Two made-for-television movies and a big-screen third instalment have won the High School Musical franchise millions of screaming fans under the age of 14. And while for those in an older age category it might not be at the top of their bucket lists, the stage version might lead some to reconsider.
It's a musical based on a movie about a musical, which immediately puts those schmaltzy teen pop songs where they belong - on the stage, under the spotlights and accompanied by flips, high kicks and headspins. Where tracks such as What I've Been Looking For or Get'cha Head in the Game may come off as over-produced chintz on screen, polished choreography and stage costuming add a showtime sheen.
The story itself is a well worn one: basketball team captain Troy and A-grade student Gabriella audition for the lead roles in their high school musical, fall in love and in the process unite the school's jock and nerd cliques. There is some struggle along the way of course, but if you were afraid Gabriella's arch-rival Sharpay would get the lead and hook the man, then you've obviously never seen West Side Story or Grease - both of which have more than a faint echo in High School Musical.
'There is a degree of formula involved in a show like High School Musical,' says director Paul Warwick Griffin. 'But it doesn't overdo the clich?. It's a very honest portrayal, and that's its greatest strength. Most people can identify with these characters. There's also a degree of new language that the show has found choreographically and musically. It's very rare that you get a show a younger audience can completely relate to.'
For one, the pop-rock score is stuff kids might well hear on MTV. And where West Side Story follows the romance of two teen gang members, and Grease ends with Sandy and Danny changing who they are to be together (if an outfit change can be construed as such), the moral of High School Musical is just to be yourself and follow your dreams. Oh, and the two leads get to kiss once at the end, after a couple of hours of innocent musical romping.
It's parent-approved entertainment that has struck gold with the 'tween' market - kids between the ages of seven and 14 that make up the main demographic of the Disney Channel, where the television movies air. The original flick premiered to an incredible 7.7 million viewers in the United States, while its sequel clocked up 17.2 million (High School Musical 3 was released in cinemas). The latest Disney statistics peg the first movie at an estimated 255 million global viewers. And the phenomenon is unstoppable, with a sprawling brand that includes a book series, video games, a reality show, and in Hong Kong, a High School Musical: Live! parade at Disneyland. Even China wants in, with a spin-off flick, High School Musical: China, currently in production.