Boothbay Region High School's production of Disney's “High School Musical on Stage!” demonstrates just how much a group of students can accomplish when they really put their minds and hearts into something.

Directed by 2008 BRHS graduate Christopher Holmes with music direction by Mary Miller, the story follows main characters Troy Bolton (played by Camden Spear) and Gabriella Montez (Lindsey Buckingham and Sierra Murray) as they deal with their love, and a love of singing clashes with what social cliques believe they should be and do. (Several roles have been split between two students due to the number of students who tried out.)

The story opens in the middle of the school year, where Gabriella has just transferred to East High School in Albuquerque. Unbeknownst to her at first, the guy she met over winter break while singing karaoke, Troy, attends the school. Troy is the captain of the basketball team (jocks), and Gabriella quickly is enlisted as part of the science decathlon team (brainiacs).

As Troy and Gabriella reconnect, they try out for the school musical “Juliet and Romeo,” a musical written by an East High Student, Kelsi Nielsen, played by Elizabeth Bradstreet-Doughty and Victoria Morin.

This doesn't sit well with Sharpay Evans (played by Chloe Hoecker and Gretchen Elder). Sharpay has always been the lead, and she resents this intrusion to the status quo of the high school world. She enlists the help of her twin brother Ryan, played by Karl Alamo, to sabotage the efforts of Troy and Gabriella to audition.

At the same time, Troy and Gabriella's respective cliques are horrified and plot together to break up the couple.

You'll have to come see the show to discover how all the plots unravel.

While all the students do an amazing job, there are a few impressive standouts in the cast. Spear, who has only had a couple of weeks to learn all his lines, not only delivers them perfectly but evokes a great deal of emotion with his delivery. When he shouts at his father, the basketball coach, or sings together with Gabriella in the opening song of the second act "I Can't Take My Eyes Off of You," he brings a depth to the role that will impress all who watch.

Both students playing Sharpay Evans bring the perfect mix of attitude and aloofness to the role. While both Chloe Hoecker and Gretchen Elder are the nicest of girls in real life, they both quickly manage to make the audience dislike their character through their manipulative plans and dismal treatment of their brother, Ryan.

Christopher Groneng as Chad Danforth, Troy's best friend, and ReAnna Heino as Taylor McKessie, leader of the decathlon team, have an awesome on-stage chemistry which adds an element of humor as they talk about how wrong the relationship between Troy and Gabriella is while, at the same time, they fight their own rather obvious attraction to each other. The role of Taylor is also played by Genevieve Taylor, but I was unable to observe her performance at the time.

Other characters, who all brings something special to their respective roles, include Courtney Brewer and Annielyn MacKusick as Ms. Darbus (the drama teacher), Draco Peaslee as Zeke Baylor, Marissa Farnham as Martha Cox, Kyle Alamo as Ripper and Mr. Tenney, Gabe Purin and Hayden Brewer as Jack Scott, Jacob Bishopp as Coach Bolton, Annie Bryer as librarian, Lucas Leighton as MC, James, and Moderator, Taylor Walby as Cheerleading Captain Regina, Lillian Sherburne as Cheerleader Georgette, and Brenna Alley, Lovely Uberita, Emery Lorrain, Simon Spear, and Mason Erhard playing the ensemble.

There are only six performances. They include May 20, 21, and 23 at 7:30 p.m., May 23 and 24 at 11 a.m., and May 23 at 2:30 p.m. Cast A performs opening night, and during the early and late shows on Saturday. Cast B performs Thursday night, the 2:30 show on Saturday, and Sunday morning. Tickets are limited so visit the BRHS office in advance to purchase as there may not be any available at the door.