High School Musical turns 15

Variety

The Kenny Ortega-directed Disney Channel TV movie "was the rare made-for-TV movie that transcended its humble origins and captivated a generation of teens and tweens when it premiered on Jan. 20, 2006," says Rebecca Rubin. "It didn’t just launch the careers Zac Efron, Vanessa Hudgens (known then as Vanessa Anne Hudgens), Ashley Tisdale and more. It also became a financial juggernaut for the Disney Channel, driving unprecedented demand for DVDs, dolls, T-shirts, posters, sleeping bags, lunch boxes — you name it, Troy and Gabriella’s faces were on it. Then came a sold-out concert tour, traveling ice shows, touring stage productions, and a show at Disney theme parks."