Friday Night Date With Disney---"We're All In This Together..."

by Michele Cheplic | More from this Blogger

12 Aug 2007 07:17 PM

If you are related to, friends with, live next to, or have an association with any female "tween" in the United States then you likely know what major event is taking place on Friday, August 17th.

That's right; in roughly 118 hours (and counting) Gabriella, Troy, and crew will return to the Disney Channel for the premiere of "High School Musical 2."

(Insert blood-curdling screams from excited tweens across the country.)

Not since the countdown to the last days of school has there been this much clock monitoring. Among the elementary-school-aged girls in my extended family the invitations have been sent out, the RSVPs tallied, and the menu is set for the big Friday-night sleepover screening. And I know for a fact that these types of parties are going to be held in millions of other households around the country.

Makes you wonder if the premiere would have been as powerful if we weren't in the midst of summer rerun season.

Probably.

After all, the original "High School Musical" premiered to 7.8 million viewers in January 2006. The film helped catapult the Disney Channel into a tie with the USA Network for top-rated cable network in prime time. The movie's soundtrack broke records too selling nearly 4 million copies in the U.S. and was the year's top-selling CD.

According to Disney execs, August was the perfect time to unveil the "High School Musical" sequel because it is set in the summertime. In addition, network bigwigs figured by August 17th, summer camp is generally over and school hasn't started yet so parents don't mind allowing their daughters to host sleepover screenings.

For those of you who have absolutely no ties to a female under the age of 16 I can tell you that the new movie features the original cast working and having fun at a country club, with the relationships of its main characters being put to the ultimate test. Of course, the plot takes a backseat to the unveiling of all those new songs that parents of "High School Musical" fans will no doubt be hearing over and over and over again... at least until school starts.

But, hey, "We're all in this together..." (Right?!)

Related Articles:

The "High School Musical" Phenomenon

High School Musical 2 is Coming

Learn more about Michele Cheplic

Michele Cheplic was born and raised in Hilo, Hawaii, but now lives in Wisconsin. Michele graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison with a degree in Journalism.

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