The production, which officially opened Dec. 18, was originally scheduled to play through Feb. 22, but poor ticket sales have forced the early closure. In fact, the entire Australian national tour of High School Musical has been canceled.

Co-producer Kevin Jacobsen told Variety, "The last few months have been a difficult time for all families, so it is not surprising family entertainment, including large-scale musicals such as ours, are experiencing a drop in ticket sales."

The return Sydney engagement of Priscilla Queen of the Desert the Musical, which closed ahead of schedule, was also a disappointment for its producers.

Disney's High School Musical — Live on Stage, according to press notes, "follows the story of basketball captain Troy and the brainy but shy Gabriella who discover they have a secret passion for singing. When they decide to audition for the student musical it sends shockwaves through the High School’s rigid social cliques. Troy's basketball team, Gabriella's fellow science clubbers, even the drama regulars, do all they can to keep the pair apart and off-stage. When Troy and Gabriella defy their friends and family they inadvertently inspire the other students to go public with their own secret talents and dreams."

The musical's creative team includes director Jeff Calhoun, choreographer Lisa Stevens and music producer and supervisor Bryan Louiselle. David Simpatico wrote the book based on Peter Barsocchini's original TV movie script. For ticket information visit www.ticketmaster.com.au.