Production on the second season of “High School Musical: The Musical: The Series” got underway on Tuesday in Utah, and we know what musical they’ll be doing.
The Disney+ series is drawing from the Disney library — from “Beauty and the Beast,” to be specific. The narrative will feature the cast preparing to perform that as their spring musical, and the 10-episode season will feature music from both the “High School Musical” movies and the 1991 animated film/2017 live-action remake. There will be original tunes, too.
The 1991 “Beauty and the Beast” won Oscars for best original song (the title song) and best original score. The songs, by lyricist Howard Ashman and composer Alan Menken, include “Beauty and the Beast,” “Be Our Guest,” “Gaston” and “Belle.”
“The opportunity to borrow one of the most classic Disney scores — and build our second season of HSM:TM:TS around it — is like having your wish upon a star granted," said Garry Marsh, president and chief creative officer of Disney Channels Worldwide.
And executive producer Tim Federle is over the moon about the opportunity to blend “Beauty and the Beast” with “High School Musical.”
“The outpouring of love and support for season one has been incredibly exciting, and I’m thrilled that the Wildcats are putting on ‘Beauty and the Beast’ in Season 2,” he said. “It was one of the first Broadway shows I ever saw, when I was 14, and it’s got all the perfect metaphors for the high school experience — do people judge me for how I look? What is true love? Will I achieve the future I dream of?
“And, perhaps most importantly, it’s got dancing forks.”
Production returns to Salt Lake’s East High for Season 2. The entire Season 1 cast — including Joshua Bassett, Olivia Rodrigo, Matt Cornett, Sofia Wylie, Julia Lester, Frankie A. Rodrigo, Dara Renee, Joe Serafini, Larry Saperstein, Mark St. Cyr and Kate Reinders— are all back.
No date has been announced, but “HSM:TM:TS” will return sometime late this year, according to Disney.
