High School Musical: The Musical: The Series

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## *High School Musical: The Musical: The Series*

### Executive producer

Oliver Goldstick, Tim Federle, Bill Borden, Barry Rosenbush, Tamra Davis

### Production company

Chorus Boy, Salty Pictures, Disney Channel

### Language

English

***High School Musical: The Musical: The Series*** is an American mockumentary musical drama streaming television series created for Disney+ by Tim Federle, inspired by the High School Musical film series. The series is produced by Chorus Boy and Salty Pictures in association with Disney Channel, with Oliver Goldstick serving as showrunner for the first four episodes. He was succeeded by Federle as showrunner for the remainder of the first season.

Set at a fictionalized version of East High School, the school at which the original movie was filmed, the series follows a group of teenage theater enthusiasts who participate in a staging of High School Musical: The Musical as their school production. The series stars Olivia Rodrigo, Joshua Bassett, Matt Cornett, Sofia Wylie, Larry Saperstein, Julia Lester, Dara Reneé, Frankie Rodriguez, Mark St. Cyr and Kate Reinders.

*High School Musical: The Musical: The Series* premiered on Disney Channel, ABC and Freeform as a preview simulcast on November 8, 2019, ahead of its launch on Disney+ on November 12. The first season consists of 10 episodes. In October 2019, before the series debuted, Disney+ renewed the series for a second season.

The series has received a positive response, with critical reviews highlighting the performances of the cast. It won a GLAAD Media Award in 2020 for Outstanding Kids & Family Programming.

## Premise

At a fictionalized version of East High School in Salt Lake City, Utah, where the *High School Musical* movies were filmed, a former background cast member, Miss Jenn, begins work as the new drama teacher. The teacher decides to stage a performance of *High School Musical: The Musical* for her first winter theater production to celebrate the school's affiliation with the original film. The students cast in the musical learn to navigate their interpersonal relationships and form bonds with each other, to overcome the challenges they face in their lives at school and home.

In the second season, the theater students of East High stage a production of *Beauty and the Beast* for the spring musical.

## Cast and characters

### Main

* Olivia Rodrigo as Nini Salazar-Roberts, a musical theater enthusiast, who is cast as Gabriella Montez.
* Joshua Bassett as Ricky Bowen, a guitarist and skateboarder who previously dated Nini, who is cast as Troy Bolton despite his initial lack of interest in the musical.
* Matt Cornett as E. J. Caswell, a jock theater enthusiast Nini previously met at theater camp, who is cast as Chad Danforth and the understudy for Troy.
* Sofia Wylie as Gina Porter, a transfer student with theater ambitions, who is cast as Taylor McKessie and the understudy for Gabriella.
* Larry Saperstein as Big Red, Ricky's best friend, who fills in as stage manager for the production whenever Natalie is unavailable, despite his lack of knowledge about theater. He is later shown to have hidden talents in tap dancing and knowledge of electronics.
* Julia Lester as Ashlyn Caswell, E. J.'s cousin and an aspiring songwriter, who is cast as Ms. Darbus.
* Dara Reneé as Kourtney, Nini's best friend and a self-proclaimed feminist, who works in the costuming department of the musical.
* Frankie Rodriguez as Carlos Rodriguez, the choreographer of the production, who works alongside Miss Jenn.
* Mark St. Cyr as Mr. Benjamin Mazzara, East High's STEM teacher, who is against the school's focus on the Arts.
* Kate Reinders as Miss Jenn, East High's new drama teacher, who appeared in the original *High School Musical* film as a background dancer and directs the school's production.

### Recurring

* Joe Serafini as Seb Matthew-Smith, a student who is cast in the role of Sharpay Evans. He begins a relationship with Carlos.
* Alexis Nelis as Natalie Bagley, the stage manager for the production.
* Nicole Sullivan and Michelle Noh as Carol and Dana, Nini's mothers.
* Jeanne Sakata as Malou, Nini's grandmother.
* Alex Quijano as Mike Bowen, Ricky's father, whose wife is estranged and currently living in Chicago.
* Valente Rodriguez as Principal Gutierrez.
* Beth Lacke as Lynne Bowen, Mike's wife and Ricky's mother, who returns to announce she and Mike are getting divorced.

### Guest

* Kaycee Stroh as Kaycee, a member of the school board. Stroh played Martha Cox in the original film.
* Lucas Grabeel as himself, appearing in a dream sequence. Grabeel played Ryan Evans in the original film.