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Coming Soon: High School Musical SA

Written by Tashi from the blog Tashi's TV on 23 May 2008
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high_school_musical_movie1Yesterday (Thursday, 22 May 2008) M-Net gathered press from around the country to announce the latest news about their 2008 reality season.

A month ago they announced Big Brother Africa 3, last week they announced the new gameshow The Power Of Ten but they've been secretive about what their flashiest venture for the year's going to be.

On Tuesday TVSA got a call to say all the necessary contracts had been signed for a new show and they were ready to spill the news.

The announcement was made at Parktown Convent school hall, in downtown Rosebank where we got greeted by Schoolers having their break outside - they were just sort of noodling around not doing much, yet seeming very busy.

Everyone there for the news went into the hall, the lights dimmed and next thing we were surrounded by about thirty high schoolers going wild on basketballs, music, dancing and singing songs from the film High School musical.

high_school_musical_2

high_school_musical_3

At this point I breathed a sigh of relief - was terrified it was going to be Idols 20! - and while everyone caught their breath in between numbers it was announced that show's going to be a reality competition based on Disney's popular High School Musical movies.

It's called High School Musical: Spotlight On South Africa and it's a search for two performers to play the lead roles in an SA stage version of the films aka a search for a Troy and Gabriella.

The must-know facts:

The audition process is the focus of the series - auditions are open to anyone aged 16 to 25. They're happening countrywide - except for Bloem 'cos of them not being on the same planet obviously.

High School Musical trucks will visit about 200 schools to audition hopefuls and open audition days will be held at centres in PE, Durbs, Cape Town and Johannesburg.

Half of the season follows the auditions with live broadcasts from the different cities and then 40 finalists will be chosen who'll then go through a training process.

They'll live in a house together and be trained by a vocal coach, choreographer, producer and musical director - with no drama teacher, which sucks! It happens in every talent show that they leave this out yet it's such a crucial aspect that's needed across all disciplines -'spesh seeings as things culminate in a live stage show.

There's no major news confirmed about the live show in terms of where it's going to be on exactly but from the sounds of it the focus will be on the bigger centres like Jo'burg and Cape Town. The two winners will be cast as the leads and depending on what the rest of the 40 are like, some might be cast in other roles.

Voting for it's the same as Idols: SMS, Mixit, the web etc. Each week contestants are given a creative task and it's all up to the public to choose their favourites - I know, major problem - but the trainers can argue back by saving someone they feel shouldn't be voted out.

Pop history of the format

The reality concept is based on a format created by Andrew Lloyd Webber in 2006 for the BBC. They premiered it with a show called How Do You Solve A Problem Like Maria? that searched for the best performer to play Maria von Trapp in The Sound Of Music on the West End.

They went on to do Any Dream Will Do - that found a Joseph for Andrew Loyd Webber's Joseph And His Amazing Technicolor Dream Coat and I'd Do Anything - that found a Nancy and three Faganites for Oliver.

The format then went across to the US where they did a search for a Danny and Sandy for the Broadway version of Grease - which got a record breaking 9 million dollars in ticket sales when it opened. It's success sent it back to the UK where they did Grease Is The World - the same search for the West End.

Searching SA

high_school_musical_DVD_2Disney and M-Net are working together to see how the HMS format pans out here - we're the first country Disney's trying it in.

While we do ours, Disney's premiering a similar show in the US called High School Musical: Get In The Picture in July but the prize is different - the winners win a lead role in the music video for the third movie that's being released in October.

The competition is on

Auditions start on June 1st in PE. The show then goes to Cape Town, Johannesburg and Durban.

Open days in each city are:

Port Elizabeth - 6 June
Cape Town - 13 June
Johannesburg - 19 and 20 June
Durban - 27 June

All the final details of the open days will be announced soon - will keep you posted in Casting Calls.

How to enter

There aren't any entry forms - if you're between 16 and 25, you can just arrive on the day and register. You need to take ID book with you and if you're younger than 18 you need to take a parent or guardian - ideally in your rucksack so they don't get pushy.

Most Important

The show premieres on Saturday, 2 August at 19h00 and will be on both Saturdays and Mondays at the same time.
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18 Comments

Shirmell
23 May 2008 00:52

Mmm, interesting very interesting. So how does one know which schools the trucks will be going to?

I suspect this should be a winner co's its different and HSM is all the rage with the young ones right now, my kids and their friends are simply crazy about anything to do with HSM.

Dimago
23 May 2008 01:13

Pity my niece is only 8yrs old She is such a fan!

Vutmi
23 May 2008 01:27

25 YEARS? mmm...are there any 25 year olds still in high school?

Pooky
23 May 2008 01:52

@Dimago...my niece too. She's simply crazy about it, she's only 7 but she knows most of the songs and some of the dialog

apex
23 May 2008 06:34

this reality concept was "copied" from ABC's fall reality line-up in the USA.. MNET got the rights PRETTY fast

Feza
23 May 2008 09:02

No venues stated.....?

Simmone
23 May 2008 09:22

25 YEARS? mmm...are there any 25 year olds still in high school?...LOL.
anything is possible in SA.

Tashi
25 May 2008 18:35

>>No venues stated.....?<< They're coming soon Fez' - venues and times. As soon as they're announced we'll put them in Casting Calls.

>>So how does one know which schools the trucks will be going to?<< Shirms, they'll be announcing them soon too.

>>25 YEARS? mmm...are there any 25 year olds still in high school?<< LOL, good one V - had a guy at school with me who was 21 going on 22 in matric. He had a nose that had been broken three times 'cos fights he got into. The crazy things was that it turned out he was quite a good actor - he didn't become one professionally but at school he was always in the school plays and did really well. To this day I don't know if he actually passed matric or if he just gave up, hehe.

Lorri
26 May 2008 03:57

I hear the show is rehearsing in CT for 6 weeks with a 3 month run in CT and a 3 month run in JHB. How r High school kids going to do the show? They will have to leave school to do so?

Nonny
26 May 2008 04:07

Nice manicure on the curly black hair wearing a blue top!!!!

Nonny
26 May 2008 04:08

I meant - on the lady with curly black hair!!!

crazygirl886
26 May 2008 09:01

Is there auditions for girls age 13 to 14? Cause on the radio, they said it was for under twelves! I'm so confused! someone respond and answer please, am desperate!

Tashi
26 May 2008 10:15

>>Is there auditions for girls age 13 to 14?<<

Hey crazygirl - no, they're only open to 16-year olds and over.

>>They will have to leave school to do so?<<

Hi Lorri, yes they will - they'll have to be home schooled or tutored during the time.

crazygirl886
26 May 2008 11:05

thats so unfair! I noticed in HSM 2 there were girls my age who were horrible golfers! I'm sooooooo jealous! cuz, they interviewed South Africans who tried to speak in an american accent who were my age on the radio! anyways, sorry, but one more questione. Is this the actual auditions for HSM 3 or is it just soome weird other thing? please answer!

crazygirl886
26 May 2008 11:06

bythe way, my age is 13.

Alaina
17 Jun 2008 07:27

Im 18 but I matriculated 2 years ago, is that a problem?

Dimago
17 Jun 2008 07:59

25 YEARS? mmm...are there any 25 year olds still in high school?
@ Vutmi, you'll be surprised!

trap
30 Jun 2008 13:54

which schools are you coming to and I know a good agency maybe you should visit Star Quality performing art school Lauren Wallet is the owner


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