High School Musical (2006)
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A basketball star and a talented new student navigate the social divide of their school when they both audition for the lead roles in the school musical.
The story
Troy Bolton, the captain of the East High basketball team, and Gabriella Montez, a gifted transfer student, find themselves at the center of a school-wide conflict when they both audition for the lead roles in the upcoming school musical. Their decision to step outside their respective social circles—Troy from the athletic world and Gabriella from the academic sphere—creates tension among the student body. As the drama club and the basketball team navigate their own internal dynamics, the two students must decide how much they are willing to risk to pursue their shared passion for performance.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
After meeting at a ski lodge, Troy Bolton and Gabriella Montez become involved in the production of the East High musical. Troy's participation causes a stir among his teammates, while Gabriella's involvement is scrutinized by the drama club's ambitious leader, Sharpay Evans. After a series of misunderstandings orchestrated by others to keep them apart, the two realize their mutual commitment and reconcile. During the final auditions, a technical mishap forces the basketball and decathlon teams to work together to ensure Troy and Gabriella can perform. They successfully perform 'Breaking Free' and are cast as the leads, while the school unites in a final celebration.
- First release year
- 2006
- Runtime (minutes)
- 98
- Production countries
- United States
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- Kenny Ortega
- Writers
- Peter Barsocchini · screenplay
- Cast and characters
- Zac Efron · Troy Bolton; Vanessa Hudgens · Gabriella Montez; Ashley Tisdale · Sharpay Evans; Lucas Grabeel · Ryan Evans; Alyson Reed · Ms. Darbus; Corbin Bleu · Chad Danforth; Monique Coleman · Taylor McKessie
- Genres
- Musical
- Themes
- Breaking social norms; Pursuing passions
- Tone and mood
- Saccharine; Musical
- Premise and plot tags
- High school; Musical; Romance
- Reception
- The film received generally positive reviews from critics, with praise for its cast and music but criticism for its sentimentality; it was more positively received by audiences.
- Reported review scores
- Rotten Tomatoes · score: 67% · scale: percentage · review count: 21; Common Sense Media · score: 4 · scale: 5; David Nusair · score: 1.5 · scale: 4
- Production trivia
- The film was described as a modern adaptation of Romeo & Juliet.; The film was the most commercially successful Disney Channel television film.; The soundtrack reached number one on the U.S. Billboard 200 and remained on the list for more than 100 weeks.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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