speaker-0: Hey you're listening to Stage and Scream with Harvey Morton. Thanks so much for joining me today. I've got Luke Beyer on the podcast. Luke is about to appear on stage as Ryan Evans in the first UK non-replica production of high school musical. It's heading to London and Manchester, and I really love chatting with Luke about his journey in theatre from appearing in the 20th anniversary concert of Lamez when he was 12. So getting his first big break on the West End and everybody's talking about Jamie, he recently wowed us all in Titanic and now he's at East High in the production of high school musical that everyone's talking about. So I started by asking Luke how it feels for him being part of this special twentieth anniversary production of the iconic Disney film.
speaker-1: I I am thrilled. I absolutely adore Jo and Will from the Hope Mill who were directing and producing the show. And when the show was announced, I think maybe a year or two ago, I was like, ⁓ my god, that is epic. High school musical was a huge part of my childhood. I remember everyone like obsessed with it. And I remember when it was announced that they were doing the show and I was like, ⁓ my god, I'm absolutely gonna go and see that. And then it's just so funny how the world works. And then here I am playing. Yeah, I'm thrilled.
speaker-0: It's incredible. And Ryan's known for his style and charisma. How are you making the role your own on stage?
speaker-1: Have lots of very, very jazzy, fantastic costumes. So I'm very, very excited for people to see what we have in store there. I'm I'm just having lots of fun. Ryan is such a fun character, and I'm trying to just kind of find new things to bring to him and kind of bring parts of myself to him. And also maybe kind of little bits of characters that I've done before as well that I also kind of think seep into who Ryan Evans is, which is kind of exciting.
speaker-0: Yeah, I mean I grew up with the film. It felt like such an event when the first one came out. I can still remember it. Meanwhile you'd already been in Lay Miz at that time. You were probably thinking about maybe auditioning for X Factor too, maybe.
speaker-1: So yeah, what's what so the film came out in two thousand and six, seven?
speaker-0: Six, yeah. Was it two thousand and seven you did X Pac seven?
speaker-1: It was, it was when I was fourteen. Yeah, many, many years ago.
speaker-0: Tell me about that time and how you kind of fell in love with theatre and performing.
speaker-1: I'd always done theatre growing up, I'd done amateur theatre. I obviously got to do the Lame's twentieth anniversary when I was thirteen and I'd always said I like when X Factor or Pop Idol or whatever it was at that time lowered the age or I was old enough I was gonna go on it and then it just so happened that in two thousand and seven they lowered the age to fourteen and I was like I'm gonna go for this, I'm gonna audition and I auditioned and then kind of went through the journey and I ended up in the final six boys, which was kind of crazy. And X Factor was huge at the time, it was pre Alexandra Burke and One Direction, Little Mix. So it was still like this huge thing that we all kind of stayed in to watch on a Saturday night. And it was epic. And it it was it's it was a very different experience to anything I'd done before 'cause I grew up doing theatre and but I I always wanted to do theatre. So I then having done X Factor, then went back to school, did my A levels and then auditioned for drama schools and then
speaker-0: Here we are. Yeah, you really threw yourself in at the deep end there by doing X Factor at that age. I mean it's amazing. ⁓ but you went on to Mount View, didn't you? And you worked so hard before you got your first big break.
speaker-1: It's it's a hard it's a hard world, it's a hard industry and you have to wait for the right things to come around. Then I had I had done a few little bits and pieces prior and I was very lucky that I'd worked at the Hope Mill as well, as one of my first jobs, which I obviously love, so it's kind of full circle to come back now and be working with Joan Will again, which is amazing. And obviously I did Jamie nearly ten years ago now, which is
speaker-0: ⁓ that's lovely. I was going to say, ⁓ Jamie, you were a swing drun ensemble a ri originally, weren't you? And then you got the alternate on the West End. How did that experience influence your growth as a performer? Because it's such a demanding role that and you found yourself as the alternate all of a sudden. ⁓
speaker-1: Loved it. I loved it so much. I loved that show. I feel like it was the perfect thing for me because I remember I remember being at college and being told to sing a certain type of way and that if I wanted to work I needed to sing like that. And I feel like Jamie kind of was a kind of a crossover of the two worlds of the kind of pop with Dan Glesby sells writing the music. But also the theatre side of it with it the book was amazing. The book was fantastic. So it was kind of a cr a crossover of the two worlds and it kind of hit at exactly the right time for me. And I feel like Jamie was kind of revolutionary. And it was very much like the first of its kind, I think. And that was obviously nearly ten years ago now. But I do think characters like Ryan Evans and high school musical kind of influenced those shows as well, so it's kind of funny. Yeah.
speaker-0: Yeah, definitely. And then recently you were in Titan Eat, which again is so incredible, so much fun. ⁓ what surprised me about that show is there's so many off the crough moments as well, which I imagine you've not done anything like that before.
speaker-1: Do you know what? I actually I did a one-man musical called Diva Live from Hell. Yeah. Which was an absolute career highlight for me. That I kind of fell into doing that show. And I absolutely loved it. And I feel like that was a real moment for me that I was able to grow as a performer because it was just me in the show. It was an hour and a half one-man show. And it I kind of could use some of the skills I'd learnt on Jamie in it, but also
speaker-0: Yeah.
speaker-1: tha then i there was a lot of improv in that and lots of free free moments where I could kinda play and have fun and I kinda feel like it's hard to explain unless you saw it. But I feel like a lot of those moments that I learned from Diva I was then able to use in Titanic as well.
speaker-0: Yeah, absolutely. Yeah, 'cause it's all that just responding to audience feedback as well. And I imagine every show is so different.
speaker-1: So different. So much fun. So much fun.
speaker-0: So this production of high school musical it's not like anything we've seen before. I know it's immersive, you've got the on stage seating too. Can you tell us a bit about what audiences can expect from the Manchester and London shows?
speaker-1: It it's honestly gonna be epic. I feel like it's bigger than any of us anticipated. And even now in rehearsals, every like there's like different things happening and it's like, ⁓ and actually we're now gonna do this and this is happening and this is gonna happen. And it's like it's it's so epic. The seats on stage are really cool. So there's moments where we're actually really close to the audience. And I think Andrew Exeter, who's designed the set, who is amazing, has released some of the pictures and the videos online, but you can kind of see how I don't know. I don't wanna say too much just in case it hasn't, but how like the l the layers up to the stage. It's maybe we might come through the audience and so I feel like you kind of get c maybe closer to the characters than you've ever been or ever seen them before.
speaker-0: Yeah, I mean you are really close to the audience. I have seen some photos of the stage and have you ever done a show like that before where you've had the audience that close to you or has it been more traditional auditorium?
speaker-1: I actually have. I ⁓ I did a show called Millennials that was amazing at the other palace in the studio and it was immersive. So we were fully in the singing with the audience. And when I did rent at the Hope Mill, that was kinda close. Obviously the Hop Hope Mill's very in compact. I did a show called Which again was very intimate and we were kind of in and amongst the audience. I feel like imm immersive has become way, way more more prevalent than it was ten years ago when I was at college. And but but then this is a whole new ball game of immersive. Ball game. Hey, get that, get your head in game. But because the show is so huge, high school musical I don't think is a show that you necessarily would have thought would be immersive or could be immersive, so I think that's even more reason to come and see it.
speaker-0: Okay. It'll be so good and I know you're working alongside Jason Donovan for Manchester, then you've got Harry Judd ⁓ as co coach Bolton in London and then Disney Icon, Casey Stro as well. What's it been like rehearsing with so much talent?
speaker-1: It's amazing. They're all gorgeous, lovely people. It's gonna be brilliant and ⁓ I'm very, very excited. Yeah, they're all wonderful on stage and off stage. They're just so much fun and lovely people. And it's been great working with Casey as well and speaking about the film and her experience on the film and her process to get to the film. Really cool and and it really inspires.
speaker-0: Yeah, I imagine it was such a surreal moment for anyone in that original cast because it just blew up and became bigger than they'd ever expected it to be. So ⁓ that's really interesting that she's come back. It's like a full circle moment for her as well.
speaker-1: Completely, completely. Yeah, and she's been able to come with her family, which is lovely. So they're all exploring London as well, which is cool.
speaker-0: That's great. And Luke, I've got to ask you if you could adapt any other Disney Channel original movie to be on stage and be part of it, which one would you choose and why?
speaker-1: ⁓ don't know if it classes as a Disney channel or if it's just under the Disney blanket. But I feel like Enchanted should come to stage.
speaker-0: ⁓ Enchanted's amazing. Yeah. So drawed it's asked in for that.
speaker-1: I feel like that would be better. Right. And I I loved the second one. Was that Disenchanted?
speaker-0: Yeah, Disenchanted was good as well.
speaker-1: Yeah. And I love Adina Menzel. I think she's the best thing ever. I just love her so much. yeah. And I love ⁓ Love the big one she sings in the second one. By the well. I love that. Well I'm rooting for that because I also think that could be really magical. To have like the the to see how they make two words two worlds work.
speaker-0: Yeah, absolutely. It'd be so magical and I imagine so many people's first theatre experience as well going to see something like that. And high school musical's got such an iconic soundtrack. I know you have your own songs, but are there any favourites or favourite scenes that you've already picked up on in rehearsals that you can't wait?
speaker-1: do the very start of the show I feel like I don't want to spoil it and have too much of a say too much, but I feel like Ryan and Sharpe have like an entrance. They have like their like Chandler, Regina George moment of kind of the the reveal. And I just know it's going to be really cool because the stage is so huge and Obviously what I've been looking for is gonna be really, really epic and exciting. Yeah, there's I mean there's so many epic moments. The stick to the status quo moment with Sharpe and Ryan where they come in and they're kind of watching everyone and everyone's dancing and the choreography in this version with Aaron Renfrey. It's epic. It is epic. And everyone, the cast are phenomenal. We've got we've got I think we've maybe got five or six graduates and it's their first job and they are unbelievable. All of the cast is is ⁓ is unbelievable.
speaker-0: Well what a first job to have for them as well. I mean Ryan and Sharpe have so many ⁓ iconic catchphrases and moments anyway. Are there any lines that you find yourself saying or that are stuck in your head since you've been part of this or even just growing up with the film?
speaker-1: So cool. ⁓ I mean it has to be the jazz square line when Sharpei says to Ryan, What have I told you about those stupid jazz squares? And he goes, Too hard, I can dumb it down for you. Again. I think that is iconic. So it's a strong moment, but there's so many, honestly.
speaker-0: Nice, yeah. And how are you hoping audiences will leave the theatre after seeing this incredible new production?
speaker-1: I hope people will leave the theatre feeling full of joy, ready to take on the world, and also kind of embracing the nostal nostalgia of the show. I know so many people that are so excited to come and see this production and I just know it's gonna be epic and I think people are gonna love it. So I'm very, very excited. And also for people to see the differences in the versions between the Lowry and Wembley. So if you've seen it at the Lowry, come and see us at the Troubadour as well, because it's gonna be slightly different.
speaker-0: That's it, you'll make people buy tickets for both now. I'm intrigued myself, so
speaker-1: With the immersiveness, the immersive side of the show, if you sit in one place, there'll be stuff that you'll see in one show that if you then come again and sit somewhere else, you'll see completely different.
speaker-0: Exciting stuff. Just to end on, Luke, if you could go back and speak to your younger self back when high school musical was released, you'd just done Lay Miz as part of that concert, what would you say, knowing everything you've done there?
speaker-1: Believe in yourself, be true to who you are and stick to what makes you unique. I think sing how you wanna sing, perform how you wanna perform, be open, listen, learn, collaborate, and enjoy it. I think enjoy it. I I always joke that it's not that deep, but I sometimes have to remind myself, take a breath, it's all good fun, you're doing the thing, you're enjoying it, this is what you wanted to do. So embrace the moment and ⁓ and be kind to yourself and to other people.
speaker-0: ⁓ that's lovely. And yeah, I can't wait to see you in the show. Thanks so much for making time to chat ⁓ amongst your busy rehearsal schedule.
speaker-1: Lovely to chat, Javi, and I look forward to seeing you.
speaker-0: Thanks so much to you for listening and to Luke for being so brilliant. You can see High School Musical at the Lowry in Salford with Jason Donovan as Coach Bolton from the 22nd of August to the 19th of September 2026 and then at the Troubadour Wembley Park Theatre from the 12th of October right through to the 3rd of January 2027 where you've got Harry Judd. From McFly as Coach Bolton. I've left a link in the show notes so you can get your tickets. If you enjoyed this episode, leave me a review if you can on your podcast platform, on Spotify, on Apple, wherever you're listening, and make sure you're following the show so you don't miss the next episode when it releases. I'll see you soon.
speaker-1: I I am thrilled. I absolutely adore Jo and Will from the Hope Mill who were directing and producing the show. And when the show was announced, I think maybe a year or two ago, I was like, ⁓ my god, that is epic. High school musical was a huge part of my childhood. I remember everyone like obsessed with it. And I remember when it was announced that they were doing the show and I was like, ⁓ my god, I'm absolutely gonna go and see that. And then it's just so funny how the world works. And then here I am playing. Yeah, I'm thrilled.
speaker-0: It's incredible. And Ryan's known for his style and charisma. How are you making the role your own on stage?
speaker-1: Have lots of very, very jazzy, fantastic costumes. So I'm very, very excited for people to see what we have in store there. I'm I'm just having lots of fun. Ryan is such a fun character, and I'm trying to just kind of find new things to bring to him and kind of bring parts of myself to him. And also maybe kind of little bits of characters that I've done before as well that I also kind of think seep into who Ryan Evans is, which is kind of exciting.
speaker-0: Yeah, I mean I grew up with the film. It felt like such an event when the first one came out. I can still remember it. Meanwhile you'd already been in Lay Miz at that time. You were probably thinking about maybe auditioning for X Factor too, maybe.
speaker-1: So yeah, what's what so the film came out in two thousand and six, seven?
speaker-0: Six, yeah. Was it two thousand and seven you did X Pac seven?
speaker-1: It was, it was when I was fourteen. Yeah, many, many years ago.
speaker-0: Tell me about that time and how you kind of fell in love with theatre and performing.
speaker-1: I'd always done theatre growing up, I'd done amateur theatre. I obviously got to do the Lame's twentieth anniversary when I was thirteen and I'd always said I like when X Factor or Pop Idol or whatever it was at that time lowered the age or I was old enough I was gonna go on it and then it just so happened that in two thousand and seven they lowered the age to fourteen and I was like I'm gonna go for this, I'm gonna audition and I auditioned and then kind of went through the journey and I ended up in the final six boys, which was kind of crazy. And X Factor was huge at the time, it was pre Alexandra Burke and One Direction, Little Mix. So it was still like this huge thing that we all kind of stayed in to watch on a Saturday night. And it was epic. And it it was it's it was a very different experience to anything I'd done before 'cause I grew up doing theatre and but I I always wanted to do theatre. So I then having done X Factor, then went back to school, did my A levels and then auditioned for drama schools and then
speaker-0: Here we are. Yeah, you really threw yourself in at the deep end there by doing X Factor at that age. I mean it's amazing. ⁓ but you went on to Mount View, didn't you? And you worked so hard before you got your first big break.
speaker-1: It's it's a hard it's a hard world, it's a hard industry and you have to wait for the right things to come around. Then I had I had done a few little bits and pieces prior and I was very lucky that I'd worked at the Hope Mill as well, as one of my first jobs, which I obviously love, so it's kind of full circle to come back now and be working with Joan Will again, which is amazing. And obviously I did Jamie nearly ten years ago now, which is
speaker-0: ⁓ that's lovely. I was going to say, ⁓ Jamie, you were a swing drun ensemble a ri originally, weren't you? And then you got the alternate on the West End. How did that experience influence your growth as a performer? Because it's such a demanding role that and you found yourself as the alternate all of a sudden. ⁓
speaker-1: Loved it. I loved it so much. I loved that show. I feel like it was the perfect thing for me because I remember I remember being at college and being told to sing a certain type of way and that if I wanted to work I needed to sing like that. And I feel like Jamie kind of was a kind of a crossover of the two worlds of the kind of pop with Dan Glesby sells writing the music. But also the theatre side of it with it the book was amazing. The book was fantastic. So it was kind of a cr a crossover of the two worlds and it kind of hit at exactly the right time for me. And I feel like Jamie was kind of revolutionary. And it was very much like the first of its kind, I think. And that was obviously nearly ten years ago now. But I do think characters like Ryan Evans and high school musical kind of influenced those shows as well, so it's kind of funny. Yeah.
speaker-0: Yeah, definitely. And then recently you were in Titan Eat, which again is so incredible, so much fun. ⁓ what surprised me about that show is there's so many off the crough moments as well, which I imagine you've not done anything like that before.
speaker-1: Do you know what? I actually I did a one-man musical called Diva Live from Hell. Yeah. Which was an absolute career highlight for me. That I kind of fell into doing that show. And I absolutely loved it. And I feel like that was a real moment for me that I was able to grow as a performer because it was just me in the show. It was an hour and a half one-man show. And it I kind of could use some of the skills I'd learnt on Jamie in it, but also
speaker-0: Yeah.
speaker-1: tha then i there was a lot of improv in that and lots of free free moments where I could kinda play and have fun and I kinda feel like it's hard to explain unless you saw it. But I feel like a lot of those moments that I learned from Diva I was then able to use in Titanic as well.
speaker-0: Yeah, absolutely. Yeah, 'cause it's all that just responding to audience feedback as well. And I imagine every show is so different.
speaker-1: So different. So much fun. So much fun.
speaker-0: So this production of high school musical it's not like anything we've seen before. I know it's immersive, you've got the on stage seating too. Can you tell us a bit about what audiences can expect from the Manchester and London shows?
speaker-1: It it's honestly gonna be epic. I feel like it's bigger than any of us anticipated. And even now in rehearsals, every like there's like different things happening and it's like, ⁓ and actually we're now gonna do this and this is happening and this is gonna happen. And it's like it's it's so epic. The seats on stage are really cool. So there's moments where we're actually really close to the audience. And I think Andrew Exeter, who's designed the set, who is amazing, has released some of the pictures and the videos online, but you can kind of see how I don't know. I don't wanna say too much just in case it hasn't, but how like the l the layers up to the stage. It's maybe we might come through the audience and so I feel like you kind of get c maybe closer to the characters than you've ever been or ever seen them before.
speaker-0: Yeah, I mean you are really close to the audience. I have seen some photos of the stage and have you ever done a show like that before where you've had the audience that close to you or has it been more traditional auditorium?
speaker-1: I actually have. I ⁓ I did a show called Millennials that was amazing at the other palace in the studio and it was immersive. So we were fully in the singing with the audience. And when I did rent at the Hope Mill, that was kinda close. Obviously the Hop Hope Mill's very in compact. I did a show called Which again was very intimate and we were kind of in and amongst the audience. I feel like imm immersive has become way, way more more prevalent than it was ten years ago when I was at college. And but but then this is a whole new ball game of immersive. Ball game. Hey, get that, get your head in game. But because the show is so huge, high school musical I don't think is a show that you necessarily would have thought would be immersive or could be immersive, so I think that's even more reason to come and see it.
speaker-0: Okay. It'll be so good and I know you're working alongside Jason Donovan for Manchester, then you've got Harry Judd ⁓ as co coach Bolton in London and then Disney Icon, Casey Stro as well. What's it been like rehearsing with so much talent?
speaker-1: It's amazing. They're all gorgeous, lovely people. It's gonna be brilliant and ⁓ I'm very, very excited. Yeah, they're all wonderful on stage and off stage. They're just so much fun and lovely people. And it's been great working with Casey as well and speaking about the film and her experience on the film and her process to get to the film. Really cool and and it really inspires.
speaker-0: Yeah, I imagine it was such a surreal moment for anyone in that original cast because it just blew up and became bigger than they'd ever expected it to be. So ⁓ that's really interesting that she's come back. It's like a full circle moment for her as well.
speaker-1: Completely, completely. Yeah, and she's been able to come with her family, which is lovely. So they're all exploring London as well, which is cool.
speaker-0: That's great. And Luke, I've got to ask you if you could adapt any other Disney Channel original movie to be on stage and be part of it, which one would you choose and why?
speaker-1: ⁓ don't know if it classes as a Disney channel or if it's just under the Disney blanket. But I feel like Enchanted should come to stage.
speaker-0: ⁓ Enchanted's amazing. Yeah. So drawed it's asked in for that.
speaker-1: I feel like that would be better. Right. And I I loved the second one. Was that Disenchanted?
speaker-0: Yeah, Disenchanted was good as well.
speaker-1: Yeah. And I love Adina Menzel. I think she's the best thing ever. I just love her so much. yeah. And I love ⁓ Love the big one she sings in the second one. By the well. I love that. Well I'm rooting for that because I also think that could be really magical. To have like the the to see how they make two words two worlds work.
speaker-0: Yeah, absolutely. It'd be so magical and I imagine so many people's first theatre experience as well going to see something like that. And high school musical's got such an iconic soundtrack. I know you have your own songs, but are there any favourites or favourite scenes that you've already picked up on in rehearsals that you can't wait?
speaker-1: do the very start of the show I feel like I don't want to spoil it and have too much of a say too much, but I feel like Ryan and Sharpe have like an entrance. They have like their like Chandler, Regina George moment of kind of the the reveal. And I just know it's going to be really cool because the stage is so huge and Obviously what I've been looking for is gonna be really, really epic and exciting. Yeah, there's I mean there's so many epic moments. The stick to the status quo moment with Sharpe and Ryan where they come in and they're kind of watching everyone and everyone's dancing and the choreography in this version with Aaron Renfrey. It's epic. It is epic. And everyone, the cast are phenomenal. We've got we've got I think we've maybe got five or six graduates and it's their first job and they are unbelievable. All of the cast is is ⁓ is unbelievable.
speaker-0: Well what a first job to have for them as well. I mean Ryan and Sharpe have so many ⁓ iconic catchphrases and moments anyway. Are there any lines that you find yourself saying or that are stuck in your head since you've been part of this or even just growing up with the film?
speaker-1: So cool. ⁓ I mean it has to be the jazz square line when Sharpei says to Ryan, What have I told you about those stupid jazz squares? And he goes, Too hard, I can dumb it down for you. Again. I think that is iconic. So it's a strong moment, but there's so many, honestly.
speaker-0: Nice, yeah. And how are you hoping audiences will leave the theatre after seeing this incredible new production?
speaker-1: I hope people will leave the theatre feeling full of joy, ready to take on the world, and also kind of embracing the nostal nostalgia of the show. I know so many people that are so excited to come and see this production and I just know it's gonna be epic and I think people are gonna love it. So I'm very, very excited. And also for people to see the differences in the versions between the Lowry and Wembley. So if you've seen it at the Lowry, come and see us at the Troubadour as well, because it's gonna be slightly different.
speaker-0: That's it, you'll make people buy tickets for both now. I'm intrigued myself, so
speaker-1: With the immersiveness, the immersive side of the show, if you sit in one place, there'll be stuff that you'll see in one show that if you then come again and sit somewhere else, you'll see completely different.
speaker-0: Exciting stuff. Just to end on, Luke, if you could go back and speak to your younger self back when high school musical was released, you'd just done Lay Miz as part of that concert, what would you say, knowing everything you've done there?
speaker-1: Believe in yourself, be true to who you are and stick to what makes you unique. I think sing how you wanna sing, perform how you wanna perform, be open, listen, learn, collaborate, and enjoy it. I think enjoy it. I I always joke that it's not that deep, but I sometimes have to remind myself, take a breath, it's all good fun, you're doing the thing, you're enjoying it, this is what you wanted to do. So embrace the moment and ⁓ and be kind to yourself and to other people.
speaker-0: ⁓ that's lovely. And yeah, I can't wait to see you in the show. Thanks so much for making time to chat ⁓ amongst your busy rehearsal schedule.
speaker-1: Lovely to chat, Javi, and I look forward to seeing you.
speaker-0: Thanks so much to you for listening and to Luke for being so brilliant. You can see High School Musical at the Lowry in Salford with Jason Donovan as Coach Bolton from the 22nd of August to the 19th of September 2026 and then at the Troubadour Wembley Park Theatre from the 12th of October right through to the 3rd of January 2027 where you've got Harry Judd. From McFly as Coach Bolton. I've left a link in the show notes so you can get your tickets. If you enjoyed this episode, leave me a review if you can on your podcast platform, on Spotify, on Apple, wherever you're listening, and make sure you're following the show so you don't miss the next episode when it releases. I'll see you soon.
