"Previously, on..."
"High School Musical: The Musical: The Series..."
The new drama teacher is forcing innocent children
to stage a production of High School Musical
"My best friend, Ricky crashed the audition"
"His ex-girlfriend, Nini was not impressed"
"Her new boyfriend, EJ"
who's basically a Hollister model was even less impressed
Somehow my boy scored the lead what could possibly go right?
No, that... No I'm not my grandpa, no
Wait, no, sorry keep your head still
- Yes, but there's pizza sauce - I know
"I have dreamed about playing the lead"
"at East High since ninth grade"
I auditioned, okay I guess I didn't really audition
They were doing Beauty and the Beast and the old drama teacher
"asked me to be a fork"
"after that I was the back of a cow in Gypsy"
"But in my heart, I was Dainty June"
And now, I'm Gabriella
And Ricky is not going to ruin this for me
He's already ruined this for me
I'm not turn this around with Nini... With pheromones
What you smell is more important than what you see
Last spring, we were at the mall and this chick, like, ambushed me
Sprayed this on me I was, like, " back off!"
But Nini was like...
"What is that? Never wash that side of your neck again!"
- One more, that's good - Yes
I sprayed all of me
what's up?
I'm trading in my East High Leopards gear to be a Wildcat
starting today
because it's the day of the read-through!
Blessed to be playing Chad Swipe up for a link to tickets
- Hi! - Hey, say hi to my cousin
and bye to my cousin she's the bomb, peace
You're in a good mood
That's just for the fans, Ash inside I'm a bucket of sad
You're still not over the not-getting-Troy thing?
I put three years into this drama department
and now I have to understudy my girlfriend's ex?
I know, it sucks
But maybe it'll be good for you to not get what you want for once?
Why would that be good?
Then again maybe you are who you are
You guys!
- Oh, my God! - Wow!
How are you going to get through 74 rehearsals with him?
I won't make eye contact
Could everyone take their assigned seats?
Who is Natalie and why do I care if her glands are swollen?
Our stage manager guess she's not coming
Ginger boy can you read?
- Not really - Well, you're reading now
Just the stage directions
Thank you, excuse me
Do you know what that means?
Don't forget to silence your phones!
I realize that you all walked in here as strangers
Actually, EJ's my cousin!
But after today, you're a family
One tribe, committed to lifting this classic film to new heights
Please take your neighbors' hands
Hand
Hands
Feel each other's energy
Let the silence speak volumes
In a world full of no this is a space full of yes
Nice, did you just come up with that?
I did
We're all in this together
Once we know that we are
We're all stars
And we see that
We're all in this together
And it shows when we stand Hand-in-hand
Make our dreams come
True
Thanks
Did I just join a cult?
"Sharpay heads for class hears singing"
"opens the door to the biology lab"
"She finds Gabriella and Taylor washing their hands"
"They turn to find there are no paper towels in the dispenser"
Stop, don't run it all together read the punctuation
"Sharpay comma heads for class period"
There's an old adage in the theater
"Abysmal read-through a brilliant opening night"
Or something like that
The important thing is to have patience
and trust that a breakthrough will happen
"And they are hearing the songs in their heads period"
And that's Act One let's take a break, come here
That was hands down the worst experience of my life
I would take the SATs every week if I never have to do that again
If that kid's our stage manager we'll be lucky if the curtains open
Oh, hey, give him a break
First time reading loud since the fifth grade Science Fair
No, no, no, don't get me wrong I like the guy
I was hoping we would get through Act One by Christmas
I was also hoping we would get to sing the songs
I don't know. Guess Miss Jenn just really wants us
to pay attention to the lyrics
Well, yes, but, I mean... I mean she can't sing them like you can
Oh, wait
- Who's that from? - Oh, no, it's nothing
Cool glasses
Thanks, they're my grandma's
I have the same ones at home
Really? Why?
So, I can see when I'm milking
Milking?
I'm obsessed with musical theater
I stand out a little bit in my family
They raise cattle and sheep
I just want to raise the roof
What happened to our Troy and Gabriella?
Where are the sparks from that audition?
Should we think about re-casting?
Absolutely not
My instincts are impeccable and I'm not scared of a challenge
This one might be impossible she won't even look at him
Don't underestimate me
I come from strong stock
My mother bounced back from an autopsy
Okay, people, we're back!
Do you follow Zac on Instagram?
- No, but clearly I should - Yes
Hi, I'm so sorry I'm late I promise it won't happen again
Thank you both for an early start today, let's begin
Wait, it's just the two of us?
We're diving into page 97
You mean the last scene?
You want to rehearse this? It's not even a scene It's just one line
Yes, I've got one, too
And then there's the kiss
There was no...
I don't remember a kiss in what we read yesterday
It was very much there in the original film
I only remember a hug
The kiss ended up being cutting room floor
- Little racy for its time - Too far
It makes no sense
Why would you start at the end of the play?
Because if you don't know what Hedda Gabler
does in the last scene how play her in the first?
But I do know what happens in the last scene. It's a hug, not a kiss
And who is Hedda Gabler? What musical is that?
One that very few people would pay to see, it's very dark
Miss Jenn, did you put that kiss back in because...
Sweetie, I added the kiss because our production needs it
I've also added a cow bell, a power ballad for the drama teacher
and a Wildcat cheer for the curtain call
That all sounds great, but I...
I just can't kiss Ricky right now
Or not yet anyway
I have a new boyfriend
He's playing Chad
Nini, trust the process
Your character only has eyes for Troy
- Hey, what's up? - Go away
No, you go away you're in front of my locker
I can't believe this
She's around Ricky's finger
- Who? - Miss Jenn!
She added a kiss between them!
EJ, stop he's not bribing our director
He's trying to break us up, Ashlyn
- You're paranoid - Really?
Then why did he text Nini at the read-through?
And why wouldn't she tell me who it was?
She doesn't have to tell you
Dating her doesn't mean you own her
I need you to borrow her phone for me
Borrow? As in steal?
Okay, you've just gone up three levels of scary
- Ashlyn... - If she ever found out...
- She won't! - She could
And if she did Nini would never forgive you
Or me, you want to take that risk?
Ashlyn, please, she's not like the other girls I've dated
Nini is real she makes me better
God!
I'm kind of lost
If the play's over why would we still be dancing?
It's a curtain call You're the last two to come out
We want to bring the audience to their feet
Teach them the dance
Carlos? Can we wait for Miss Jenn?
Miss Jenn is busy tracking down a prop
She's asked me to create a crescendo, people
so let's stop swirling and start twirling
But why are we practicing the bows
when we haven't even practiced the play?
Because you start with the hardest dance
that takes the longest to learn
It's in The Big Book of Broadway Page 374
Okay, people, let's take it from three counts of eight
right before Troy and Gabriella's entrance for the bows
A five, six, seven, eight
I can't do this
- I'm sorry - What is he doing?
- You're talking to him? I'm here - Because you're not here
Not for the right reasons
- What's that mean? - What I said, Ricky
You hate musicals
You're doing this so we're in each other's grills
Back to the dance, please!
Now you're rubbing some weird cologne on your neck
Hey, you love Throb!
And wasting everybody's time by making fun of something
that the rest of us take seriously!
Okay, that's a five! On a break people! Everybody out! Get out!
No, come on Hey, I take this seriously
No! No, you don't You don't take anything seriously
You just, you coast
When someone asked you to make a commitment
you make a joke or you...
You sink into some imaginary hole in the floor
I didn't sink, Nini
I just wasn't ready to say it then
I went to that audition to show you...
Because I had met someone else!
You wanted to drag me back into tenth grade
like my summer never happened
7ut if you really cared about me, Ricky
you would let somebody who wants to play this part play it
Like EJ?
Can we at least try the dip?
What just happened? Why aren't we dipping?
Mission accomplished!
A precious piece of the original HSM is on its way
- Where are you going, Troy? - It's Ricky!
Get him back, now
Dude, what did she say? Why are we leaving?
Because Operation Troy was a huge mistake
it just made things worse
There you are!
Miss Jenn wants everyone back in the room
Tell Miss Jenn I'm done, okay?
Sorry, I can't dance like Fred Rogers
It's Fred Astaire
Fred Rogers is Mister Rogers
He never danced he potty-trained puppets
Seriously? I was impressed they made dolls that could cry
- Ricky, please, you have to... - Nini's right!
I'm taking up space I don't belong on stage
- So untrue, you... - Save it, Carlos
You don't want me in this if I go back, Nini will probably quit
And you need her a lot more than you need me
Do you want to come to my house?
I'll go to yours
No, it's weird there right now
Is your mom back from Chicago yet?
No, and I don't think she's there just for work
Why would she want to be there?
Because my dad's not
- If you wanted to... - Look...
Thanks, bro, really I just need some alone time, okay?
Look, I'm a musical theater person I've got really good ears
And if Ricky staying in the show means Nini's out?
Well, I think we all know the next verse to that song
It means I step into the role of Gabriella, in case that wasn't clear
Okay
Big Red says Ricky's going to quit the show
About time, should've done that after they posted the cast list
No, I didn't tell him off to make him quit
Sure you did
I should've just minded my own business, I just...
Can I ask you a question?
Do you want to be with EJ or not?
Why ask me that?
Because, newsflash your boy just booked leading man
You should be doing right now is a cartwheel
They make me dizzy
Yes, of course, I want to be with EJ I'm totally over Ricky
I just... It's messy
Well, if I were you I would listen to Miss Jenn
Trust the process
Hey, you
Gina? What are you doing here?
Babysitting, my neighbor asked me to watch her kid
Where is he?
Somewhere
So, is it true?
You dropped out?
Haven't made it official yet but, yes, I guess so
That sucks
Having you there kind of gave us all street cred
I mean, you're not a drama geek
you've never sang outside your shower
Did Miss Jenn send you here?
Please, I think I scare her
You are a little scary
You got to be, dude I'm a transfer student
You either eat or get eaten
That's why I was stoked when she cast you
Outsiders keep everyone else on their toes
I mean it, you kept us real
It's better to have someone there who can keep time
That five-and-six stuff
You don't need Carlos to tell you how to move
He bites other people's styles
You have your own
"So we're breaking free we're breaking free"
"Yes, I've got my own style"
It's called I'm a skater not a theater person
What am I supposed to do? Stay up all night practicing the steps?
Actually prove to Nini that I'm not a quitter at this
so she realizes I'm not a quitter at us?
"We're all in this together"
"Once we know, that we are"
"We're all stars and we see that"
"We're all in this together"
Ricky, it's midnight
- Thought you had a test tomorrow - I do
- This is for a test? - Most important one of my life
Everybody now
Hey, Dad, if you can't sleep you can hang here, with me
Come on, yes
"Together together..."
Well, this is definitely a new one for you
- "Come on..." - "Let's do this right"
"We're all here and speaking out with one voice"
If you plan on assaulting me I have to warn you
my mother plays Bunko with the librarian and we will press charges
I want to show you something okay? Check it out
six, seven...
Wow! You've been practicing I thought you quit
Not doing that anymore
Still not sure on this last part
You're doing spirit fingers I want jazz hands
Jazz hands, okay
Here, try it again Five, six, seven, eight
Ricky, that's it
"Okay, all right"
and then you just don't screw up all right? All right?
- Yes, yes, yes - All right
"Don't screw it up don't, dude, let's go"
"So, but, I mean..."
- Oh, hi - Hi
Didn't know anyone was here
Gone in seven seconds Six, if I don't zip my bag
No, no, no, don't go what was that?
- What was what? - The song you were playing
Oh, that, it's...
Miss Jenn asked me to compose a song for my character
It's probably way too much
But I'm playing Ms. Darbus the teach...
I know who you're playing, Ashlyn
I sat across from you at the read-through
Besides, you're EJ's cousin
We don't have to talk about EJ
I don't want to talk about EJ do you want to talk about EJ?
No, I mean, I... I do, but just not right now
Jeez, this has to stop
Doesn't matter who texted no one's business
No, one of my moms has been sending me
these fortune cookie messages every day to keep me "balanced"
"True test of character is what you do when no one's looking"
Why would someone send that?
She seriously needs to stop it's like the 15th one today
I can't discuss the water bill right now
Why? Because baths keep me sane, Mother
and I am tracking a package
that was supposed to be delivered two hours ago
Have to go, EJ? Why are you lurking?
Oh, sorry, I was going for loitering
Well, room to grow. Right?
What have you got there?
I scored a collector's edition of HSM
I was hoping you would sign it
Look, I'm a professional actress I know what's going on here
I once cornered Andrew Lloyd Webber on a transatlantic flight
made him autograph my forehead
I just thought since you were part of the original cast...
Where would you like me to sign?
Wherever you would like just not under Zac
Hoping I can get him to write something special if I meet him
You know, one Troy to another
EJ, Ricky hasn't quit the show
What?
"Why don't you play me some more of your song?"
"Seems like a part of me will always have to lose"
"Every single time I have to choose"
"Swore that it felt right but was I wrong?"
"Is this where I'm supposed to be at all?"
"I don't have the answers, not today"
"It's like nothing makes the questions go away"
"What I would give to see"
"If the grass was greener"
"On the other side Of all I've had and lost"
"Would it be enough"
"Or would I still be wondering?"
"If I could go back and change the past"
"Be a little braver than I had"
"And bet against the odds"
"Would I still be lost?"
"Even if I woke up in my dreams"
"Would there still be something I'm missing?"
"If I had everything"
"Would it mean anything?"
"Maybe I should turn around and take the other road"
"Or maybe I'm just looking for what I already know"
"I'm just wondering"
"It feels like I might have broke the best thing that I had"
"I said too much to ever take it back"
"I'm scared I'll never find something as good"
"And would I even know it if I could?"
"If I could go back and change the past"
"Be a little braver than I had"
"And bet against the odds"
"Would I still be lost?"
"Even if I woke up in my dreams"
"Would there still be something I'm missing"
"If I had everything"
"Would it mean anything"
"To me?"
We're back
What?
Downstairs. Miss Jenn wants to see everyone in the bomb shelter
Hey. I missed you where have you been?
- What? - Before you came here
I was hanging with your cousin
- Really? Why? - That's great
Don't be weird, I'm just trying to get in good with the family
Here it is, people
Is that a garage-door opener?
No, Seb
This is Gabriella's phone
From the film
I plan on creating a time-capsule display in our lobby
If they can have 40 sports-ball trophies
we deserve a little movie museum
Okay, people, enough dazzle fetch your scripts, please
Is that really her phone?
Hold it to your ear like a sea shell
You'll hear echoes of V-Hudge
crushing the B flat on when There Was Me and You
Or you can let me disinfect it first
- Just... Okay - Yes
Nini's phone?
Thank you
You're welcome
We want the same thing
But it's going to take a little teamwork
Places for the top of the ski lodge!