Disney Announces Leads For New Spin-Off Series ‘Madison High’

Disney has just announced three fresh faces that will play the lead roles in their new High School Musical spin-off series, Madison High!

The network is hoping the show become a hit, much like High School Musical. Supposing this happens, Luke Benward, Leah Lewis and G Hannelius, the three main stars of the show, will benefit greatly as new faces in Hollywood and will no doubt see their stardom rise over the next few months.

The three have been cast in the pilot, which begins shooting in March, Disney announced this past Thursday. Alyson Reed reprises her High School Musical role as the kids’ teacher, Ms. Darbus.

In the spin-off, a group of students at Madison High build a new theater program under the tutelage of Ms. Darbus. The new troupe must create an original musical production based on their lives.

Benward, 15, will play lead character Devin Daniels, a motocross racer looking for a new hobby. Lewis, 14, will play Peyton Hall, a formerly home-schooled tennis champ. Hannelius, 12, plays Wednesday Malone, a precocious starlet in the making. The remaining roles of queen bee Cherry O’Keefe, stage manager Harvey Flynn and Colby Baker, artistic anime fan, have yet to be cast.

Madison High will feature four original songs written by songwriters that include former American Idol judge Kara DioGuardi and Matthew Gerrard (Hannah Montana ).

Lester Lewis (The Office) is set to write and executive-produce the series with Paul Hoen (Camp Rock 2) directing.