synopsis
Disney Channel's smash hit movie musical comes to life on your stage! While on their family vacations, high school jock and basketball star Troy and brainy Gabriella - two teens who are worlds apart - meet. During a karaoke contest ("Start of Something New") they discover their love for singing, and an interest in each other. After vacation, Troy discovers that Gabriella is the new girl at East High. Still a bit inspired by their holiday vacation performance, Troy and Gabriella both decide to audition for the school musical. Troy's best friend Chad and Gabriella's new friend Taylor discourage them from carrying out their plans. Troy comes to his senses and immerses himself back into basketball and the championship ("Get'cha Head in the Game"). Taylor does some online research and discovers Gabriella is a scholastic superstar and quickly recruits her for the decathalon competition. Sharpay and Ryan - the ruling school play stars - are also gearing up for yet another starring role in the school musical, and they've made it very clear that everyone else better stay out of their way! Auditions begin and all the hopefuls try out for Ms. Darbus, East High's English and Drama teacher ("What I've Been Looking For"). Not knowing each other's plan, both Troy and Gabriella decide to secretly audition and sneak into the school theatre - but too late, the auditions have just ended. Kelsi, the show's student composer feels sorry for them, and at Troy's request, plays the song for them to sing together (“What I’ve Been Looking For” Reprise). Ms. Darbus just happens to hear their performance and gives them a callback. Well Sharpay is furious! How dare they break the “rules” of East High! The whole school agrees and everyone chimes in during a lunch break (“Stick to the Status Quo”). As everyone is busy practicing for callbacks, Sharpay is plotting her revenge, the basketball team wants their star player back, and the scholastic team wants their new brainiac to help them win the decathalon. After Chad and Taylor’s plan to win their friends back seems to have worked, Gabriella is crushed that Troy would turn his back on her and their singing dreams (“When There Was Me and You”). Eventually, Chad and Taylor feel terrible that they’ve manipulated their friends for their own selfish needs and confess to Troy and Gabriella – they put their heads together to help win the basketball game, the decathalon and hopefully get them over to the callbacks just in time. Sharpay and Ryan pull off a polished performance (“Bop to the Top”) and are a shoe-in for the starring roles. Once again, Troy and Gabriella arrive too late for their callback, due to Sharpay’s conniving plans and are out of the running. But the whole school rallies behind them and they pull off a fantastic performance (“Breaking Free”). Sharpay’s iciness melts away and the whole school comes together as winners (“We’re All in This Together”).