High School Musical 101

The main characters:

• Troy Bolton (Zac Efron), a popular high school student and basketball player.

• Gabriella Montez (Vanessa Anne Hudgens), a brainy transfer student.

• Sharpay Evans (Ashley Tisdale), East High's resident drama queen.

• Ryan Evans (Lucas Grabeel), Sharpay's brother and fellow drama student.

• Taylor McKessie (Monique Coleman), Gabriella's best friend and fellow scholar.

• Chad Danforth (Corbin Bleu), Troy's best friend and basketball teammate.

The story so far ...

• In "High School Musical" (2006), Troy and Gabriella meet during their respective winter breaks and perform karaoke together. And when Gabriella transfers to the same high school, these two new friends are reunited and decide to audition for the school's latest musical production.

However, Chad worries that the play will distract Troy from playing basketball, while Taylor frets about the academic "decathlon." And the scheming Sharpay and Ryan do what they can to prevent Troy and Gabriella from getting the roles they have been coveting.

• "High School Musical 2" (2007) is set during the school's summer break. Troy gets a job at the country club owned by Sharpay and Ryan's parents, and he helps secure jobs for the rest of his friends.

But Troy and Gabrielle's romance is endangered when Sharpay asks him to be her partner in this annual talent competition. Ryan, Sharpay's usual partner, and Gabrielle both fear that Sharpay wants her new partnership with Troy to continue offstage.

• In "High School Musical 3: Senior Year," the characters head into their final year of public school education. Their respective college careers may separate young lovers Troy and Gabriella — and ruin their friendships with the others. The students also try to help prepare an incoming class of East High Wildcats for the future.