'Musical' woes leave audience singing blues

Joan Marcus, Disney Theatrical Productions

John Jeffrey Martin ("Troy") and Arielle Jacobs ("Gabriella") star in "High School Musical"

Illness, misfortune burns through stable of Troys, putting an actor on stage with a script in hand.

By GRAYDON ROYCE, Star Tribune

Last update: April 7, 2008 - 9:46 PM

It's not the experience you expect when you're paying $50 or more for a ticket. Patrons of "High School Musical" got a rude surprise Sunday afternoon when the actor in the lead role of Troy Bolton had to read his lines from a script during the second act.

Sarah Johnson, a spokeswoman for Hennepin Theatre Trust, said Monday that the snafu resulted from a perfect storm of illness and injury. When the national Disney production arrived at the State Theatre in Minneapolis last Tuesday, actor John Jeffrey Martin was ill and couldn't play the role of Troy. His first understudy had broken an ankle and was unavailable. Chase Peacock, the second understudy, started playing Troy on Tuesday but by Sunday afternoon, he was ill and barely made it through the first act. At intermission, he was replaced by Michael Mahany, who normally plays another role.

"He was on stage with a script," said Kristine Olson of Stillwater. "My husband said, 'That's a script!' I said no, it was a prop for the scene, but then he kept it, and the entire second act, he's flipping pages."

Olson and her husband paid $200 for five tickets. She was miffed, but said it wasn't a deal breaker for their three young children.

Denise Miller of St. Paul was less sanguine. "I couldn't believe how unprofessional this was," said Miller, who brought her daughter and granddaughter to the show. "I want something for this."

In a statement Monday, Disney asked patrons to contact the organization directly with their concerns at guestmail@ disneytheatrical.com.

"This will be handled on a case-by-case basis," said Karen Nelson, another spokeswoman for the Theatre Trust.

Nelson also said customers could call Hennepin Theatre Trust at 612-373-5600.

Graydon Royce • 612-673-7299