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High School Musical is a 2006 American teen/children's romantic comedy musical television film and the first installment in the High School Musical trilogy. Upon its release on January 20, 2006, it became the most successful film that Disney Channel Original Movie (DCOM) ever produced, with a television sequel High School Musical 2 released in 2007 and the feature film High School Musical 3: Senior Year released to theaters in October 2008. It is the first Disney Channel Original Movie to have a theatrical sequel. The film's soundtrack was the best-selling album in the United States for 2006.
High School Musical was Disney Channel's most watched film that year with 7.7 million viewers in its premiere broadcast in the US, until August's premiere of The Cheetah Girls 2, which achieved 8.1 million viewers. In the UK, it received 789,000 viewers for its premiere (and 1.2 million viewers overall during the first week), making it the second most watched program for the Disney Channel (UK) of 2006. On December 29, 2006, it became the first DCOM to be broadcast on the BBC. Globally, High School Musical has been seen by over 225 million viewers.
With a plot described by the author and numerous critics as a modern adaptation of Romeo & Juliet, High School Musical is a story about two high school juniors from rival cliques – Troy Bolton (Zac Efron), captain of the basketball team, and Gabriella Montez (Vanessa Hudgens), a shy transfer student who excels in mathematics and science. Together, they try out for the lead parts in their high school musical, and as a result, divide the school. Despite other students' attempts to thwart their dreams, Troy and Gabriella resist peer pressure and rivalry, inspiring others along the way not to "stick to the status quo". High school diva Sharpay Evans (Ashley Tisdale) will do anything to sabotage the friendship between Troy and Gabriella and also get a lead in the school musical, assisted by her brother Ryan (Lucas Grabeel).
High School Musical was filmed at East High School located in Salt Lake City, Utah, the auditorium of Murray High School, and Downtown Salt Lake City. Murray High School was also the set of several other Disney productions: Take Down (1978), Read It and Weep (2006), Minutemen (2008) and High School Musical: Get in the Picture (2008).
- Directed by Kenny Ortega
- Produced by Don Schain
- Written by Peter Barsocchini
- Music by David Nessim Lawrence
- Cinematography by Gordon Lonsdale
- Editing by Seth Flaum
Cast
- Zac Efron as Troy Bolton, the most popular male student at East High School, and the captain of the varsity basketball team. On New Year's Eve, after singing with Gabriella, he finds himself having a crush on her.
- Vanessa Anne Hudgens as Gabriella Montez, a new student and one of the brainiacs on the scholastic decathlon team. She develops a love for Troy after meeting at a new years party.
- Ashley Tisdale as Sharpay Evans, an energetic and proud student with a love of theatre. Enjoys being the centre of attention, particularly Troy's.
- Lucas Grabeel as Ryan Evans, Sharpay's twin brother. He is very easily pushed around by his sister, but is not as mean as her, despite going along with her plans to sabotage Troy and Gabriella. He is also shown to not be particularly smart, such as not knowing how to spell "drama", and never understanding Sharpay's plans.
- Corbin Bleu as Chad Danforth, Troy's best friend, and is very good friends with Jason and Zeke. He likes the status quo, but later ends up dating Decathlon captain Taylor.
- Monique Coleman as Taylor McKessie, Gabriella's best friend. She is captain of the school's scholastic decathlon team, and despises the basketball players and cheerleaders, believing them to be airheads, although she later ends up going out with Chad.
- Bart Johnson as Jack Bolton, Troy's father and the coach of the basketball team. He dislikes Ms Darbus, thinks that theater is worthless, and also believes that Gabriella is a distraction to Troy's basketball career. However, he eventually comes around to it.
- Alyson Reed as Ms. Darbus, the stern drama teacher at East High. She despises sports and cell phones but takes her job very seriously.
- Olesya Rulin as Kelsi Nielsen, a student at East High. She is a pianist and composer. She is very shy and is constantly bossed around by Sharpay, but in the end she learns to stand up for herself and not get bossed around by Sharpay.
- Chris Warren Jr. as Zeke Baylor, a friend of Troy and Chad, and plays for the basketball team. He also enjoys baking and is an admirer of Sharpay.
- Ryne Sanborn as Jason Cross, a friend of Troy and Chad, and plays for the basketball team. He also tends to ask mundane questions in class.
- Kaycee Stroh as Martha Cox, a peppy brainiac who enjoys hip-hop. She is good friends with Gabriella, Taylor, and Kelsi.