| High School Musical: The Musical: The Series | |
|---|---|
| Season 4 | |
 Promotional poster | |
| Starring | |
| No. of episodes | 8 |
| Release | |
| Original network | Disney+ |
| Original release | August 9, 2023 (2023-08-09) |
| Season chronology | |
← Previous Season 3 | |
| List of episodes | |
The fourth and final season ofHigh School Musical: The Musical: The Series, an Americanmockumentary musical drama television series created byTim Federle, premiered onDisney+, with all eight episodes, on August 9, 2023. In the season, the East High drama club returns to school to learn they will be putting on a stage adaptation ofHigh School Musical 3: Senior Year. Meanwhile,Disney has decided to begin production on the long-awaited "High School Musical 4: The Reunion" at the school, with the students set to be extras in the film.
This is the only season not to featureOlivia Rodrigo.Kate Reinders, who recurred in the third season, is a part of the cast once more, whileLiamani Segura was promoted to the main cast after also recurring in the third season. Six cast members of the originalHigh School Musical films appeared in this season:Corbin Bleu,Lucas Grabeel,Kaycee Stroh (all of whom appeared in the series prior to the fourth season),Monique Coleman,Alyson Reed, andBart Johnson.
| No. overall | No. in season | Title [3] | Directed by | Written by [2] | Original release date [1] | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 31 | 1 | "High School Musical 4" | Hisham Abed | Tim Federle | August 9, 2023 (2023-08-09) | |
After ending her relationship with E. J., Gina is implored by her mother to focus on her studies during her junior year. Ricky prepares to begin his senior year at East High with Gina as his new girlfriend, but she asks him to keep their relationship a secret. Miss Jenn announces that their musical production will be an adaption ofHigh School Musical 3: Senior Year, and Emmy plans to audition after enrolling at East High as a freshman.Bart Johnson arrives at East High to announce thatHigh School Musical 4: The Reunion will be filmed at the school, and introduce Mack and Dani, the two teenage stars of the movie.Corbin Bleu apologizes for his involvement in theFrozen documentary, and along withLucas Grabeel andMonique Coleman, offers the drama students roles as extras in the new film. Miss Jenn clashes with Quinn, the director of the movie, and becomes concerned for the future of her production. Kourtney forms a bond with Dani, who requests that Kourtney provides her with detailed information about Ricky. Meanwhile, Gina has an unfriendly encounter with Mack; however, he unexpectedly requests to follow her on social media. | ||||||
| 32 | 2 | "HSM v. HSM" | Kimberly McCullough | Ilana Wolpert | August 9, 2023 (2023-08-09) | |
The theater students attend their first dance rehearsal forHigh School Musical 4: The Reunion led by Krystal, the film's choreographer, and Emmy is fired for speaking out of turn. Miss Jenn learns that the auditorium has been occupied by rehearsals for the film; she runs auditions for theHigh School Musical 3: Senior Year production from the drama room instead. Carlos passes on his duties as assistant director to Emmy due to his busy schedule. Ricky and Gina continue to keep their relationship private, but Ashlyn observes their interactions and discovers the secret. Gina stands in for Dani during a rehearsal and shares an intimate scene with Mack, which leaves Dani feeling threatened. Quinn is unimpressed by Dani's acting ability and identifies a "chemistry problem" between the two teenage leads. At Gina's house, the theater students unveil the cast list for their musical production; Ricky and Gina receive the roles of Troy and Gabriella respectively, but a lack of participating students leaves some roles uncast. Kourtney notices Gina's romantic tension with Mack, before Gina receives an offer from Quinn to replace Dani in the movie. | ||||||
| 33 | 3 | "A Star Is Reborn" | Kimberly McCullough | Ann Kim | August 9, 2023 (2023-08-09) | |
Thetable-read for the production takes place. Miss Jenn and the theater students immediately notice the chemistry between Ricky and Gina when they perform "Can I Have This Dance?". Jet and Maddox arrive at East High; Jet is revealed to be playing Chad in the musical, and Maddox takes on the position of a student personal assistant for the movie. Gina and the extras begin work at their first day on the set of the film. A scene featuringAlyson Reed is filmed. Maddox and Ashlyn rekindle their friendship but act awkward around each other. Seb begins working in catering for the film, and Carlos tries to make amends with him. Mr. Mazzara returns to East High and provides Ricky and Kourtney with advice about college applications. He then turns to Miss Jenn to seek her advice. Miss Jenn contacts Dani to offer her a role inHigh School Musical 3: Senior Year, and offers to coach her on her acting. Mack proposes a fake relationship with Gina in order to spark publicity. | ||||||
| 34 | 4 | "Trick or Treat" | Ann Marie Pace | Elisabeth Kiernan Averick | August 9, 2023 (2023-08-09) | |
At a Halloween party, Gina plans to tell Ricky about Mack's plan for a fake relationship. Meanwhile, Miss Jenn has asked Ricky to tell Gina that Dani will now be playing Gabriella in the musical. Gina and Ricky announce to their friends that they are dating, but he is upset to learn that she has not yet told her mother. Miss Jenn spends the night with Ricky's father Mike, but they agree to break up before the night is over. Ashlyn plays Maddox a new song she has written for the musical, and the pair almost share a kiss. Seb tells Carlos that he cheated on him while Carlos was at camp. Ricky calls Gina and asks for them to have a break in their relationship. | ||||||
| 35 | 5 | "Admissions" | Ann Marie Pace | Nneka Gerstle | August 9, 2023 (2023-08-09) | |
Ricky visits E. J. at college after worrying about his relationship and his future. Ricky expresses his fear of losing all of the people around him, and E. J. encourages him to embrace his final months of high school and hold onto the people he cares about. Kourtney also travels to a college in Atlanta and connects with some college students. At East High, the future of the musical becomes uncertain when Principal Gutierrez threatens to shut it due to a lack of participants. Gina convinces Quinn to fast-track the filming of the movie so that she can fully participate as Gabriella in the production. Big Red tells Ashlyn that he cheated on her with Seb over the summer, while Ashlyn tells Big Red about her connection with Maddox; Ashlyn and Big Red break up. Big Red updates Carlos with the news, which leaves Carlos feeling disappointed. Gina realizes she still loves Ricky and tells her mother about her feelings for him. Ricky turns up at Gina's house; they kiss in the rain and they resume their relationship. Principal Gutierrez officially shuts down the musical. | ||||||
| 36 | 6 | "Trust the Process" | Kimberly McCullough | Chandler Turk | August 9, 2023 (2023-08-09) | |
Production onHigh School Musical 4: The Reunion concludes, and Gina and Ricky learn that the musical production has been canceled. The theater students reminisce on the origins of their drama club. Ashlyn tells the story about how she befriended Kourtney, and how they made a deal to both participate in the musical. Mr. Mazzara recounts his first encounter with Miss Jenn and his previous experience in a boy band. Carlos remembers how he met Miss Jenn and how she supported him through being bullied for his sexuality. Seb reveals that he once dated Natalie Bagley; he and Carlos reunite and resume their relationship. Gina explains how she felt directionless when she first arrived at East High; she had her first encounter with Ricky, and decided to audition for the musical. Miss Jenn tells the story of how she ran into Alyson Reed at aWicked audition, but she turned down the role to teach at East High. Emmy finds the strength to sing a powerful song. Afterwards, Alyson and Bart agree to contribute their pay from filming the movie towards the theater program in order to save the musical. Ricky is accepted into Salt Lake City College, and Gina receives an offer. | ||||||
| 37 | 7 | "The Night of Nights" | Kimberly McCullough | Zach Dodes | August 9, 2023 (2023-08-09) | |
At a press conference for Quinn's next film, an adaption ofRomeo and Juliet, Gina is announced to be starring in the lead role of Juliet alongside Mack as Romeo. Since the movie will be filmed in New Zealand for six months, Gina yearns for Ricky to tell her he loves her. Mr. Mazzara and Miss Jenn both prepare to participate in the opening night performance ofHigh School Musical 3: Senior Year alongside the theater students. During the show, Kourtney learns she has been accepted intoPrinceton University andLewis University. Carlos and Seb plan a vacation together, and Seb prepares helps Carlos get ready to meet his father. Miss Jenn receives an offer to play Glinda in a national tour ofWicked. At the conclusion of the first act, Maddox inadvertently damages the auditorium's sound system. Ricky prepares to tell Gina that he loves her, before learning that Gina will be traveling overseas. | ||||||
| 38 | 8 | "Born to Be Brave" | Tim Federle | Tim Federle | August 9, 2023 (2023-08-09) | |
The second act of the musical begins, with Mr. Mazzara managing the sound system and E. J. playing Coach Bolton. Ashlyn admits her feelings for Maddox and the two kiss. E. J. motivates Miss Jenn to pursue her dreams on theWicked tour, and Miss Jenn suggests that E. J. should be a teacher. Miss Jenn prolongs saying goodbye until she knows all of her students are fulfilled, and ultimately decides that her dream is to stay at East High and continue teaching. Ricky encourages Gina to follow her dreams and film the movie, but she wishes he would fight for her to stay. Gina demands that the movie will be filmed in Salt Lake City so she can remain at East High for the spring musical, and signs the contract. Ricky eventually confesses his love for Gina which she reciprocates with a hidden message in the hat she made for him. Miss Jenn and Mr. Mazzara decide to use the spare tickets to New Zealand and explore a relationship together, while the teens celebrate by going to Denny’s together in a limousine. Kate Reinders leads the cast ofHigh School Musical: The Musical: The Series in an acoustic performance of "For Good". | ||||||
In May 2022, two months before the third season ofHigh School Musical: The Musical: The Series premiered onDisney+, Disney renewed the series for a fourth season.[4] Four months later, at the2022 D23 Expo, it was confirmed that the featured musical in the fourth season would be astage adaptation of the2008 filmHigh School Musical 3: Senior Year.[5] On returning the story toEast High, showrunnerTim Federle stated, "There's something very humbling about returning to school, because all the big things that happen in high school, first love, figuring out your future, parental expectation, it's all so big for these characters this season that I'm really excited to be back."[6] On themeta nature of the season, Federle would later state, "It's likeInception with jazz hands at this point. I think there are Easter eggs in every episode."[7]
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According to starSofia Wylie, Federle would take input from the cast themselves on their own character storylines. "[Tim] is so inclusive and really wants myself and the rest of the cast to have an input and a say in what we hope to see this coming season," she told People. "He's just such a wonderful collaborator and I'm very lucky for him."[8] This season sees Ricky beginning a relationship with Gina, something teased since the first season. Discussing this relationship, Bassett told People, "They're both really nervous about getting it right. It’s fun to see [them] in this light and actually see them in a healthy relationship because I think both of them have had pretty not great relationships."[7] On the character arcs of Kourtney and Ashlyn, Federle teased that "Kourtney is going through these massive decisions about wanting it all as a college student...[and] Ashlyn goes on a journey where she discovers her own queerdom in the series. Those are all things we're able to address in a way that I think celebrates the original franchise but puts a stamp on it in our own way."[7]
Much of the main cast from the third season were expected to return for the fourth.Kate Reinders would again be part of the main cast after recurring in the third season, whileLiamani Segura, who also recurred in the third season, would be promoted to the main cast.[8] Federle also teased that other cast members from the third season could appear in the fourth season.[9]
In September 2022, it was confirmed that film series starsLucas Grabeel,Kaycee Stroh andCorbin Bleu would be returning to the series, withMonique Coleman,Alyson Reed andBart Johnson joining them. All six are expected to play fictionalized versions of themselves reprising theirHigh School Musical roles for a fictionalHigh School Musical 4 film.[10] Federle also stated that an invitation was sent to other original cast members to join the series.[9] He also later said, "Now it's a matter of juggling and holding my breath and praying and lighting candles and seeing who wants to come play with us. So I have high hopes, but I can tell you we've engaged a lot of people and it's gonna be a really exciting season."[11] On her appearance in the series, Coleman said, "It was such an amazing experience, just being back with Corbin [Bleu], Lucas [Grabeel], Kaycee [Stroh] and Alyson [Reed] just to return to the place where our lives changed so drastically. To be there with an entirely new group of young people that are embodying this story in their own ways, was just such a fun experience." She also said that the season would be "nostalgia city."[12]
That same month, it was also confirmed that four new cast members would join the series: Kylie Cantrall, Matthew Sato,Caitlin Reilly, andVasthy Mompoint were cast as Dani, Mack, Quinn and Krystal, respectively.[13] On Cantrall's character Dani, she told People, "She likes the spotlight and when she wants something, she goes and gets it, even if it means stepping on people's toes a little bit."[7] Sato teased his character Mack would develop "a really interesting relationship" with Gina as the season progresses.[7]
The season's first teaser in June 2023 confirmed the return of Mark St. Cyr,Matt Cornett,Larry Saperstein,Joe Serafini, Adrian Lyles and Saylor Bell Curda, reprising their series roles as Benjamin Mazzara, E.J. Caswell, Big Red, Seb Matthew-Smith, Maddox and Jet, respectively.[1] Furthermore, the release of the final trailer in July 2023 confirmed the appearance of Kimberly Brooks as Michelle Greene, a role in which she recurred in thesecond season.[14] A preview clip on July 25, 2023 revealedScott Hoying's appearance as Ryan's on-screen partner inHigh School Musical 4: The Reunion.[15]
In the fictionalHigh School Musical 4: The Reunion film, Bleu, Coleman, Grabeel, Johnson, Stroh, and Reed reprise their respectiveHigh School Musical film series roles as Chad Danforth, Taylor McKessie, Ryan Evans, Coach Bolton, Martha Cox, and Ms. Darbus. In addition, the current drama club are extras in the film, with Gina and Mack's characters appearing to be a couple.
Filming for the fourth season began on September 23, 2022, inSalt Lake City, returning toEast High for the first time since 2021.[16] Production concluded by December 21, 2022.
Songs fromHigh School Musical 3: Senior Year were performed, as well as original music. The season also marked a return to live performing on set, something that had not been done since thefirst season due to theCOVID-19 pandemic. A preview song, titled "High School Reunion", was released on July 25, 2023.[17] The season finale is titled after and features a performance of "Born to Be Brave", a song that originally appeared in season one. A post-credits scene in the finale episode features Reinders and the cast performing "For Good" from the musicalWicked.
The fourth season was released in its entirety on August 9, 2023; the release date was announced in June 2023. Included in the announcement was the news that it would be the series' last.[1] A final trailer was released in July 2023,[14] with a preview clip of the first episode releasing on July 25.[18]
Thereview aggregator websiteRotten Tomatoes reported a 100% approval rating based on 10 reviews.[19]
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