She might have been a little too old at the time to love it, but on High School Musical’s 20th Anniversary, Kelly Meharg pays tribute to a movie that actually helped her be, well, herself. Here’s 20 reasons why:
We’re All in This Together.
Wildly cheesy Disney Channel bop, or a desperate, hopeful wish? Depends what year you’re in really, doesn’t it.
Twenty sixteen us saw it as looovely little teenage ditty, an optimistic, schmaltzy pop hit that that took everyone – even the Disney executives who greenlighted High School Musical in the first place – by surprise. Joy! Fun! Togetherness!
Today? Well, lol. Take us back!
High School Musical celebrates its 20th anniversary this year – wild, isn’t it, Wildcats – and man, what a time. I was 15 when High School Musical premiered in January 2006, which meant I was – by my own extremely serious teenage logic- too old for Disney Channel movies. I had Important Feelings. I pretended not to know the difference between Zac Efron and Corbin Bleu. And yet. And yet. When Troy Bolton sang Get’cha Head in the Game and Gabriella Montez dropped her books in slow motion, something in my brain chemistry permanently rewired itself.
I was a bit of a nerd, but I was also sporty. I low-key participated in Sheila Winn Shakespeare (kind of, I was too shy to actually perform it but I just kind of tagged along?!) while playing premier netball. I loved sports, but I was on the honour roll and still trying to hide it. Did I think I was a gal version of Troy? Noooo, I (rightly) didn’t think I was that cool.
All I know is that I loved the musical enough to convince my dance teammates to include the We’re All in This Together choreo into our NCEA Level 1 assessment (along with a song from Lilo and Stitch!?) so yeah, I was a HSM fan. It was silly and stupid – but it did help me make sense of my own weird little Venn diagram of a high school experience.
Now, two decades later, instead of cringing at my former self, I want to thank her. Because loving High School Musical was not embarrassing. It was correct. Viewed from a very online, very tired 2026 lens, the movie holds up as a glittery, earnest, surprisingly progressive time capsule of optimism, teamwork, and low-stakes dreams. So in honour of its 20th anniversary, here are 20 reasons why High School Musical was great then – and is still great now.
1. It made sincerity cool
No irony. No apology. Just open-hearted enthusiasm – and the confidence to mean it.
2. We’re All in This Together is an emotional THESIS
Not just a song – it’s a worldview. One we’re desperately trying to remember. Someone chuck it on at NATO in the background, just in case it rubs off.
3. Troy Bolton’s identity crisis was relatable
Jock or theatre kid? For teens boxed into labels, this still hits – for me especially!
4. Gabriella was a STEM girl before it was a hashtag
A math prodigy who didn’t have to dim herself to be loved. Good for her! Can’t relate personally.
5. Stick to the Status Quo was a stealth manifesto
Secret bakers. Closet dancers. Athletes who loved cello. Liberation in jazz shoes.
6. The cast actually looked like teenagers… well, mostly
Awkward, earnest, and emotionally sweaty. As it should be.
7. Zac Efron’s charisma was undeniable
Even before the abs became lore, the star power was loud. The awakening was… very much there.
8. Ashley Tisdale committed like it was Broadway, damn it
Controversial take. Sharpay wasn’t a villain – she was a professional with boundaries. Who maybe was a little OTT in her delivery. Sue her.
9. It made musicals accessible
You didn’t need theatre knowledge. Just vibes and a couch.
10. The choreography was (mostly) doable
Bedroom rehearsals were encouraged, not punished and in a time before TikTok videos, this was just pure fun to do at home. Or in said NCEA assessment.
11. The songs still slap
Breaking Free in 2026 remains emotionally destabilising and a FANTASTIC choice for karaoke.
12. It launched real careers
This wasn’t a one-hit Disney miracle. It was a factory.
13. Ms. Darbus believed in art with her whole chest
Chaotic good theatre teacher energy. Did HSM walk so Glee could run?!
14. It captured pre-smartphone teenage life
Hallway drama. In-person tension. Anthropological treasure. Now, joyful nostalgia.
15. It was diverse for its era
And mattered more than we realised at the time.
16. It normalised being multifaceted
You didn’t have to choose just one version of yourself, which is what pop culture had relentlessly fed us previously.
17. The stakes were hilariously small
Callbacks felt like life or death – exactly like being 15.
18. The fashion is now camp
Layered tanks and micro-ties have entered their redemption arc – look, I’m not happy about it either, but it is what it is.
19. It created communal joy
Sleepovers, sing-alongs, parents accidentally invested, those were the days. It really did bring us together!?
20. It let us love something wholeheartedly
And maybe that’s the legacy. High School Musical told us it was okay – actually good – to love something loudly, together, without irony.
