They may be friends behind the scenes, but two teenagers are set to play fierce rivals when they take to the stage in Chatham this week.

Leah Baker, 14, and Alice Abbot, 15, are playing Gabriella Montez and Sharpay Evans in RARE Productions’ version of Disney’s High School Musical.

Gabriella is the newly arrived and very academic student who decides to audition for the school winter musical alongside Troy Bolton, the captain of the basketball team. Sharpay and her twin brother Ryan see them as competition for the roles and try to sabotage the auditions.

Leah, who goes to Walderslade Girls School, said of Alice: “We’re really close and we work really well together, it wasn’t as hard as we thought it was going to be.”

The pair both appeared in the company’s production of Les Miserables at The Brook Theatre in August, in which Rainham Mark Grammar School pupil, Alice, played the role of Eponine.

High School Musical will be Leah’s fifth show with the company.

She said: “It was a bit of a shock because I’ve not done a part as big as this before but with all the support it came quite easily.”

Her nan got her into ballet when she was three, and from there she started singing and acting, and is thinking of pursuing musical theatre as a career.

Around 90 young people from the Towns are taking part in the show.

Alice, who has danced since the age of two, said: “I have been hugely interested in theatre, performing arts and all things to do with being on stage, since before I can remember. It is a burning passion of mine and I intend to pursue it into the future.

“I have regular singing lessons where I train for musical theatre exams. I am working towards my grade six. My favourite place to be is on stage, as I can be anyone I want to be, and I’m not restricted by society’s rules on how to be ‘normal’.”

Performances run at The Central Theatre from Thursday until Saturday at 7.30pm with a 2.30pm matinee on Saturday.

Tickets, band A £16.50, band B £15, from www.tickets.medway.gov.uk or 01634 338338.

Open auditions for RARE’s next production at the Central Theatre will be held on Monday, November 16, and Saturday, November 21. Visit www.rareproductions.co.uk or call 01767 681049.