The Enduring Appeal of High School Musical

By Fabian Toulouse

It is no mystery why this franchise has become the cultural phenomena it is today. With talented characters in a plot centering on the universal issues of following a dream and learning how to be true to your own identity, kids have cherished HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL from the very first verse to the last dance routine. It is speaking something to the young teenagers out there.

We follow Troy, the captain of the basketball team, and Gabriella, a shy, smart transfer student as they seek to understand themselves and their dreams. They must resist everyone else's expectations and audition for their high school's winter musical. Because the story centers on the struggles between members of two different social groups, its author and many critics refer to it as a contemporary Romeo and Juliet. Young people have continually struggled with expectations placed on them by their peers, and the film adeptly shares this.

Proof of the popularity of HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL is how long it has endured. No other television movie has enjoyed its lasting impact. In addition to the first movie, audiences enjoyed High School Musical 2, a DVD release-1.2 million copies in six days is the fastest-ever selling television movie-a great soundtrack that reached number one of the charts twice, a much anticipated concert tour, an exciting touring stage musical, an ice touring show, a New York Times best-selling novel, and an recent series of books chronicling the stories from East High.

The film celebrates the value of performance and accomplishment. All kids dream of being confident enough to excel for an audience, whether on the playing field, or at an academic competition, or on the stage. With this film, children see characters with courage and talent working hard to do their best. One of the welcome aspects of Disney's story is the way in which it celebrates the desire to be true to oneself and be successful.

Children's entertainment is quickly changing. Television shows that were popular one minute quickly disappear; the current "hot" song bursts on the scene and just as quickly, fades out. However, kids always gravitate toward attractive characters in compelling stories about enduring elements of their lives. The ongoing popularity of Disney's High School Musical is due to the way it touches many of the elements that kids like. - 29968

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