As it turns out, High School Musical never did live up to its title. The High School Musical franchise includes three main series films, a spinoff called Sharpay’s Fabulous Adventure, and the Disney+ mockumentary musical drama series High School Musical: The Musical: The Series. The High School Musical film trilogy has cemented its place in pop culture since the first film debuted on Disney Channel in 2006, and the movies are still viewed fondly today. However, upon further examination, High School Musical fails to accurately represent its own title.
If there’s one thing the High School Musical films are especially known for, it’s their songs. Musical numbers such as “Breaking Free,” “We’re All In This Together,” and “I Don’t Dance” have become memorable parts of the HSM movies. The catchy lyrics, good vocals, and impressive choreography make the musical numbers the very foundation of the franchise. In this sense, High School Musical does live up to this aspect of its title. However, there’s one High School Musical detail that makes it slightly misleading.
High School Musical Never Actually Got To The Musical
An observation from on Twitter reveals a surprising truth about High School Musical: the film never got to the actual musical. The plot of the first High School Musical movie partially focuses on the East High School drama department as it prepares to put on Twinkle Towne, a musical composed by pianist Kelsi Nielsen. Interestingly, High School Musical never actually shows the musical in question; instead, the film only covers up to the second round of auditions, with the callbacks becoming a climactic plot point as they coincide with Troy’s basketball championship and Gabriella’s academic decathlon.
High School Musical‘s chronicling of the musical audition process is still entertaining, especially since Sharpay and her twin brother Ryan are determined to land the lead roles of Minnie and Arnold. However, it would have been interesting to see at least a glimpse of the full production of Twinkle Towne aside from the songs performed during the auditions. Yet from a storytelling point, it makes sense to conclude the film after the callbacks. This is the conflict at its peak, as Troy and Gabriella must consider their obligations and figure out how to still be able to audition for the musical.
How Many Musicals Were Actually In The High School Musical Franchise
Since the first High School Musical didn’t actually feature the titular musical, it’s worth wondering how many musicals were actually in the franchise. While there is no high school musical in High School Musical 2 since the film takes place during summer vacation, there is one in High School Musical 3: Senior Year called Senior Year, focusing on the futures of the graduating seniors. Additionally, High School Musical: The Musical: The Series features four musicals, with the drama club putting on a different production every season. So while High School Musical doesn’t live up to its name, High School Musical 3 and the TV spinoff definitely do.
