The series stars Olivia Rodrigo, Joshua Bassett, Matt Cornett, Sofia Wylie, Dara ReneƩ, Frankie Rodriguez, Mark St. Cyr, Joe Serafini, Saylor Bell Curda, Adrian Lyles and Liamani Segura. Set at fictionalized version of East High School, the school at which the original movies were filmed, the first season follows a group of teenage theater enthusiasts who participate in a staging of High School Musical: The Musical[b] as their school production. The series showcases a different featured musical in each following season, and explores the lives of the characters as they navigate friendships, love, interests, identity, and identity.
East High School in Salt Lake City, Utah, holds significance as it is where the High School Musical films, a series of Disney Channel original movies, were filmed. Miss Jenn was a former background cast member in the film, and the teacher decides to stage a performance for her first winter theater production to celebrate the school's affiliation with the original film. The theater students of East High stage a production of Beauty and the Beast for the spring musical.