The summer brings excitement to the East High Wildcats as they go over their plans for their break from school. Troy Bolton (Zac Efron) stresses over getting a job with the price of college looming on his mind, as well as trying to make sure he and Gabriella Montez (Vanessa Hudgens) are able to stay together all summer. Sharpay and Ryan Evans (Ashley Tisdale and Lucas Grabeel) plan on spending the summer at their family's country club, Lava Springs. However, Sharpay's summer plan also includes separating Troy and Gabriella by getting Troy hired at Lava Springs. What Sharpay does not plan on is Troy talking the club's manager, Mr. Fulton (Mark L. Taylor), into hiring the rest of the Wildcats, including Gabriella and her best friend Taylor (Monique Coleman), and Troy's best friend Chad (Corbin Bleu). Fulton is unable to fire the Wildcats at Sharpay's command, since her mother (Jessica Tuck) approved their hiring, so she orders him to make them want to quit. Troy offers to help his friends working in the kitchen and convinces them that they can work their hardships out.
Sharpay schemes harder than ever to make the Wildcats miserable, and win Troy, who has to choose between two worlds: his own with the Wildcats and Gabriella, or another where Sharpay's family can offer him a way to college and other luxuries he has only dreamed about. Kelsi writes a duet for Troy and Gabriella, however Sharpay steals the duet from the two of them and forces Troy to sing it with her. As Troy grows further away from Gabriella, Ryan is pushed further away from Sharpay. Taylor and Gabriella even invite Ryan to the baseball game, and Chad offers him Troy's place in the game. Troy and Gabriella's relationship is strained to the breaking point, as well as Troy's friendship with Chad.
When Sharpay finally crosses the line by banning the Wildcats from performing in Lava Springs' annual Star Dazzle Talent Show, even though Ryan has been working with the group to put together a performance, Gabriella confronts Sharpay. She makes it clear that she refuses to play Sharpay's "game", and quits her job at Lava Springs. Troy overhears the exchange and tries to convince Gabriella to change her mind. However, all she can think of is how much Troy has changed over the summer, and breaks up with him.
Gabriella's quitting causes Troy to see the person he has become and realize everything he has sacrificed. As he sets out to make everything right again, Ryan gets help from the Wildcats to conspire to get Troy and Gabriella back together. They convince Troy to sing with Sharpay in the talent show - even though he'd quit citing her ban on junior staffers' participation in the show - which he does only under the condition that the Wildcats are allowed to perform as well. Sharpay relents, and the Wildcats put their plan into motion, finally getting Troy and Gabriella back together as they sing a duet. After the talent show, Troy, Gabriella, Sharpay, Zeke, Jason, Kelsi, Chad, Taylor, Martha, and Ryan all head out onto the golf course to enjoy the fireworks. Troy and Gabriella finally share their first kiss, and the summer ends with a staff pool party and the Wildcats' celebration of a great summer together.
Cast
- Zac Efron as Troy Bolton, the male protagonist of the movie. He is the most popular guy at East High School and captain of the varsity basketball team. He is in a relationship with Gabriella Montez. Along with most of East High, he takes a summer job at Lava Springs, the country club owned by Sharpay and Ryan Evans' parents. His best friend is Chad Danforth. He is also friends with Jason and Zeke.
- Vanessa Hudgens as Gabriella Montez, the female protagonist. She is a part of the science club at East High School and is in a relationship with Troy Bolton. She takes a job as a lifeguard at Lava Springs.
- Ashley Tisdale as Sharpay Evans, the antagonist of the film. She plans to spend the summer lounging around her parents' country club, Lava Springs. She has a noticeable crush on Troy Bolton and is always trying to steal him away from Gabriella.
- Lucas Grabeel as Ryan Evans, Sharpay's fraternal twin brother. He can be very sneaky and cunning but has a hard time keeping up with schemes that are not his own. However he eventually finds his own person and eventually abandons his place as Sharpay's lackey.
- Corbin Bleu as Chad Danforth, Troy's best friend and is also friends with Jason and Zeke. He has a summer job at Lava Springs, and is saving the money from his job to get a car.
- Monique Coleman as Taylor McKessie, Gabriella's best friend. She is captain of the school Scholastic Decathlon team. She has a summer job at Lava Springs. She always sees through Sharpay and tends to be cynical when it comes to boys.
Others
- Mark L. Taylor as Mr. Thomas Fulton, the manager of the Evans' country club, Lava Springs.
- Bart Johnson as Mr. Jack Bolton, the father of Troy. He is very supportive of Troy's basketball career.
- Robert Curtis Brown as Mr. Evans, the father of Ryan and Sharpay.
- Jessica Tuck as Mrs. Evans, the mother of Ryan and Sharpay.
- Chris Warren, Jr. as Zeke Baylor. He has a crush on Sharpay and a love for baking.
- Ryne Sanborn as Jason Cross, he is friends with Troy, Chad, and Zeke. He has a crush on Kelsi. In the classroom he is usually kissing up to Ms. Darbus and sometimes speaks before thinking it through.
- Olesya Rulin as Kelsi Nielsen, is a student at East High. She is a pianist and composer. She is best friends with Taylor and Martha. She eventually ends up with Jason.
- Kaycee Stroh as Martha Cox, is a student at East High. She enjoys hip-hop dance. She is best friends with Kelsi.
Production
Zac Efron confirmed that his voice would not be dubbed with Drew Seeley like it was in the preceding movie.[3]
In early 2007, Ashley Tisdale, Corbin Bleu, and Vanessa Hudgens were reported to be holding out for a more lucrative contract.[4]
Prior to rehearsals, Disney's High School Musical conducted a poll[5] to find out what viewers wanted to see in High School Musical 2. Some of the requests were:
- The blackboard in Mrs. Darbus class read "Turn off your cellphones."
- One of Chad's t-shirts read "I Majored in Vacation."
- Troy fixed Gabriella peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for their picnic date.
- Sharpay's golf cart was filled with beauty products.
- Miley Cyrus of Disney's Hannah Montana made a cameo apperance in the movie. She is one of the dancers by the pool near the end of the "All for One" dance number wearing in a yellow top with a flower in her hair. Her dance partner is choreographer Charles Klapow.
On February 19, the entire cast was on set and rehearsing in St. George[6] and Salt Lake City, Utah.[7]
On March 6, the cast began filming the first scenes of the movie in Salt Lake City, Utah at East High School. Four Days later on March 10th the cast moved to St. George, Utah to begin filming the remaining 3/4 of the film.
Filming ended on April 16, 2007.[citation needed]
The film appeared on iO's and Verizon FiOS's Disney on Demand on August 10, 2007.[citation needed]
Musical numbers
High School Musical 2 soundtrack cover
- "What Time Is It?" - High School Musical Cast
- "Fabulous" - Ryan & Sharpay
- "Work This Out" - Cast - High School Musical
- "You Are the Music In Me" - Gabriella & Troy
- "I Don't Dance" - Chad & Ryan
- "You Are the Music In Me (Sharpay Version)" - Sharpay
- "Gotta Go My Own Way" - Gabriella & Troy
- "Bet On It" - Troy
- "Everyday" - High School Musical Cast
- "All for One" - Cast - High School Musical
- "Humuhumunukunukuapua'a" - Sharpay
