By Allen Cheng BAM! Have you ever wondered if life ever changes? How do those on TV go through such miraculous changes and, somehow, become totally different? Having to live through a series of monotone days, should you try something new or just be some sort of stick in the mud? Doing something totally unexpected and trying something that’s so not you, that’s what High School Musical is all about. High School Musical, originally a Disney TV-film, is a contemporary revised happy-version of Romeo and Juliet; it is a fabulously composed musical in which we see characters just like you and me trying to liberate themselves to be who they are. Being entertaining, profound, and certainly bouncy, High School Musical is something no one should miss. High School Musical – [We got spirit, YOU hear it!] Troy Bolton (portrayed by Zac Efron), leading jock of East High, captain of the Wildcats basketball team, meets Gabriella Montez (portrayed by Vanessa Hudgens), a shy, educationally gifted hot girl, during a karaoke contest. Both awe the crowd with their “Start of Something New,” which is where the music in the musical kicks in. When the two meet again at school, they just can’t help but let the music out again. They audition for the school’s winter musical. The school’s stars, however, are twins, Ryan (portrayed by Lucas Grabeel) and Sharpay Evans (portrayed by Ashley Tisdale), and they won’t just sit there being pretty. Being the leads in every school play and chairmen of the drama club, there’re going to make sure that what’s theirs stays theirs. Full of enthusiasm, Troy and Gabriella completely challenge the hierarchy in school. Their friends notice they are doing something out of their nature and try to stop them, worrying about an upcoming basketball game and a scientific decathlon. A jock and a nerd are trying to fight their way into the world of music? Will they break free from the obstacles or will they stick to the status quo? The Phenomenon – [Bring In’da Noise, Hold Da funk] High School Musical, though not on the big screen, has become so popular with it’s great songs and exciting plot that it has created something other films seldom can – a phenomenon. Take a look at its impact: In the U.S., High School Musical had nearly 8 million viewers in its premiere broadcast in 2006, while in the U.K. about 800,000 viewers, making it one of the most successful original Disney movies. It was also the first Disney original ever to be broadcast on the BBC. The major reason HSM is such a hit is that the songs are just, to be exact, heavenly. Each and every song is wonderfully composed and nine of them made Pop 100 or Billboard Hot 100. “Breaking free” even achieved a record 82-point jump in its second week, going from #86 to #4 on the Hot 100 list. In November 2006, “High School Musical: The Concert” kicked off, playing in major cities all over America. Numerous towns were blessed by its music. It featured the entire original cast except for Zac Efron, who was replaced by Drew Seeley, the actually voice for Troy’s songs in the original movie. The concert was an even bigger hit. Disney, however, won’t let this cash cow go so easily: High School Musical has also been made into a stage musical, an Ice show, and a book series, proving once again its great popularity. Music that never stops – [Something Bouncy This Way Comes…Again and Again] High School Musical is a movie filled with entertaining music and simple but profound meanings, but certainly it’s not going to stop there. High School Musical 2, the sequel, was recently released and also proved to be a hit. Not conveying the same conception as before, HSM2 also shows depth along with great songs. From the looks of it, we cannot only anticipate a sequel but many of them. That’s who I am – [To be or not to be…Me] High school - a time of wonder, hazard, stars, and nerds. This is when your best friend becomes your girlfriend, your greatest enemy becomes your best friend, and your girlfriend becomes your greatest enemy - chances are this all happens before October. Though turbulent, high school is when you start defining yourself – what you want to be, what you want to do, and most importantly, who you are. This self-defining process goes on in college and never stops until the day you stop. What we really have to notice in this seemingly trivial musical is that we sometimes spend too much time focusing on what we cannot do. Being a “steed” or a “nerd,” or the “girl-friend who’s never the girlfriend,” we all have some sort of place in our circle. But we often shy away from doing even those things that we have potential in since we might say to ourselves: “it’s so not you.” Yet the “you” in that phrase usually means some other “you” - what others think of you and what they think “you” are. The reason High School Musical has had such an impact is that, together with its upbeat music it conveys a very straightforward idea – never limit yourself to what others think of you. I myself even took up the courage to perform the song “Bop to the Top,” which was something I would never have even considered doing before. The fact that I realized that somehow I could sing, though not so well, and dance, definitely not the best, gave me a whole new perspective on myself. It didn’t feel good, it felt great. Something interesting now comes into the picture: what’s “you?” The answer is very simple: anything. As long as you are interested, who has the right to deny you from trying? P.S.: All HSM music can be found at http://www.youtube.com/. Search for “HSM.”
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May 2024
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