I truly believe one of the best things about being a part of our generation is being the kids who grew up in the world of Troy, Gabriella, and the East High Wildcats. (What team?!) Not only was the original film the most successful and most viewed Disney Channel movie of all time, it also sparked an entire franchise built around a trilogy of fun movie musicals featuring a cast that got to grow up singing and dancing together. Hate on it all you want, but HSM was the start of something new for our childhoods, and I smile to think of the day I introduce my kids to the "old movies I loved as a kid."
Watching HSM as an adult? It's straight up fun, y'all. Because everyone you're watching it with probably knows it by heart. And what better way to celebrate movies you can pretty much quote? Watching them for a drinking game. The following list is the new official "High School Musical" trilogy drinking game. The game can apply to any of the movies on their own, but I personally suggest a movie marathon drinking game for the best results. So if fill up your Solo cups, put on your East High T-shirt and get your Wildcats foam finger ready, we're in for a bumpy ride.
Before you get started:
1. Dance-along version.
Take one drink for every person in your party who at one point participated in a dance-along version of any of the movies. Also, later demand those people demonstrate their sweet moves while intoxicated.
2. Viewers Vote.
Take a drink for every member of your viewing party who voted for what celebrity they wanted in the last scene of the second HSM. Then also take an extra drink for those who voted for Miley Cyrus, because she won!
3. The Picture.
Any true "High School Musical" fan has at one point attempted "the jumping picture" from the cover of the first movie. Ask everyone in your group to find photographic reference to their HSM jumping picture experience and take a drink for every find.
Now you're ready to play the game.
Take one drink for the following:
4. Whenever Troy and Gabriella sing a brand new song...
And somehow magically already know all the words and harmonies. They're naturals!
5. Anytime Sharpay yells at someone
Because obviously, every single person is beneath her. Duh!
6. Whenever Ryan has a dance feature
Examples include: solo hip thrusts in "All in this Together," or the moment in HSM 3 in "I Want it All" when he jumps out of a prop car and just yells the word dance! Or when he tries and fails to teach poor stupid Jason a Bob Fosse warmup.
7. Lip Sync.
Yeah, go ahead and sip for anytime you can see Zac Efron obviously lip syncing in HSM 1.
8. Sharpay's name.
Take a drink every time you see Sharpay's name or initials on something. It happens a lot.
9. OK Zeke.
Take a drink every time Zeke mentions baking after his original reveal in "Stick to the Status Quo." I'm pretty sure in the third movie he cites his source of senior stress as having a bunch of recipes to "master." It's not that big of a deal! We get it, Zeke. You bake.
10. Poor Troy/Dammit Troy.
This one is double-sided. You can drink every time you go "poor Troy" as in moments when he's really worried about his future and feels pressure from all sides! You can also drink for "Dammit Troy," which is any time he's being the worst! (Stop playing golf with Sharpay; don't be a douchebag!)
11. Wardrobe choices: Taylor.
Yeah, go ahead and take a shot whenever Taylor McKessie changes into a different lady-tie.
12. Wardrobe choices: Chad.
And take another two when Chad wears a shirt with some one-liner snarky phrase across his chest, like "I come with my own background music." Ugh! That Mr. Danforth! What a guy!
Take Two drinks:
13. Whenever Kelsi wears something insane
Disney decided the musical theatre accompanist girl would just dress herself in as many possible layers, accessories, hats, and cups of tea as possible. Is she a hipster? A middle schooler on a fashion spree? A tiny ventriloquist doll when she wears that suit and bowler cap combo in HSM 1?!?
14. Sharpay's mystery friends.
Two sips for anytime Sharpay is surrounded by a fan group or small clique of people that are not in the main cast who you never hear from again.
15. When East High makes no sense.
Like when the school apparently has full sized banners of their sports players' faces, or a random mechanics shop you can cut through in moments when you're hiding from your best friend to audition for the musical.
16. Any time Troy and Gabriella almost kiss.
Seriously Disney, we know what they're up to! Quit blocking them and let them get some action, dammit!
Chug for the duration of:
17. Any Martha Cox dance break.
Because Martha can rock the freaking world and girl can bust a move.
18. Take it off.
Yeah, go ahead and chug every time Zefron gets shirtless. Take a swoooon while you're at it.
19. Wall leaning.
Disney Channel likes to articulate dramatic moments by a lot of character wall leaning, often during solo songs. This happens a lot, so chug for the duration of any section of a "dramatic wall lean."
20. What team?!
Finally, end it strong on some school spirit. Chug for the duration of all of Chad's "What team?!" rants and we promise you'll be seeing "High School Musical"(s) 1-3 like you've never seen them before.
