I was not familiar with KidsPAW nor with Theatrix when I was asked to review Disney's High School Musical. The reason why is that they are a newish group that has decided to expand their programming quality and content to, as their program states, "create an atmosphere where each child can experience genuine love and acceptance while using their God-given talents." They wish to make this happen by "providing productions that are edifying, relevant, and poignant for the community." So, as I quickly surmised at the middle school in which they were performing, it's going to be another rag-tag group of kids loosely thrown together into a show that really only shows off the leads. I was very pleasantly proven wrong.

From what I gather from the glossiest and nicest themed program I have seen this season, these are a group of home schooled kids and kids from private schools that have combined their talents into this new group. Pretty ambitious. Also very challenging to coordinate schedules and not show favoritism towards a few. As I walked into the lobby, there were the usual parents hawking flowers and snacks, but then in the house itself, there were a slew of parent ushers, smiling and welcoming each person. I don't mean a handful at the door, I mean every five rows or so. Talk about having the support of your parent group!

They chose a great show for these kids. For those who have been under a rock the past year, or don't have kids, the good folks at Disney created a marketing masterpiece with the movie of High School Musical. For those unfamiliar just mix Grease with a little bit of Bye Bye Birdie and you're there. The movie version of the story was an absolute hit that generated the expected (and planned for) mass DVD, T-shirt, and CD sales. The sequel has almost been completed, and rumors are that a third is already in the works, all the while touring companies maintain interest and rights are granted to amateur groups that even allow parents to videotape the production. Talk about smart.

So the audience is waiting to see if Gabriella and Troy get over the peer pressure to stick with their click and date, as well as try things outside of their friends' ideas of cool. Through some miscommunication, minor betrayal, and some new understanding, the kids of course figure out that they should be who they want to be. A positive message, and the type that Theatrix wants to promote. With a few minor liberties taken with the script that included some cheerleader scenes and changing some skater dudes to dudettes, the show was very carried off well by what the kids could do.

With two casts, the challenge is double, as everyone has to learn their chorus part for their non-lead days. The night I attended Garret Harper played Troy, the basketball boy, that wants to sing. Garret should play Ren in Footloose, he embodies the song "I Can't Stand Still".

Animated, energetic and on point, Harper holds the show together.

Logan Phillips and Kyle Blanchard are well matched to play the villainous (if you can count misguided jealous teens as villains) Sharpay and Ryan, the theater kids nervous about the new talent. They nicely execute their dance moves have the best developed physical characters. Krystle Blanchard brings the appropriate intelligence to the character of Taylor McKessie, likewise Brooke Baxter's composer Kelsi Neilson is charmingly awkward and moony. Baskeball boys Chad and Zeke, play by Gavin Harper and Ian Cowcer serve the story well and have some nice moments. Daniel Midgett has fun as announcer Jack Scott, and calmly manages to cover scene changes and missed entrances. My favorite bit is Martha Cox's hip hop dance from the Act I finale, exuberantly pulled off by Liz Stanworth. As a whole, every kid up there looked like they were having fun. Everyone was all smiles and working hard, there was no self consciousness often seen at high school shows or in young performers at community theater. That makes a big difference.

Kathi Lee Wilson did double duty as Music Director and playing Ms. Darbus. She completed both jobs nicely. Ashley Budy's choreography is impressive, flashy, and nicely executed by the kids. It's not easy to take a big screen number, revamp it in your own style, have it still be recognizable as the famous number, and make it easy enough for the actors to look good. I'm impressed. Robin Brown and Deanna Dunlap's costumes are fun and faithful to the original designs, down to the custom cheerleader outfits. Bill Dunlap's set effectively gets us through the myriad of locations the show takes place in.

The only downside to this production was the tech. It was horrible.

Sound cues would come and go, as would the lights and curtain.

I look forward to seeing what this group will do next. If they continue like this with what they do, and can clean up the tech issues, Hurrah will have some serious competition.