Casting nearly finished for 'High School Musical'

After almost six hours of callbacks, Disney's "High School Musical" is mostly cast.

Forty of the 57 finalists can expect a phone call by Friday, telling them they have landed roles in the co-production by N.C. Theatre and Broadway Series South. The show will be staged April 25-29 at Memorial Auditorium in Raleigh.

Director Tim Bennett has picked most of the leads, as well as the jocks, brainiacs, Goths, skaters and cheerleaders who make up the dueling cliques in Disney's imaginary school. It wasn't easy.

In a nonstop parade Monday night at Raleigh's Fletcher Opera Theater, the finalists sang pop songs and increasingly higher scales, sweated through complex choreography and dance improvisation, performed cold readings of the script, did "around the world" and other basketball tricks, and zoomed across the stage on skateboards.

Then Bennett debated possibilities with musical director Jay Wright, choreographer Tito Hernandez and N.C. Theatre producer William Jones.

Like a Rubik's Cube, every piece had to match up. Could the potential Ryans and Sharpays dance? Could the jocks sing? Could the singers handle a basketball?

After much debate, Bennett and company worked out most of the combinations. Stay tuned for the results.