin said.

On Tuesday, cast and crew were busy doing a technical run-through of the show in preparation for tonight’s opening night.

“It’s been really stressful these past couple of days, but it’ll be good,” Austin said with a laugh.

The show’s two stars, Seidenberg and Schmitt, stepped off stage for a quick breather.

Seidenberg, who once played Cinderella in another Kelrik production, said she had never seen “High School Musical” before she auditioned for it.

“All my friends were auditioning,” said Seidenberg, who has been a fixture on the San Luis Obispo community theater scene for years. “I auditioned for the part and then I decided to see the movie.”

The thespian said she was thrilled when she was offered the part of Gabriella.

She was equally thrilled when she found out her good friend Schmitt would be playing the other lead opposite her.

Schmitt, an bubbly blond with aspirations to “make it big” on Broadway, said the part of Sharpay is a far cry from her usual roles.

“She’s such a diva!” Schmitt said. “She’s comfortable in who she is. She commands the stage ... She commands attention.”

As the conversation progressed, Efron’s name naturally came up.

Seidenberg said she went to school with him for two years, but he was several grades ahead of her, and so she has only met him once.

Schmitt, on the other hand, became friendly with Efron while acting in a local production of “You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown.”

Like Efron, Schmitt said she plans to make acting her career.

“It’s very cliche, but I’ve decided that if I’m going to have to work, why not do something I really love ... (Acting) just feels right. It’s my haven, my church in a kind of way.”

To that end, Schmitt has auditioned for several university musical theater programs, but has not heard back from any of them.

Schmitt would not divulge further details because she did not want to “jinx” the process.

“It’s very nerve racking,” she said.

College application jitters aside, both teens said they were looking forward to opening night.

For Seidenberg, the excitement of the show’s opening is tempered with nostalgia for her tight-knit crew of theater friends.

“We’re graduating this year ... This is the last time we’re all guaranteed to be here. We don’t know what’ll we’ll be doing next year.”

Performances for “High School Musical” are 7 p.m. Friday, 2 and 7 p.m. Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday. Tickets, which cost $25 to $27.50, can be purchased by calling 756-ARTS (2787).

Natalie Ragus can be reached at 347-4580 or nragus@santamaria

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