The "High School Musical" soundtrack — released on Jan. 10 — hits the charts this week as No. 1 on The Billboard 200. The album, which has already reached Gold status, debuted at No. 143, then jumped from No. 58 into the Top 10 (at No. 10) following the cable broadcast. Billboard notes it is the first TV soundtrack to hit the top spot since 1986 (the "Miami Vice" album). It also appears at No. 1 on the Top Kid Audio chart and Top Soundtracks.
The show will air again on the Disney Channel March 10 and 23 at 8 PM (ET). Check your local listings. A sequel is already in the works and the debut DVD of the popular original movie will be released May 23 featuring two versions and extra features.
For more information, visit www.disney.go.com/disneychannel.
* "Newsies" director-choreographer Kenny Ortega headed up "High School Musical" which premiered on Disney Channel Jan. 20 at 8 PM (ET) and was rebroadcast that weekend.
The show's debut rated No. 1 in cable TV programs for the week of Jan. 16-22, pulling in 7,732,000 million viewers, according to Nielsen Media Research, a record high for the network. Subsequent airings also charted well for the company: Jan. 21 at No. 2 for the week with 6,120,000 viewers and Jan. 22 at No. 7 with 4,856,000.
High School Musical centers on the unlikely friendship that evolves between the jock Troy and brainiac Gabriella at a karaoke contest. Little did the two know that she would be transferring into his school. The duo decide — against their friends' wishes and to the dismay of school stars (a drama queen and her twin brother) — to audition for the high school musical.
The cast features Zac Efron ("Summerland"), Vanessa Anne Hudgens, Ashley Tisdale ("The Suite Life of Zack and Cody"), Corbin Bleu, Lucas Grabeel, Monique Coleman as the featured teens with Alyson Reed, Bart Johnson and Joey Miyashima.
Ortega directed and choreographed Disney's "Newsies." Among his other choreographic film credits are "Dirty Dancing," "Ferris Bueller's Day Off," "Pretty in Pink," "St. Elmo's Fire," "Xanadu" and " To Wong Foo, Thanks for Everything, Julie Newmar." He also directed and choreographed the short-lived Broadway musical Marilyn centering on the actress Marilyn Monroe. He was just announced as the new director-choreographer for the Australian tour of The Boy From Oz starring Hugh Jackman.
