I indeed got “SOOO WET!”
High School Musical 2 (HSM2). We all know it. We all love it. We all acknowledge that it is objectively the best HSM movie (argue with the wall). I did not think that it was possible to improve an already perfect product, and yet through the magic of the Victoria College Drama Society, in collaboration with Casting Shadows Theatre Company, I was proven wrong. The event took place at the Cat’s Eye on September 23 and 24 and, in two words, it slayed. Their shadow cast (which is when actors act and dance alongside the movie being projected) was a tightly choreographed, deliciously campy extravaganza.
One of the joys of shadow casting is audience participation. Before the show began, we were given the instructions to laugh, heckle (kindly, of course), groan, and sing along! A stand out was that whenever the movie had water in frame, the audience had to scream, “we are gonna get SOOO WET!” in reference to one of the most iconic lines in the film. It created a warm atmosphere of people laughing with the actors, openly sharing their appreciation, and chuckling at comments from fellow hecklers and spectators.
The production took liberties with their presentation of the source material that I believe is in the true spirit of HSM2. Why? Because it was gay as hell! Stand-out moments for me include: Troy, Gabriella, and Kelsi becoming a throuple in “You are the Music in Me,” Ryan and Chad finally getting together in “I Don’t Dance,” and replacing Troy’s photo of himself in his room with a blowup sex doll with Zac Efron’s face on it. They also sped up and skipped the highly problematic number “Humuhumu,” which… Thank god.
The performances were so fun to watch; the lip synching was clean and precise, especially for the dialogue, and the dance numbers were amazing. The choreography was a mix of faithful representations of what was happening on screen and reinterpretations that suited the performance space, and it worked wonderfully. The production was wonderful as well! I was blown away by the accuracy of the costumes and adored the small parodic prop pieces. Shout out to Troy’s enormous T-necklace and the little multi-purpose pushable car.
All in all, this was a treat. It was a stroke of genius to shadow cast such a well-known and sort of goofy movie, and it was a pleasure to watch a performance that clearly had such passion and care poured into it. Bravo!
