Show History

History

Inspiration

High School Musical 2 is a stage adaptation of the Disney film of the same name, a direct sequel to High School Musical.  Bringing together the same cast and creative team from the first film, the action went outside the school to summer vacation at the local country club.  The premiere was seen by over 17.2 million viewers on the Disney Channel, making it the highest-rated Disney Channel movie of all time.

High School Musical collaborators, David Simpatico (Book) and Bryan Louiselle (Music Adaptation), reunited to bring another Kenny Ortega film to the stage.  Like their previous adaptation, they used the vast majority of plot from the original film, although they wrote some material to include the characters of Jack Scott (created in the first musical) and the "Sharpettes," back-up singers to Sharpay.  The stage version also includes the song "Humuhumunukunukuapua'a," which has been recorded and filmed in the original film but was cut in its original showing.

Productions

Disney Theatrical originally recruited seven high schools to serve as guinea pigs for their newest stage adaptation, High School Musical 2.  But, due to multiple changes to the script and score throughout the process, only two schools survived through the program.  Woodlands High School premiered the musical on May 18, 2008, while the Harrell Theatre in Tennessee was the first community theatre to perform it only a couple of months later on July 17.  After the rights were officially licensed in the fall, High School Musical 2 began to be performed around the country, including its West Coast premiere at Pacific Repertory Theatre's School of Dramatic Arts on January 15, 2009.  Other noteworthy venues include Atlanta's Theater of the Stars and North Shore Music Theatre.  The StageDaze Theatre Company also gave the musical its international premiere in the UK on April 6, 2009.

Cultural Influence

• Like its theatrical predecessor, High School Musical 2 has spawned multiple versions for licensing.  Disney Theatrical created both a one-act version for middle school students (removing several songs and shortening the material to 70 minutes) and a junior version for elementary school and younger middle school students.