America has been taken over by Disney’s television movie High School Musical, a story about two high school juniors competing for the lead parts in their high school musical. Now Campbell University is getting in on the musical action.2004 Campbell alumna Candace Hoffman graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree with a stage management emphasis and is currently the Assistant Stage Manager on the first national tour of Disney’s High School Musical.”Everyday is different,” said Hoffman. “Everyday I come into contact with people I have never met before. There are so many people involved in making the production go on and with that many people, human error is bound to occur. It is thrilling every night.”Hoffman was working on a production of High School Musical with North Carolina Theatre in Raleigh, N.C. when Disney decided to take the show on the road.”I was one of only four people at the time who knew how the show worked,” explained Hoffman.The Production Stage Manager Disney hired had worked with Hoffman and asked is she would be willing to travel with the show. Disney flew her up to N.Y. for an interview with the Producer of High School Musical and offered her the job. Hoffman has excelled in her career in theatre and believes Campbell helped her be prepared.”Campbell’s theatre program was immeasurably valuable to my career,” she said. “Because the theatre program is small I was able to do as much hands-on work as I wanted to. I was able to learn about all aspects of the theatre which helped me when I stepped out into the real world of business.” Hoffman loves her job. Being on the road is a challenge for her, but she doesn’t plan to give up her career yet.”My future goal is to just keep doing what I love doing,” she said. “I am fortunate enough to have a job that I absolutely love doing. I wouldn’t trade it for anything.” Photo Copy: Campbell alumna, Candace Hoffman signs her name to the mural in Providence, RI. The cast and crew try to leave a mural on the wall of every theatre they go to.
Campbell Alum involved in High School Musical