‘All In This Together’: 10 years later

Jan. 20, 2006 marked the start of something new. On this day, Disney Channel debuted what became a modern classic, an icon of 2000’s pop culture—its original soundtrack being the first-ever TV movie soundtrack to reach No. 1 on the Billboard Top 200 chart, and its beloved Wildcats churning out two sequels, an arena concert tour, and an ice tour. Now, January 20, 2016: what time is it? It’s time for High School Musical’s 10th anniversary reunion.

Most of the original cast—Vanessa Hudgens, Ashley Tisdale, Lucas Grabeel, Corbin Bleu and Monique Coleman—gathered at Van Nuys High School’s small gym to tape a series of segments reflecting on their High School Musical (HSM) experience. The five actors gleefully chatted about their memories from set as well as the success and legacy of the entire HSM franchise. At one point, Coleman revealed the entire cast’s original audition tapes, surprising all of her former castmates.

Although Zac Efron was not able to attend the event, he recorded a pre-taped message to fans apologizing for his absence, and discussed his favorite scene: “‘We’re All in This Together.’ The unity, the whole cast in that moment was just really, really fun. I’ll never forget that memory. It’s embedded in my mind as one of the most beautiful days of my entire life.”

The actors took to social media to express their excitement about the event.

“#Wildcats in the house!” Grabeel posted. “So much #Love. #10years.”

Tisdale tweeted, “Oh the feels….Get ready because we’re back celebrating the 10th anniversary.”

“Seeing the cast of High School Musical back together again reaffirms what made it special 10 years ago. It’s their optimism, their dedication, and their extraordinary talent—as a group—that made this such an exceptional movie and cultural phenomenon. Ten years later, the movie continues to delight audiences around the globe, not just for its memorable song and dance numbers, but for its universal themes that continue to resonate with fans everywhere — express yourself, believe in yourself, and always follow your dreams,” said Gary Marsh, Disney Channel Worldwide’s President and Chief Creative Officer.

And follow dreams they did. Following HSM’s release, the six stars quickly bopped to the top of the entertainment industry, breaking free from the status quo with a fabulous high school musical. Although they’ve since gone their own ways, they managed to work this out and create an inspiration that lives on everyday. They got their heads in the game back in 2006, and they’ve all been in this together since—you can bet on it.