High School Musical Brings Troy and Gabriella Back to Melbourne in September 2026

High School Musical returns to the stage

Basketball, first love and musical theatre collide when Disney’s High School Musical On Stage! arrives at The National Theatre for a limited Melbourne season in September 2026.

The production comes from multi-award-winning James Terry Collective, whose credits include Tarzan The Stage Musical, and brings the story of East High to the stage with the songs that helped turn the original Disney Channel movie into a pop-culture phenomenon.

The plot follows basketball captain Troy Bolton and new student Gabriella Montez, who first meet while singing karaoke during a ski trip. When Gabriella unexpectedly enrols at East High, the pair decide to audition for the school musical, challenging the rigid social groups that divide the school’s jocks, brainiacs, thespians and skaters.

Their decision causes plenty of disruption, particularly as Troy attempts to juggle basketball with rehearsals and the pair find themselves pushing against expectations about where they belong.

The stage score includes movie favourites Start of Something New, Get’cha Head in the Game, What I’ve Been Looking For, Bop to the Top and Breaking Free, alongside Stick to the Status Quo and the ensemble anthem We’re All in This Together.

Gabriel Tiller and Sophia Kouknas lead the cast

Gabriel Tiller takes on Troy Bolton after starring as Ren in the 2026 Australian tour of Footloose the Musical.

The Queensland Conservatorium Musical Theatre graduate has also played Bob Gaudio in Jersey Boys aboard Norwegian Cruise Line’s US tour and Neil Sedaka in Beautiful: The Carole King Musical. His other credits include Billy Elliot, Cinderella and Singin’ in the Rain in Concert.

Sophia Kouknas plays Gabriella Montez. A recent Bachelor of Fine Arts (Music Theatre) graduate from the Victorian College of the Arts, Kouknas previously completed a Diploma of Music Theatre at NIDA.

Her early performance experience included the Australian Girls Choir and an appearance alongside Hugh Jackman on The Man. The Music. The Show. tour. She later received the June Bronhill Scholarship.

At the VCA, Kouknas played Cinderella in Into the Woods and Delores in Working, appeared in The Drowsy Chaperone and performed as a featured soloist for Morning Melodies at Hamer Hall.

High School Musical tickets and Melbourne season

Disney’s High School Musical On Stage! plays a limited season at The National Theatre in St Kilda, Melbourne, in September 2026. Tickets start from $75.

The full-length, two-act musical features a book by David Simpatico and is based on the Disney Channel Original Movie written by Peter Barsocchini. The Melbourne production is licensed exclusively by Music Theatre International (Australasia).