FINALLY! Al and Val get to bop to the top with the original High School Musical! Joined by special guest, Phylicia McLeod (of Unlearning Podcast), will they be able to win the big game AND make it to their audition? Listen to find out.

High School Musical (January 20, 2006)

IMDB Wikipedia

Directed by Kenny Ortega (started as a music video director, Newsies, Hocus Pocus, Cheetah Girls 2, HSM 2&3, Descendants 1-3)

Written by Peter Barsocchini (HSM 1-3, HSMTMTS)

Starring: 

Zac Efron as Troy Bolton (HSM 1-3, 17 Again, New Years Eve, The Lucky One, Neighbors, Baywatch, The Greatest Showman, Down to Earth with Zac Efron)

Vanessa Hudgens as Gabriella Montez (HSM 1-3, music videos, Sucker Punch, Spring Breakers, Gimme Shelter, Powerless, The Princess Switch 1-3, The Knight Before Christmas, Tick Tick Boom)

Ashley Tisdale as Sharpay Evans (HSM 1-3, Suite Life, music videos, Phineas & Ferb, Skylanders Academy, Carol’s Second Act)

Lucas Grabeel as Ryan Evans (Halloweentown High, Return to Halloweentown, HSM 1-3, music videos, Milk, Switched at Birth, voice acting ie Family Guy, HSMTMTS)

Corbin Bleu as Chad Danforth (HSM 1-3, Jump In, music videos, Flight 29 Down, One Life to Live, HSMTMTS)

Monique Coleman as Taylor McKessie (HSM 1-3, horror stuff, HSMTMTS)

Bart Johnson as Jack Bolton (HSM 1-3, Hyperion Bay, character actor, HSMTMTS)

Olesya Rulin as Kelsi Nielsen (Hounded, Poof Point, Halloweentown High, HSM 1-3, Greek, NCIS LA) 

Alyson Reed as Ms. Darbus (A Chorus Line, Ghostwriter, character actor, HSM 1-3, Ad Astra, HSMTMTS)

Chris Warren Jr. as Zeke Baylor (Love & Basketball, Men of Honor, The Bold & The Beautiful, HSM 1-3, Sistas)

Joey Miyashima as Dave Matsui (Karate Kid II, Double Teamed, Right on Track, HSM 3, character actor)

Joyce Cohen as Ms. Falstaff (Read it and Weep)

Anne Kathryn Parma as Susan (Go Figure)

Nick Whitaker as Alan (Read It and Weep, Hatching Pete)

Falcon Grace as Cyndra (Pixel Perfect)

Synopsis: Troy Bolton (Zac Efron), the star athlete at a small-town high school, falls for nerdy beauty Gabriella Montez (Vanessa Anne Hudgens) at a holiday karaoke party. When they return to campus, Troy and Gabriella audition for the upcoming school musical. Meanwhile, the jealous Sharpay Evans (Ashley Tisdale) conspires to squelch their chances. The two must struggle to make it to auditions while also meeting their existing obligations to the basketball team and the academic decathlon.

Fun Facts: 

Drew Seeley sang for Zac Efron

Ashley Tisdale auditioned for Gabriella

HSM was the working title, but they couldn’t come up with anything better before time ran out

Corbin planned to audition for Ryan, but saw Lucas’s audition and thought he was better for it

This was the Disney Channel's most successful movie at its time with 7.7 million viewers in the premiere broadcast. The Cheetah Girls 2 (2006) broke this record with 8.3 million viewers on its premiere night. High School Musical 2 now stands as the highest rated Disney Channel original movie premiere with more than 17.2 million viewers.

Originated from a 1999 script for Grease 3, which would have featured JT, Brittany, and Christina.

They filmed at a real high school WHILE CLASS WAS IN SESSION

Soundtrack was the best selling album in 2006

Originally casted Cassie Steele for Gabriella, but her schedule on Degrassi prevented her from doing it

Lucas and Ashley didn’t like each other during the first movie’s filming

Next Movie: Wendy Wu: Homecoming Warrior