You know how there’s that one teacher at every school who used to go there as a kid? Well, twenty years after High School Musical, KayCee Stroh is returning to East High to fill exactly that role! Having played Martha Cox, the academically gifted student with a secret passion for hip-hop, she’s now taking charge of the drama department as the gloriously theatrical Ms Darbus.

Following a run at the Lowry in Salford, the anniversary production heads to London’s Troubadour Wembley Park Theatre this October. For Stroh, it means revisiting the story that launched her career, while taking on a character she once watched Alyson Reed bring to life. It has also become a family adventure, with her husband and two daughters joining her in the UK.

When we sit down during the Lowry run, I bring a glowing report from my friend Rosie, a lifelong High School Musical fan who has just seen the show. Stroh is delighted. That affection for the audience comes through repeatedly, but she is equally passionate about the work itself: the years of training, the teachers who underestimated her, and the opportunities she refused because they would undermine what Martha represented. We talk about tough love in the dance studio, Kenny Ortega’s life-changing encouragement, handing Martha over to a new performer, and why coming back to East High means so much more than revisiting a favourite movie franchise.

Let’s go right back to the beginning. What was life like growing up in Salt Lake City, and what sort of kid were you?

I absolutely loved it. You have the heart of the city, but fifteen minutes away you can be in suburbia, and thirty minutes away you can be up in the mountains. I got a bit of everything: camping with my family, snowmobiling, skiing. We have four beautiful seasons, too. Definitely drier than here! I found that out the hard way when I was dropped into London during the heatwave!

I was a really dedicated kid. My two older sisters danced, and my mom took a part-time job as a secretary at the dance studio to help pay for lessons. I remember being a toddler, falling asleep on the lobby floor to the sound of tap shoes and the vibrations through the floor. I always say this performing thing was bred into me. I followed my sisters, but I was so hungry. I always wanted to be there. Dance was my whole world.

When did singing and acting become part of that?

In fourth grade, the school was doing The Wizard of Oz, with songs from The Wiz for the dance portions. I auditioned and got Dorothy. I remember walking down the aisle with my fake little Toto in a basket, talking to the audience, and thinking, ‘Oh my gosh, you can dance, sing, and act all at the same time. This is the best thing ever. This is my life’s work.’

I feel spoiled because I knew very young what I wanted to do. But I kept a lot of my eggs in the dance basket. It wasn’t until high school that I thought perhaps I should step back from dancing and do more school plays and musicals. With competitive dance, it owns your life. If you’ve seen Dance Moms, that’s true!

I was going to ask how much it was like Dance Moms.

Not as extreme as Abby Lee, but pretty ruthless. Growing up in the eighties and nineties and not being rail thin, people I loved, who were my mentors, would say, ‘It’s a shame you’re so talented, KayCee, but you don’t have the ideal dancer body. You’ll never make it in this industry.’ I’d say, ‘I could be an actress. I love acting.’ And it would be, ‘Well, you don’t look like a movie star.’ I was twelve, thirteen, fourteen.

I’m grateful it’s getting better, but some of us had to pave the way. While my friends were at the mall, I was doing five hours of dance a day or theatre camps at the University of Utah. But I wanted it. My parents weren’t pushing me. My heart was in it from the get-go.

You started teaching as a teenager yourself. What were you like as a teacher?

There’s normal KayCee Stroh, and then there’s dance teacher KayCee Stroh. We’re totally different human beings! I’m very passionate and intense. I will not let my students get away with excuses or crap, because I know how ruthless the entertainment business can be, and I want to prepare them. I mostly do masterclasses now, but back then my mom would say, ‘You’re so ruthless with these teenage kids.’ Yet I was their favourite teacher. They loved the tough love and that I believed in them. I’d say, ‘No, you have more to give. Stop it.’

Someone once described that to me as ‘ruthless compassion’. Being straight with someone because you care about them.

Yes! If you do it in the right way, they feel that: ‘You’re doing this because you see greatness in me and know I can do it.’ It comes from a different place, and they read it better.

Then you took your students to the High School Musical audition. How did that happen?

I ran into Bonnie Story, one of the choreographers on High School Musical, who had choreographed a guest piece at my dance studio. She knew my work ethic and said, ‘I’m doing this little untitled Disney project. Who knows if it will go anywhere? But the director wants people of all different shapes, sizes, and colours, and you were the first person I thought of.’ I took my students because opportunities like that don’t come along every day in Utah. It was a long, difficult audition, and they kept coming up to ask me questions.

While you were trying to audition yourself?

Yes! Then people from other studios started coming over. Suddenly I’m teaching everyone the choreography while preparing myself. Kenny Ortega, the director, noticed that, although I didn’t know until later. The pivotal moment came after I danced. I was in the last group, and he stopped the music, came over, grabbed my hands, and looked into my eyes. He said, ‘I love you. You are different.’

For someone who had been told her whole life that different didn’t fit, that was a huge moment. I thought, ‘I’m different for a reason. It’s to stand out today.’ Maybe I could be a beacon for other people who didn’t fit into the status quo, shall we say.

Once you got the job, what was the biggest thing you had to learn about working on a film set?

All my acting training was for the stage. As dancers, we’re trained to have big eyebrows, big smiles, big movements. With a camera right in your face, it’s, ‘Pull back. More realism.’ Most of the other kids had been child actors. Although I was a little older, I had to come in humble, watch everyone, and read the room. They’d say, ‘I need a 10-1,’ and I’d think, ‘What’s that?’ A restroom break! There was so much lingo I didn’t know. I felt like I was drinking through a fire hose.

After the first take, Kenny came over and said, ‘You’re a natural. You could act with your eyes alone. You have so much soul in your eyes.’ I needed that, because inside I was having a heart attack. We started with Stick to the Status Quo, with the camera right there. Originally, I wasn’t supposed to be in any other scene.

Martha’s part grew during filming, and by the third film she’s head cheerleader. How did that happen?

They sent the dailies to Disney, and Disney said, ‘We need more of that girl. We need more Martha.’ Bonnie sent me a video of the choreography for We’re All in This Together. I learned it the night before, showed up, and they added me to the finale. By the second film, Martha was part of the friend group, bringing her own fun and silliness and showing more of her love of dance. But it wasn’t written that she would become head cheerleader in the third.

By then, I’d moved to LA, done The Suite Life of Zack & Cody, and focused on acting and singing. I was rarely going to dance classes. Then, in rehearsals, Kenny looked over and said, ‘Martha should be head cheerleader.’ I was like, ‘You mean with all the professional dancers who do this ten hours a day? Cool! Please tell me it’s like riding a bike.’ Luckily, it was still in my body. I think Kenny understood the message I wanted to give: you can be different and still be beautiful, confident, and yourself. By the end, she’s leading the school. That’s my favourite thing about her.

You’ve said you turned down work because it would undo what you’d achieved with Martha. What sorts of roles made you say no?

I will not do things that are a complete mockery of big people. It’s getting better in Hollywood, but it’s still not great. I’ve always hated the narratives that we’re lazy or eat too much. Some of the character breakdowns I was being sent literally said ‘pathetic fat girl’. Why are we doing that? Why can’t you have a bigger character in a role without it being discussed?

Never once in High School Musical am I the butt of a joke. Never once am I eating more than everybody else. They kept it so classy, and at that time it was rare. There were multimillion-dollar contracts I was offered, and I said no. I wouldn’t undo the work and the message we created with Martha: you belong, you’re beautiful no matter what size you are, and it doesn’t have to be everything about you.

How did this stage production come into your life? What was your reaction when they wanted you to play Ms Darbus?

At first, I was hesitant. High School Musical is a little untouchable, a little sacred. We did it, and it’s forever on film. I will always give it love and respect because it started my career, but I was nervous about touching the untouchable. Then they said, ‘For the twentieth anniversary, we think it would be a cool full-circle moment if you played Ms Darbus.’ As an actor, I thought, ‘Whoa, that’s a totally different character.’ Alyson Reed did a beautiful job building her. There’s such a great foundation.

It’s a new challenge and a new age range. I don’t want to become complacent. I want to push myself, and this felt like a good push. The anniversary kept coming back to me, too. This was something I could do to thank the fans and the franchise for what it gave me.

And did the production live up to what you’d imagined?

When I talked to Joe and Will, the co-directors Joseph Houston and William Whelton, their vision was so beautiful. I thought, ‘Please tell me this isn’t smoke and mirrors.’ Everything has exceeded my expectations. The cast are so deserving of this opportunity. The ensemble is incredible. The set, lighting, sound, wardrobe – my jaw dropped.

Selfishly, my inner child was also thinking, ‘Remember telling people you wanted to be on Broadway and being told you never could?’ And here we are. My husband and daughters said, ‘We know we’ll have to sacrifice, leave school and our classes, but you have to do this for you. You’ve put us first for so many years. Now it’s your turn.’

I bet they’ve had an adventure. Are they staying with you for London?

Yes, they’ve been with me the whole time, through rehearsals in London and now Manchester. Every time we have a day or two off, my husband says, ‘We’re taking advantage of this.’ He rented a van and driver and we went to Wales. Before that, we went to Scotland.

I want to see it all and learn it all. We love sharing it on social media, too. When we’re dancing in the London Eye, I get to show people the world through my family’s eyes. Even the girls’ teachers said, ‘You have to go. They’ll see the places we’re supposed to teach them about this year.’ I’m so glad I took the chance.

What’s it been like watching Olivia O’Connor make Martha her own?

I couldn’t think of anyone better. Within minutes of meeting her, I said, ‘You remind me of young me.’ She has a phenomenal voice. I actually wish they’d let her go even harder, because girlfriend could go nuts with it.

She confessed she’d been nervous when she found out I would be here. I said, ‘I want you to make it your own.’ Martha’s message is to be yourself. If I came in saying, ‘It has to be done this way,’ I would have missed the whole point myself. She adds a silliness I really like. I played Martha as more innocent and hesitant, which was me then. We get to add our own flavour. I told her, ‘You do you, boo.’

Rosie sent me a video of the curtain call, so I’ve seen you bringing back some of Martha’s moves.

It’s hard revisiting something and not being able to use the exact choreography because that’s copyrighted. So, Aaron Renfree, the choreographer, had a tall order. But you’re allowed to film the megamix after the bows, and that’s where I get to do my pop-and-lock choreography from the table, because that was my own choreography. Aaron said, ‘I really wish we could do your iconic bit.’ I said, ‘That’s my choreography. Kenny let me improvise.’ He was like, ‘Yes, let’s do it!’

The audience just roar. I’m so grateful I get to experience that energy exchange. You can only get it from the stage. All those people roaring and clapping, and people sitting on stage as well – it’s unbelievable. Every night I shake my head and think, ‘What did I do so right?’

You’ve spent twenty years hearing what High School Musical has given other people. What has coming back to it meant to you personally?

Oh, what a great question. A lot of fans say High School Musical was their safe place. I’m going to try to do this without crying, but I probably won’t. They could escape into this magical world and realise that being different and unique was okay. In a sense, it was my safe place as well. It validated me and brought out confidence I desperately needed. At the time, I was in a bad relationship that I needed to get out of. With my career starting, I was able to leave and move to LA and realise, ‘KayCee, you’re so much better than that. You have worth and talent. Go chase your dreams.’

I don’t think the fans realise that, while it was special for them, it saved me too.

Coming back feels like coming home, but through different eyes, in a different era. Coming home to that beautiful place that helped me break out, blossom, and be who I was meant to be. It will always be a very sacred show to me, and I’m grateful to come back to it.

High School Musical runs at London’s Troubadour Wembley Park Theatre from 12 October 2026 to 3 January 2027.

Get your tickets from highschoolmusicalonstage.com

To see more of KayCee and follow her adventures in travel and dance, follow her on Instagram here.

Words by Nick Barr

Photography by Matt Crockett