'HSM 3: Senior Year' becomes first movie in franchise to hit silver screen

Newsday (MCT) - The most important threesomes in movie history? The Marx Brothers. John Ford's cavalry trilogy. "The Godfather." "Star Wars" (the first three). And "Lord of the Rings."

Oh, and "High School Musical."

Scoff if you must, but any 8-year-old with Disney Channel would simply tell you "Whatever" and then instruct you on the epic power, scope and feel-goodness of "HSM." The original was first shown by Disney in 2006; the sequel ("HSM2," 2007) only inflamed the masses. And there is a near-apocalyptic anticipation of Friday's release of "High School Musical 3: Senior Year." The first in the series made for the big screen, "HSM3" is the culmination of what has introduced the musical form to a new generation, made it cool for boys to dance, and made its presence felt on a global scale.

"I was at an orphanage in Kenya," said "HSM" director and choreographer Kenny Ortega, "and kids are yelling, 'Say hello to Troy! Say hello to Gabriella!'"

In case you're saying, like, "wha ... ?" Troy Bolton and Gabriella Montez _ portrayed yet again by the skyrocketing Zac Efron and Vanessa Anne Hudgens _ are the mainstays of the ongoing "HSM" story, which is set at Salt Lake City's real-life East High ("the second biggest tourist attraction in Salt Lake," Ortega said). The narrative involves all the conventions of the great Broadway shows: true love, jealousy, courage, friendships, betrayals, basketball; no Austrians, unfortunately, but music music music. And dancing dancing dancing.

But what's also clear is that "High School Musical" has given its audience something else _ something they want to belong to.

"Someone said to me, 'I want to be in "High School Musical,'" Ortega said. "And I said, 'Well, you'll audition the next time we make one.' And the person said, 'NO, you don't get it, I don't want to be in the film. I want to live in 'High School Musical!'"

To that fan, the three luckiest people in the world right now are Justin Martin, Matt Prokop and Jemma McKenzie-Brown _ the three principal additions to the established "HSM" lineup. None were fans of musicals, much less "HSM" before joining Ortega's team, but their tune has changed (why wouldn't it?). They have a decided view of their film's attraction.

"They look at it and think 'I don't have to be what other people expect me to be,'" said Prokop, 18, who plays Jimmy "The Rocket" Zara, charismatic goofball and fawning acolyte of Troy Bolton. "'I don't have to be a star of my basketball team, but I can be in a musical.'"

Troy Bolton, of course, does both.

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"But in most movies," Prokop said, "he'd pull up in a fancy sports car. Troy has a beat-up old blue truck.

"The audience wants to belong to us," he added, "because there's someone for everyone, lots of characters, and they're so different. There really is someone for anyone to attach to."