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Valley teens gear up for 'High School Musical'

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Contributed by: Danielle Fairlee on 7/5/2008

Their feet are tired. Their muscles ache. But the cast of the Teenage Drama Workshop (TADW) production of "Disney's High School Musical" rehearses the well-known finale, "We're All In This Together," one more time.

All at once, the Campus Theatre at California State University, Northridge, comes alive with energy.

For these seventh- through 12th-grade students, summertime means foregoing daily trips to the beach or laying around at home.

For six long, hot weeks, students in TADW, which marks its 51st year this summer, arrive at CSUN every morning at 8:15 a.m. and stay until 4:15 p.m., and sometimes later.

Each morning, the teens have classes in dance, acting and voice, along with an elective: musical theatre, improvisation or playwriting.

Then each afternoon, they split into their respective casts to rehearse one of two upcoming productions, "Disney's High School Musical" and "The Phantom Tollbooth."

"Truth be told, this is one of the only summer drama programs of its kind in the region," said Doug Kaback, TADW director and a professor of theater at CSUN. "To call it a camp isn't really accurate. These students work in a conservatory-style program and come together like a professional theatre company to stage two full productions, complete with professional sets, lighting and sound."

The TADW students will also present a showcase of student written plays later in the summer, titled the "10 Minute Play Festival."

Back at rehearsal for "High School Musical", choreographer Candy Sherwin is going over dance steps with Lindsay Kazan, 16, of West Hills, who will play Gabriella in the show, and Matthew Fairlee, 14, of Woodland Hills, who will play Troy.

"We have our work cut out for us with these kids, because this is a dance-heavy show with a lot of energetic group numbers," Sherwin said. "But they are all doing a great job."

Sherwin giggles when reminded that Kazan is a triplet and Fairlee is a twin (his brother, Ian, is also in the show). "What are the odds of that?" she asks, and then, barely missing a beat, returns to her dance lessons. "Back to work," she says.

Indeed, bringing the pop culture phenomenon to life at CSUN is proving to be a fun challenge for the TADW students and staff.

"We've all seen the Disney Channel movie, so our challenge is keeping it new and exciting for our audiences," said Corky Dominguez, who is directing the musical. "We have to be faithful to the original while bringing our own TADW style to the stage."

For Dominguez, this summer at TADW is a homecoming of sorts. A noted Los Angeles theater director, he graduated from CSUN's Theatre Department and taught at TADW 20 years ago. Now reunited with Sherwin and Music Director Ed Archer, Dominguez said he is pleased with the caliber of talent in his young cast.

"Many of these kids return to TADW annually to hone their acting, dancing and singing," Kaback said, adding, "we've had a lot of our students go on to become professional actors," including Oscar-nominated actress Mare Winningham and noted stage actor Don Burroughs, currently starring in "Mama Mia" in Las Vegas.

For now, the 42-member cast of "High School Musical" is putting the final touches on the show, which opens July 18. They know that several performances are already sold out to local community groups and summer camps, so every show has to be the best one yet.

"Because we put up 10 public performances (plus two special previews for CSUN audiences), these kids experience what it is really like to be 'on the boards' in a big production," Archer said. "Most of them come from schools that might only stage their musicals three or four times."

Talented young performers from across the San Fernando Valley fill the cast of TADW's production of "Disney's High School Musical" bringing all the fun of the East High Wildcats to life.

Audience members will find out if Troy turns his back on Chad, Zeke and the rest of the team to try out for the school musical; if Gabriella overcomes her shyness to win the lead, and if Ryan and Sharpay will ever get the respect they crave.

Fans of the Disney movie and first-timers alike will delight in watching the kids from East High reach for the stars and follow their dreams, as everyone learns about teamwork and acceptance.

"Disney's High School Musical" will run for 10 performances in CSUN's Campus Theatre, from Friday, July 18 through Friday, Aug. 1:

The schedule is:

• Opening Friday, July 18 at 7 p.m.
• Saturday, July 19 at 11 a.m.
• Wednesday, July 23 at 11 a.m.
• Thursday, July 24 at 7 p.m.
• Friday, July 25 at 11 a.m.
• Saturday, July 26 at 11 a.m. and 7 p.m.
• Wednesday, July 30 at 11 a.m. ***SOLD OUT***
• Thursday, July 31 at 11 a.m. ***SOLD OUT***
• Friday, Aug. 1 at 11 a.m.

Ticket prices are $10 for adults, $7 for seniors and children.

To order, call CSUN's Ticket Office at 818-677-2488 or purchase online at www.ticketmaster.com.

The CSUN Campus Theatre is located at 18111 Nordhoff St., Northridge, at Etiwanda Avenue.

Visitor parking for $5 is available in CSUN's Lot B-1 at Nordhoff Street and Darby Avenue.

The Campus Theatre is in Nordhoff Hall, adjacent to Lot B-1, on the campus of California State University, Northridge. Map: www.csun.edu/maps/

For 51 years, the Teenage Drama Workshop at CSUN has provided area youth, 12-18 years old, with an unparalleled educational opportunity to spend six weeks during the summer in a conservatory-style theater program. The company stages three productions annually.

For 2008, TADW presents "Disney's High School Musical," "The Phantom Tollbooth" and "The 10-Minute Play Festival," a showcase of student-written work.

For information, visit www.csun.edu/tadw.

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