Disney has announced the full cast of “High School Musical: The Musical,” a new TV series that’s just begun production in Utah.
And one of the cast members — Sofia Wylie — also stars in another made-in-Utah Disney series, “Andi Mack.”
The 10-episode series is being filmed in part at East High School in Salt Lake City. It picks up 15 years after the original movie aired, following a group of students as they work toward the premiere of their high school musical — a live version of “High School Musical.”
Thus, the title of the show.
According to Disney, “Show-mances blossom; friendships are tested while new ones are made; rivalries flare; and lives are changed forever as these young people discover the transformative power that only a high school drama club can provide.” The series will feature both new songs and “reinterpretations” of songs from the original movie.
(Photo courtesy Fred Hayes/Disney Channel) Original "High School Musical" cast members Ashley Tisdale, Corbin Bleu, Zac Efron, Chris Warren Jr., Vanessa Hudgens, Monique Coleman and Lucas Grabeel at Salt Lake's East High School.
“High School Musical: The Musical” will be on Disney+, a new subscription streaming service. Disney has not announced when the service will launch — only sometime in 2019 — and no pricing information has been released.
The stars of “HSM: TM,” and Disney's descriptions of their characters, are:
• Joshua Bassett (“Stuck In the Middle”) plays Ricky, a sarcastic yet charismatic skate rat who tries to prove himself to his ex-girlfriend Nini by auditioning to star opposite her “High School Musical: The Musical.”
• Olivia Rodrigo ("Bizaardvark”) plays Nini, who just returned from summer theater camp after finding her voice, her confidence and her new boyfriend.
• Sofia Wylie, who stars as Buffy on “Andi Mack,” plays Gina, “a recent transfer student and a diehard theater kid with as many skeletons in the closet as she has credits on her résumé.”
• Matt Cornett (“Bella and the Bulldogs”) plays E.J., the supremely confident son of two corporate lawyers, who secretly battles the pressure of living up to his picture-perfect Instagram account.
• Dara Reneé (Disney Channel’s Original Movie "Freaky Friday”) plays Kourtney, Nini’s ride-or-die best friend who’s obsessed with makeup tutorials and feminism in equal measure.
• Julia Lester (“Mom,” “Prince of Peoria”) plays E.J.'s cousin, Ashlyn, an old soul who worships Sara Bareilles and is an aspiring songwriter.
• Frankie A. Rodriguez ("Modern Family”) plays Carlos, the captain of the color guard and the student choreographer for the show.
• Larry Saperstein (“Fan Girl”) plays Big Red, who is the spiritual cousin of both Bill and Ted — always fuzzy.
• Kate Reinders (“Work It”) stars as Miss Jenn, the new high-energy, low-reality drama teacher.
• Mark St. Cyr (“Marshall”) plays Mr. Mazzara, East High’s somewhat robotic science, technology, engineering and math teacher.
