I love Disney, and while I’m a little bit too old to have grown up with High School Musical, I absolutely love the film. So when the stage show came to the Troubadour Wembley Park Theatre in London, I had to see it in real life. And wow, it was amazing from start to finish.

A quick catch-up

If you somehow missed it, High School Musical was the 2006 Disney Channel film about basketball star Troy and brainy new girl Gabriella, who discover they love singing together, much to the horror of drama queen Sharpay. It was a massive hit, and the songs are still absolute bangers.

This new stage production started at The Lowry in Salford this summer, with Jason Donovan as Coach Bolton, before moving to Wembley for the autumn with McFly’s Harry Judd taking over the role.

The experience starts before the show

As you arrive, the whole area is set up with photo opportunities for fans: a Wildcats photo spot, a sing-along box, Sharpay’s mirror and the lockers. It’s worth getting there early just to enjoy all of it.

Loads of people had come in High School Musical fancy dress too, which I loved: Wildcats jerseys, cheerleader outfits and a few very convincing Sharpays! It really added to the atmosphere.

Then, queuing to go in, it felt like walking through the tunnel into a stadium before a big game, with sound effects that really got the mood going. By the time we sat down, we were buzzing.

The set: you’re in East High

The set is absolutely amazing. The whole stage is a full East High basketball court, with a scoreboard hanging overhead, lockers, flashing lights and the Wildcats logo on the floor. You don’t just watch the show, you feel part of it, like you’re sitting in the stands at a real high school game.

Where to sit

Our seats were great, but honestly I don’t think you can go far wrong anywhere. If you’re sitting there wondering which seats to book, don’t stress: any seat would have been good.

The novelty option is the courtside seats, where you’re effectively on the stage, right in the middle of the action. They looked really cool, and the view would be brilliant. Just bear in mind my loo tip below if you go for those.

The songs and the cast

All the hits are there: “Start of Something New”, “Get’cha Head in the Game”, “Stick to the Status Quo”, “Breaking Free” and, of course, the finale, “We’re All in This Together”, when the whole theatre was on its feet. The performances were fantastic across the board.

• Harry Judd (yes, the drummer from McFly) as Coach Bolton, and he was amazing. One audience member who’d seen the show in Salford told us that while Jason Donovan was great, Harry might just be even better!
• KayCee Stroh as drama teacher Ms Darbus. She was in the original film as Martha Cox, the girl who secretly loves hip-hop dancing in “Stick to the Status Quo”, so seeing her back in East High was really cool.
• Tobias Turley as Troy and Leonor Correia as Gabriella, who sound gorgeous together.
• Caitlin Tipping as Sharpay and Luke Bayer as Ryan, who steal every scene they’re in.
• Jordan Benjamin as Chad, Char Burnett as Taylor, Yna Tresvalles as Kelsi, Olivia O’Connor as Martha and Simeon Beckett as Zeke.

My tips for your visit

• Pre-book your drinks. We did, and it was so handy: no queueing at the bar, so more time for photos.
• Arrive early. The bar opens 90 minutes before the show, and you’ll want time for the photo spots. It’s card payments only, and you can’t bring in your own food or drink.
• Go to the loo before it starts. I noticed ushers asking people to hold back during some set changes, so you can’t always pop out when you like. The show runs about 2 hours 20 minutes, including a 20-minute interval.
• Dress up! Wildcats red is very much welcome, and you won’t be the only one.
• Fancy a bite first? The theatre has its own restaurant and bar, Studio Five, and BOXPARK Wembley, with street food and bars, is about a 5-minute walk away.
• Check for stadium events. If there’s a game or concert at Wembley Stadium or OVO Arena that day, it gets very busy, so allow extra time.

Getting there

The theatre is at 3 Fulton Road, Wembley Park, HA9 0SP.

• By Tube: Wembley Park station (Jubilee and Metropolitan lines) is about a 5-minute walk, and only around 12 minutes from Baker Street.
• By train: Wembley Stadium station (Chiltern Railways) is around 9 minutes from London Marylebone, then about a 15-minute walk.
• By car: there’s no parking at the theatre itself. Wembley Park’s car parks are a short walk away, but on stadium event days you need to pre-book.

How to book

Book through the official High School Musical On Stage site or the Troubadour Theatres website. The show runs until 3 January 2027, so it would make a brilliant Christmas treat. Just don’t leave it too late!

Would I recommend it?

Absolutely. It’s fun, it’s nostalgic, and it’s performed brilliantly. Even if you’re not into Disney, if you like your musicals, you’ll love High School Musical. I came out singing, and I haven’t stopped since. We’re all in this together!

Party on,
Paul x