Child Auditions for Production "High School Musical Jr."

Troy Bolton, the most popular kid at East High, is the star of the basketball team who yearns to be more than what people want him to be. Troy discovers he loves to sing, but is afraid to admit it to his friends. Look for a solid young actor who can convey the full range of emotions and character traits Troy Bolton embodies: athletic, independent, sometimes shy, smitten with Gabriella, a true leader. Vocal range top: Bb4

Jack Scott is the nerdy school announcer who trips over his own feet. Think about casting a student who will make this role his own and can portray a "gift of gab" radio voice. Jack can be quirky in all aspects: looks, dress and comportment. Most importantly, look for a character actor with superior diction and good comic timing.

Chad Danforth is a hot-wired jock, second in command to Troy. He is focused on winning his school's basketball championship, but is slowly understanding that there might be more to this world, including his sparring crush on Taylor. Look for an actor that partners naturally with Troy, is a leader in his own accord, and can handle Chad's couple of solos and large number of acting scenes. Vocal range top: G4

Ryan Evans is Sharpay's fraternal twin and a star in the making. This character loves singing, dancing and lots of attention. He follows Sharpay's orders, but wants to break free from her shadow. Choose a "triple threat" for this actor: strong singer, dancer and actor. Everything Ryan does is calculated and executed impeccably. It will probably be helpful to audition Ryan and Sharpay in pairs as the success of "Bop to the Top" depends on the duo. Vocal range top: F#4

Zeke Baylor is a basketball player on the Wildcats Team. He has two secrets: a crush on Sharpay and a love for baking! Zeke and Chad are the most prominent of Troy's friends, so look for an actor that can work with them while being able to stand out in his own spotlight, especially when he reveals his secrets! Zeke has solos, so make sure your actor can sing as well as act. Vocal range top: G4

Coach Bolton is the stern basketball coach and Troy's dad. He lost the big game years ago and wants a second chance through his son. Cast a student that can handle the demands of acting older than almost everyone else in the show. Coach Bolton is primarily an acting role, so focus on finding a student who can convincingly spar with Ms. Darbus.

Gabriella Montez is the new girl in school. Gabriella is intelligent, pretty ("girl next door" type) and shy. She possesses a fantastic voice when she sings with Troy. Look for a girl that can take positive risks with both her acting and singing. She must be able to portray her intelligence and independence and then easily switch over to her shy and vulnerable side. Vocal range top: C#5

Taylor McKessie, the head Brainiac of the school, is the president of the Science Club. She wants Gabriella to join the Science Decathlon team so they can finally win the competition. Taylor has a hidden soft spot for Chad, which might be why she is always making fun of him. Cast a girl that can portray Taylor's assertiveness as well as sing a solid solo. Vocal range top: C5

Sharpay Evans is the egocentric star of the school musicals. She is Ryan's older twin (and the alpha dog of the two) and has a mad crush on Troy. Sharpay has never met a mirror she didn't like. Look for someone who can portray a diva and has solid acting chops and strong singing and dancing skills. Sharpay knows how to work a crowd. She is in a good number of scenes, so cast an actress that can handle this sizable role. Vocal range top: D5

Martha Cox is a proud member of the Science Club and is brainy with a secret love of dancing. She has a fun-loving sidekicky personality and becomes an adoring devotee of Gabriella. Cast an actor who is kind and funny. The role has important featured solos but the voice quality is not as important as the character. If you have a student that can show off some crazy brake dancing moves, bravo! Brava! Vocal range top: Bb4

Kelsi Nielsen is a thespian rehearsal pianist and student composer extraordinaire. Underneath her shy demeanor, Kelsi has no tolerance for people (read: Sharpay) who use their talent only to be number one. Cast an actor who can play the underdog but has the intelligence and ability to shoot the "zingers" at Sharpay with timing and accuracy. She must be coached to look like a pianist as she continually accompanies onstage. Vocal range top: Bb

Ms. Darbus is the eccentric drama teacher. She is an amusing blend of Gertrude Stein and Ethel Merman. Passionate and disciplined, she is always trying to expose students to the enrichment and fun of theatre. Cast an actress who knows how to milk every word, phrase and gesture for this role. She must make her eccentricities appear second nature. Ms. Darbus's acting skills and timing should be topnotch; her singing voice is secondary as she has no solos.

Ripper is a cool skater dude who is, lo and behold, a cello player! Cast a student who can sell this fun "double personality" with one short but sweet air cello solo! Vocal range top: G#4

In the big Audition scene, James is the auditionee who sings so badly off key it would scare anyone! Cast a person who can confidently sound bad& this can be a challenge for a good musician. Vocal range top: C#4

Susan is the "pop star wanna be" audition candidate. Cast someone who is not afraid to go overthe-top with this short yet humorous part. Vocal range top: A4

Cathy is the auditionee who can belt like Ethel Merman! Cast a student that can fill the auditorium with her voice. It doesn't need to be pretty! Vocal range top: E5

Cyndra is the final auditionee and she sounds like an opera audition for the Met. If you have a young singer that can imitate an obnoxious vibrato in a serious manner, there's your perfect choice! Vocal range top: F5

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