Paper Mill artistic director Mark S. Hoebee will direct the musical, which will play the New Jersey venue Nov. 5-Dec. 7. Denis Jones will choreograph.
Hanks will be joined onstage by Chase Peacock (Troy Bolton), Sydney Morton (Gabriella Montez), Logan Hart (Ryan Evans), Donna English (Ms. Darbus), Patrick Boll (Coach Bolton), Krystal Joy Brown (Taylor McKessie), Justin Keyes (Chad Danforth), Joseph Morales (Jack Scott), Stephanie Pam Roberts (Kelsi Neilson) and Sean Samuels (Zeke Baylor).
The ensemble will comprise Deanna Aguinaga, Adrian Arrieta, Kristy Cavanaugh, Brittany Conigatti, Beth Crandall, Charity DeLoera, Dean deLuna, Sean Ewing, Zach Frank, Taylor Frey, Marissa Joy Ganz, Spencer Kiely, Sam Kiernan, Victoria Meade, Christopher Messina, Joline Mujica, Dennis Necsary, Krista Pioppi, Jessica Rochwarger, Dante Russo and Becca Tobin.
Disney's High School Musical, according to press notes, "is a contemporary Romeo and Juliet musical comedy. Troy, captain of the basketball team, and Gabriella, a shy academically gifted transfer student discover they share a secret passion for singing. When they audition together for the lead roles in the school musical, it threatens East High's rigid social order and sends their peers into an uproar. The 'jocks,' 'brainiacs,' and 'thespians' hatch convoluted plots to separate the pair and keep them off the stage. However, by taking chances and defying expectations, the couple inspires other students to explore and showcase their own hidden talents."
The creative team will also include music director Bruce Coyle, scenic coordinator Stephen Cowles, costume designer Brian Hemesath, lighting designer Tom Sturge, sound designer Randy Hansen and hair and wig designer Charles Lapointe. The production stage manager is Jess Speaker. Bailey Hanks is currently making her Broadway debut as Elle Woods in Broadway's Legally Blonde, following her win on the MTV reality show, "Legally Blonde The Musical: The Search for Elle Woods." An Anderson, SC native, Hanks was a musical theatre student at Coastal Carolina University. Among her previous stage credits are The Wizard of Oz, Seussical the Musical, A Year With Frog and Toad, Annie and Bye Bye Birdie.
Tickets are available by calling (973) 376-4343 or by visiting www.papermill.org. The Paper Mill Playhouse is located on Brookside Drive in Millburn, NJ.
