1. High School Musical.
Playwright: David Simpatico
August 1, 2006, Playbill announced that the Stage door
Manor summer theatre camp.
January 12, 2007, Theatre of the Stars in Atlanta, Georgia was
the first professional company to stage the production.
Title of play, playwright & premiered date.
2. At East High School (in Albuquerque, New Mexico) Troy Bolton tells his Jock friends, Chad Danforth and Zeke Baylor, about
meeting Gabriella Montez on New Year's Eve during winter vacation on a ski trip. Gabriella, who has just moved to
Albuquerque, also tells her newfound Brainiac friends Taylor McKessie, Kelsi Nielsen and Martha Cox of her vacation. We
meet Sharpay and Ryan Evans, the two drama stars of the school. Sharpay is selfish, and Ryan follows her orders but tries to
be friends with everyone. Troy and Gabriella have a flashback to New Year's Eve when they met. One-half of the song is
during the flashback, then we return to East High where Chad, Taylor, Kelsi, Ryan, Sharpay, Zeke and other students sing of
their New Year's Resolutions.
In homeroom, Mrs. Darbus tells her class of the upcoming winter musical, "Juliet and Romeo", a new version of
Shakespeare's "Romeo and Juliet", written by Kelsi Nielsen, a shy East High student. When Ryan, Sharpay, Troy, and
Gabriella start using their cell phones, Mrs. Darbus gives them all detention. Chad interferes, telling Mrs. Darbus that Troy
cannot go because they have basketball practice after school and that they have an upcoming championship game. Mrs.
Darbus then gives Chad a 30 minute detention, and gives Taylor detention when she remarks that Chad can't even count
that high. At Gabriella's locker, Troy runs into her and they show their amazement of how they found each other again.
Sharpay walks by and tries to flirt with Troy, but he shows no interest in her. Sharpay observes that he is interested in
Gabriella and she is interested in him. Later, the Jocks have basketball practice.
In a Science class, Gabriella shows her smarts by pointing out a flaw in the teacher's equation. Taylor is impressed and
asks, on behalf of her Science Club, if Gabriella could join their team to win the upcoming Scholastic Decathlon, although
Gabriella refuses. Sharpay overhears and has Ryan investigate by Googling her.
Discovering that Gabriella was a very intelligent Brainiac at her old school, Sharpay prints her newfound information and
puts it in Taylor's locker. The students later head to the Mrs. Darbus's room for detention, and act like animals. Taylor then
asks Gabriella again to join the Scholastic Decathlon team based on the printouts Sharpay planted in her locker, and
Gabriella agrees. Everyone does the 'ball of noise,' and Coach Bolton comes to get Troy and Chad for practice and then talks
to Mrs. Darbus about it.
The next day, thespians audition for the play. Sharpay and Ryan audition as well. After the auditions have been declared
closed, Gabriella and Troy sing the song as Kelsi intended it - much slower. Although Troy and Gabriella did not intend it to
be an audition they are called back for a second audition. When their friends hear the news they spread it via cell phones.
Sharpay is furious, believing Troy and Gabriella have stolen the lead roles and broken the 'rules' of East High. Though most
of the school agrees, lyrical chaos erupts during a lunch break when students begin telling their secret obsessions outside of
their cliques. The scene culminates with Sharpay getting 'caked' by Zeke (who secretly likes her), after Gabriella spins into
him. Act I ends with Sharpay angrily shouting "Someone is going to pay for this”
Act 1: Synopsis.
3. Act 2:
Jack Scott recaps events before Troy and Gabriella dance on the rooftop garden . Zeke comes to Sharpay's locker and
tries to flirt with her. Meanwhile, the Jocks and Brainiacs plot against the infuriated duo during study hall. Sharpay and
Ryan see the Jocks and the Brainiacs mingling together and imagine they are trying to help Troy and Gabriella. So
Sharpay lies to Mrs. Darbus saying that Troy and his dad are trying to ruin the auditions because she gave Troy detention.
Later at practice, Mrs. Darbus talks to Troy's dad and then he talks to Troy. Gabriella comes to practice to see Troy while
Martha comes and takes her to the lab. Troy's dad thinks Gabriella is the reason why Troy got detention. He tells Troy that
he is a playmaker and not a singer. This infuriates Troy who angrily asks his father if he ever wondered if he could be both
and storms off in a rage, leaving his father stunned.
The Jocks and Brainiacs put their plan to work, pushing at Troy and Gabriella to 'split up'. Eventually, Troy, furious with his
friends for telling him the same things his dad did, gives in and pretends that he doesn't like Gabriella, completely oblivious
to the phone in Zeke's hand, transmitting Troy's words directly to Gabriella ("Counting on You"). Gabriella hears and
becomes very upset. Troy and Gabriella, lonely and upset, sing . The Jocks and Brainiacs then realize that they have gone
too far and feel guilty for ruining Troy and Gabriella's relationship.
The next day, Sharpay and Ryan are rehearsing for their callback while Sharpay talks to Ryan about her role in the school.
Then Troy comes in looking for Gabriella and Ryan tells him that she is in the theatre. Troy goes to the theatre and tells
Gabriella that they were set up and he didn't mean what he said and sings to remind her of New Year's.
Hearing that the callback date has been moved up by request of Sharpay to the same time as the big game and the
Scholastic Decathlon, Troy and Gabriella announce to the Jocks and Brainiacs that they are going to not do the callback,
but instead help their respective teams for their events. The Jocks and Brainiacs say they should do the callbacks. Troy
and Gabriella refuse, but the teams decide to lend a helping hand anyway.
On the day of the big game/Decathlon/callbacks, the students are excited for the festivities. Sharpay and Ryan perform
their callback song , which at the same time happens with the basketball championship and the science decathlon, during
which Taylor engineers an electronic meltdown in the decathlon and light malfunctions in the game, which forces all the
students to move to the theater. Chad and Taylor explain to Troy and Gabriella that this is their only chance. Mrs. Darbus,
hesitant to allow Troy and Gabriella an audition due to their lateness, has no choice but to let them audition as the
auditorium fills with students. Mrs. Darbus gives Troy and Gabriella the parts on the spot with everyone watching.
The end of Act II brings us to the gym where all the main characters wrap up their plots (Chad asks out Taylor, Zeke gets
Sharpay to be nice to him, Jack Scott and Kelsie literally fall head over heels for each other, and Sharpay makes up with
Gabriella and Troy). The Wildcats win the big game and the Decathlon. The students celebrate followed by a recap of all
the major songs in the show .
Synopsis.
4. Social context:
Mainly for working and middle class. Also mainly targets
the teenage stage.
Historical context:
High school musical was set in present day in just an
ordinary high school.
Geographical context:
Was set at East high School in Salt lake City, Utah
Contextual understanding.
5. Troy Bolton- Captain of the Basketball team. Main Lead.
Chad Danforth- Basketball team member, friend of Troy's.
Zeke Baylor- Basketball team member. Passion for baking.
Sharpay Evans- Lead in every school musical since kindergarten. President of the
drama club. And most popular student.
Ryan Evans- Sharpay's brother. Performs with Sharpay in musicals. Vice president of
the drama club.
Kelsi Neilsen- Pianist for the drama club. Composer of the winter musical.
James Parker- An earthworm expression, and has the worst sense of pitch.
Gabriella Montez - The "New Girl" to East High School, met Troy over winter break.
Taylor McKessie - Head of the Brainiacs. Very smart.
Martha Cox - Brainiac, who has a passion for hip-hop.
Kratnoff - Brainiac, who is very much against Martha Cox's dancing, and "knows
everything about everything“.
Ripper - Head of the skater dudes. Passion for the cello.
Mongo - Skater dude. Rippers "sidekick.
Jack Scott - News announcer at East High. Also known as "The Velvet Fog of East High".
Ms. Darbus - Drama Teacher. Dislikes the Jocks and Coach Bolton.
Coach Bolton - Gym Teacher and coach of the basketball team.
Ms Tenny- the Chemistry Teacher.
Character Analysis:
6. Scenery:
• Basket ball pitch layout on the floor.
• Changing rooms.
• Roof garden.
Initial ideas.
