OMG! Its the first day after spring break and Gabriella, this girl that Troy the basketball star met at karaoke, has enrolled at East High. Can you believe it? And the Jocks, Brainiacs, Thespians and Skater Dudes are singing at the science decathlon. If this means anything to you (maybe youre 13), the news that Disneys High School Musical is Neptune Theatres 2009 musical must have you pumped for the big-finish finale. No doubt motivated by the record numbers who came to see teapots and candlesticks belt it out at Disneys Beauty and the Beast, Neptune knows crowd-pleasers.
Shortly followed by the news of artistic director Ron Ulrichs upcoming departure this August after eight seasons in the post, Neptune also announced that Shaw Festival artistic director Christopher Newton will direct the season opener, George Bernard Shaws The Devils Disciple. Also on the line-up, Peter Morgans Frost/Nixon, a new Norm Foster comedy called Skin Flick and the Pulitzer-winning drama Doubt, A Parable. As always, Neptunes Studio Series promises alternative programming with Israeli playwright Ilan Hatsors Masked and a commissioned Zuppa Circus-style twist on the Greek tragedy Orpheus. Teaming up with Torontos Tarragon Theatre, look for the Canadian premiere of UBUNTU (The Cape Town Project), featuring a cast of Canadian and South African actors. More at neptunetheatre.com.