High School Musical

Unless you have been in a coma for the last four years, it is highly unlikely that you have escaped the phenomenon that is High School Musical. The first High School Musical film was aired in January 2006, with High School Musical 2 released in 2007, High School Musical 3 (Senior year) released in 2008 and a rumoured High School Musical 4, to be released some time in 2010. The first two High School Musical films, which were produced by Disney Channel Original Movie, were first aired on the Disney Channel as TV films. However, by the time the third instalment came about, the franchise was so big that it warranted a release in theatres worldwide.

High School Musical originally had a working title of 'Grease 3' (according to imdb.com), which sums up the plot to anyone who is still oblivious to the actual films. The plot goes as follows: cool boy, Troy Bolton, (played by Zac Efron) meets studious girl, Gabriella Montez (played by Vanessa Hudgens) during the holidays. They fall in love, enjoy their shared interest in singing and performing, then when the holidays are over, they part. Gabriella then turns up at Troy's school, where they try to pick up their romance, but face difficulties from their friends, who find it hard to see them outside their respective social circles. Eventually, they both star in their high school's musical and love's young dream is allowed to triumph and blossom.

The second High School Musical movie takes place over the summer vacation, where all of the cast have gotten jobs at a country club owned by Sharpay and Ryan's parents. The annual country club talent show is a huge event and Sharpay and Ryan plan on winning it as usual, however, the rest of the clan have other ideas! The third High School Musical plot revolves around Troy and Gabriella dealing with the fact that they will soon be leaving school and separating. To cope with their anguish they and the rest of the Wild Cats Gang, put on a Spring term school musical as a way of saying 'bon voyage'.

The High School Musical films have had a fantastically strong supporting cast, which comes in the form of Ashley Tisdale, playing the spoilt rich girl, Sharpay Evans, who has a crush on Troy (obviously as he is so popular and star player of the Wild Cats basketball team), Sharpay's long suffering brother Ryan Evans, played by Lucas Grabeel and also Olesya Rulin (playing Kelsi Nielsen), Monique Coleman ( as Taylor McKessie) and Corbin Bleu (who plays Chad Danforth).

High School Musical has turned its cast into film stars and churned out three very successful movie sound tracks. However, it is thanks to its merchandising that the High School Musical phenomena really took off. Chances are if you have a child, even if they have never seen High School Musical, they own something with High School Musical on it! From advent calendars to pillow cases, bikes to bubble bath, clothing ranges, hair accessories, chairs, beds, lamps, lights, torches, toothbrushes, sleeping bags, jewellery, scarves, CD and MP3 players... the list is endless, if you can imagine it, you can probably buy it with one of the High School Musical cast on it!