High School Musical: The Musical - The Series (2019–…): Season 1, Episode 8 - The Tech Rehearsal - full transcript

Previously on High School Musical:
The Musical: The Series...

Thanksgiving is all about sharing secret
talents and discovering new co-stars.

Learning the meaning of humility
and giving thanks for making new friends.

I just hope Miss Jenn had a nice night off
with her large extended family.

Excuse me, kids!

Oh, my gosh, what happened?

It's okay. Nobody was hurt.

There was a small fire in the theater
over the holiday

and the sprinklers did their job.

We're almost done in here, just have
to finish up in the faculty room next.

Some circuits blew in there
over the break.



We fell asleep, we smelled smoke,
we pulled the fire alarm

and Benjamin Mazzara said, "Run."
So I ran.

I will donate my entire salary
to rebuild the theater.

But the show must go on.

Unfortunately, the show cannot go on.

What?

Fire ripped through
half of your costumes

and the sprinklers ruined
a bunch of your sets.

I'm sorry, but I'm gonna have to red tag

the entire backstage area
for a month at least.

Uh...

Did she just say costumes?

Okay. Okay, listen up.

Hug your neighbor, take a moment,



and let's reconvene in the cafeteria
after school to talk about options.

Nini and Ricky, spread the word.

Got it. Yeah, of course.

Ricky?

Ricky?

Huh? Sorry. After school
in the cafeteria. Got it.

It's just, I'm the props guy, so...
It's kind of a hard day.

I guess if you hold it like this,
you can't tell it got ruined.

Okay, guys!

Wait, where's Gina?

I think she's going through
a family thing right now.

Okay, prayers to our Gina.

I'm really not sure what to say.

You've all worked so hard.
I've seen all of you grow so much.

But if we don't have a theater,
we don't have a show.

Wait, what?

Come on, Miss Jenn,
we've gotta do something.

I think we...

I don't know, I guess
we could consider other venues?

Oh, oh, what about
the old Kingston downtown?

It's condemned.

The Lucky Ducky Puppet Pavilion?

It's a massive Starbucks now.

- How about the El Rey?
- Yeah.

- Yes.
- That's brilliant, dude.

- I went there six times.
- Any other ideas?

Miss Jenn, I feel like you just had a
really weird reaction to what I just said.

Sorry, what did you say?

Carlos is asking if we can try and use
the El Rey Theater.

My Uncle Ruben is the listing agent,

and the last thing they had in there
was a fashion show, like, four years ago.

This place has 500 seats.

- Whoa!
- What?

Four ninety-eight, but who's counting.

Wait, that's actually pretty sweet.

I can't imagine we'd be able to get in
on such short notice.

Sounded like a yes to me!

The El Rey Theater it is!

Miss Jenn, aren't you excited?

Yes, I am that feeling.

Wildcats, let's grab all the props
and costumes that didn't get damaged

and let's load out.

They say that one way to heal
from a bad memory

is to immerse yourself
back in that memory.

This should be extremely healing.

- On your right, heads up!
- Sorry!

Don't apologize!
This is, like, a weird adventure!

Looks like the cast
is in pretty good spirits.

Yeah. Actors, man.

Fire or no fire, they still have
their charm and perfect skin.

It's a little silly, but I feel like
I lost a little piece of myself

when those costumes went up in flames.

I hear you. That paper papier-mâché
basketball took me three weeks to make.

-Three weeks?
-I kept gluing my fingers together.

Oh.

Oh, hey, Carlos, I was thinking
if there's any emergency money,

I could run up and replace
some of the costumes...

Let's stick a pin in that.

Right now, the priority
is making sure we can put up a show.

-Uh...
-At least we have the El Rey!

- Oh, hey, maybe I should carry that.
- Why?

No reason.

-No, I'm fine to carry it.
-It's just a little bit sensitive.

Are we still talking about the box?

It's actually Miss Jenn's show file.

Script breakdowns, set sketches,
and all of her audition notes.

You mean this says
why which people got which parts?

No further comment, thank you.

Mmm-hmm.

I don't know, I'm kind of scared.

Right this way, follow me.

Ah!

Smell that smell, the theater.

Mold, it's a sign of life.

Everyone, watch your step.

And let me know if you haven't had
a tetanus shot recently, okay?

Hey, sis, how you holdin' up?

I don't know, Kourt,
I actually feel weirdly guilty.

Almost like I caused this?
Like, it's a sign.

How could you have caused this?

I kinda had a strange weekend,

and started thinking about applying
to this performing arts school...

Hold up, performing arts school?

Yeah, it's called
the Youth Actors Conservatory.

It's slightly amazing
and also totally unimportant right now,

I don't know what I was thinking.

You were gonna spend senior year
without me?

Oh. Look, my grandma got in my head
about "finding new shores."

But that's over now
and we have a show to save.

This whole fire thing
could've been a lot worse.

Yeah, yeah. For sure.

Here's what I learned this week.
The confessional thing went a bit too far.

The truth is, I don't need to apologize
for who I am.

Whatever it says
in Miss Jenn's audition file, I am me,

and that is the only me I need to be.

"Classic Troy on paper."

"Lacks emotional connection
to the material"?

Can we move that to...
Thank you.

Once we get the set...

- You're really good.
- Really?

I'm really proud of you.

Okay, good.

Okay! Let's have some real talk.

Welcome to tech rehearsal.

I don't know if you've noticed,

but most of the tech
in this particular theater

appears to be hand-cranked.

Natalie Bagley, my dear, my stage manager,
this is your chance to be the hero.

Where is she?

What is it?
What's happening?

Natalie Bagley's getting
her wisdom teeth out.

Okay. Okay, so, I'm down a stage manager,
my "Taylor's" MIA.

Gina's okay. She's a fighter
and she'll be back for opening night.

-Did she text you?
-No. You?

Mmm-mmm.

Totally normal.
Just, heads-up, from now on.

All righty. Big Red,
do you know how to hang a light?

I know how to hang out?

Cool.

Carlos, let's set marks
to light Status Quo.

Troy and Gabriella, find somewhere quiet
and run the rooftop scene.

It's been a while and I need you
opening night ready by dinnertime, okay?

Um, we're staying through dinner?
I have baking club tonight...

Which is completely irrelevant
in the midst of our tragedy.

Hmm.

This is going to work, I can feel it.

Clear the stage! Let's go!

Hey, you okay? It's a lot.

I just don't know
how to make things light up.

You walk into a room.

Oh...

Seriously though, I've been through
a few tech rehearsals in my day.

Just holler if you need me.

Thanks, Ash.

You got this.

Yikes, this place is not creepy at all.

Right?

Wow.

Yeah.

So, how you been?

Fine, and you?

-I'm okay.
-Mmm.

Look,
about the other night at Ashlyn's party...

Oh, no, it's totally fine. I get it.

You do?

Yeah, I mean, I said something nice,
you acted like a punk,

what is there to discuss?

Hmm, cool,
then we don't have to talk at all.

-Sounds like a plan.
-Hmm.

For the record, you're the one
who called me your "buddy"

and I've been iced out for weeks,
so maybe it was building up.

And that's that on that.

Okay. Glad you got that
out of your system?

Yeah, actually I am.

-Excellent! Page 53?
-Page 53.

-This should be fun.
-Mmm, I'm all about the work.

Okay, we just need to nail down
our lighting and our sound

and, ta-da, we've got a show.

-I need some bodies for the rooftop scene.
-I can do Troy.

Fine.

Or at least some people think so.

Carlos, stand in for Gabriella.

Do we have a working lightboard?

Do we have a working light switch?

Found it!

Sorry, everyone.

My uncle Ruben said
there was gonna be

some leftover stuff from the fashion show.

I guess, the theme was "'80s rave"?

In a nuclear reactor?

Big Red, do we have anything
more flattering?

Uh, working on it!

Okay, Troy, basketball stuff,
Gabriella, math stuff, nobody doesn't cry,

and we end up here center stage.

Gabriella, give us your cue.

"Remember in kindergarten,
you'd meet a kid, know nothing about them,

"then ten seconds later,
you're best friends?"

-"Yeah."
-"Singing with you felt like that."

"Look, I never thought about singing,
that's for sure.

"Until you.

"And now, I don't wanna stop.

"Ever."

That's excellent and a little weird.

Big Red, can we hit these guys
with a spotlight?

Uh, I'll look for it.

What is happening right now?

Oh, I'm just emoting, Carlos.
Feel free to join me.

This is a tech rehearsal
and I'm your choreographer.

Okay, boys, let's not wait for the lights.

Just stand on your marks
and gimme your cue again?

"I never thought about singing,
that's for sure.

"Until you.

"And now, I don't wanna stop.

"Ever."

EJ?

Yeah.

Are you sick?

Wait a minute,
I know what's going on here.

- Big Red, did you do that?
- No.

I...

"Remember in kindergarten,
you'd meet a kid, know nothing about them,

"then ten seconds later,
you were best friends?"

-"Yeah."
-"Singing with you felt like that."

"I never thought about singing,
that's for sure.

"Until you.
And now, I don't wanna stop. Ever."

You know what, I know these lines.
Should we just lose the scripts?

Uh, for sure, yeah.

Okay.

"Remember in kindergarten,
you'd meet a kid, know nothing about them,

"and then ten seconds later,
you're best friends?"

"Yeah."

"Singing with you felt like that."

"I never really thought
about singing, that's..."

Actually, sorry, do you remember,
in kindergarten,

when I couldn't pronounce your name?

You had a hard time with vowels back then.

Yeah.

Plus, I, uh, never really loved
the name Nina anyway.

I couldn't say my A's.
So, I called her Nini.

And it just, um...

It just sorta stuck.

I still can't think of you as a Nina.

You could just call me "buddy."

Oof, sorry about that one.

Wasn't a good day for me.

Yeah, I get it.

And just for the record,
I was Richard Bowen until first grade,

when you started calling me Ricky.
So, pot, kettle.

Okay, I'm sorry,
but nobody under the age of 50

should be named Richard,
and I couldn't look you in the eye.

Was it the name or the fact
that I microwaved your Barbie that year?

Maybe both.

-Hmm...
-Man...

Ah!

I guess we've had a few mishaps.

Yeah, more me than you, right?

Remember when I took out
your lemonade stand doing a wheelie?

Yeah, I do.

And then, was it fourth grade when I ate
your science project about moldy bread?

Ah, I think we both suffered on that one.

And I couldn't even say, "I love you"
when you wrote me that song.

Um...

Do you, uh...

Maybe we should warm up our voices.

-Oh, yeah, yeah, good idea, we do.
-Yeah, just in case we have to sing later.

Smart. Yes, good plan.

Okay, let's pretend
we've figured out the lighting.

If we've got a sound system,
we've got a show.

I need someone to sing
for microphone levels.

Who's not doing anything?

Kourtney is an amazing singer.

I'm a singer, not an actor.

This voice is for church.

Thank you for volunteering.

Just sing anything from the show.
Doesn't matter what. No judgment.

This is a safe space.

I believe in dreaming
Shootin' for the stars

Baby, to be number one
You got to raise the bar

Yeah, we're gonna
Bop, bop, bop, bop to the top

Slip and slide and ride that rhythm

Jump and hop
Hop 'til we drop

And start again

Zip, zap, zop, hop like a mop

Scoot around the corner

Move it to the groove
'til the music stops

That's so great!

Yeah, Kourt!

Kourtney, honey, that was a wow.

Yeah, Kourt!

Unfortunately, it seems we have
now broken the sound system,

the lights, and possibly me.

Carlos, could you please clear
the theater right now?

So good!

Miss Jenn, are you okay?

-You've been acting a little...
-I'm fine. I just need a minute

or a vacation. It's not clear.

Okay, everyone, um, follow me.
We are going to take a long five?

All right, then, come on.

Good girl. Good job!

You looked in the audition files,
didn't you?

Oh, boy.

I tried to warn you.
Those were for Miss Jenn's eyes only.

Not a problem,

'cause apparently,
I don't have emotions.

Sometimes you do have a way of performing
that doesn't exactly feel authentic.

Then what was I just doing onstage?

That felt more like an allergic reaction.

And what's authentic to you, Carlos?

A forest full of human beings?

That concept may need
a little bit of time.

And so do I.

Miss Jenn?

I don't think I'm alone in noticing
that you seem a little...

On edge?

I was gonna say "fully freaked out."

-This is where I was sitting.
-Sitting for what?

The Utah premiere
of the High School Musical movie.

This entire row
was filled with family, friends.

But the only audience I cared about
was Lucas Grabeel.

-You may know him as...
-Ryan.

I had one line in the movie.

He was the only lead
who came up to me on set and said,

"You really nailed that line, Jessica."

I didn't have the heart to tell him
my real name.

But they cut it. They cut my line.

"Is that the last apple?"

How dare she sign up?

I've already picked
out the colors for my dressing...

"Is that the last apple?"

I have a line here. Did I miss it?

That night set me back seven years.

My confidence was shattered.

What happened?

Is Kenny Ortega here?

-Miss, will you please come with me?
-No, I'm in the movie.

No, don't "Miss" me. I...
Did you hear my line?

"Is that the last apple?"

Wow, that's terrible.

Thank you, Ashlyn.

You know, if it helps, you inspired me
to write a whole song about regrets.

I know, and now nobody will ever hear it,

because our PA system died faster
than my career in New York.

Miss Jenn,
I think you need to find

a quiet place and, like, forgive yourself.

Use these.

My lucky crystals.

Haven't let me down once.

Use them how?

Whatever feels right.

You need to trust yourself, the way...

I don't know, the way we all trust you.

Me, me, me, me,
me, me, me, me, me

You, you, you, you,
you, you, you, you, you

Me, me, me, me,
me, me, me, me, me

Nini, Nini, Nini, Nini, Ni...

All right, Ricky, let's focus.

Oh, hang on.

-It's Gina.
-Oh.

"Sorry, drama with my mom's job.
I think we have to leave a day early."

-Oh, I feel so bad for her.
-I can't even imagine.

-After all that work, just up and leaving.
-Mmm.

I get it, though. Moving is a big deal.

I mean, I just mentioned
this performing arts school

I was looking at to Kourtney,
and she was not exactly thrilled for me.

Wait, that's amazing.
Like a drama school?

It's in Denver.

Oh.

Uh, yeah, it's never gonna happen.

It's, like, super-elite.
They'd never take me.

What? You're, like,
one-in-a-million talented.

-What are you talking about?
-You've never left Salt Lake,

you don't know how much talent
there is out there.

That's not fair.

My parents took me to Disneyland once
and I met a very talented Minnie Mouse.

Ah, yes, Minnie Mouse, your first crush.

Oh, actually she was my second...

Hey, guys?

Oh, uh... Hey, guys.

Uh... We're... We're ordering pizza

while Miss Jenn is having
some kind of real-time midlife crisis.

You both good with pepperoni
and soy cheese?

-Yeah, oh, yeah.
-Yeah, that sounds good to me.

-Super good.
-Is it good for you?

Mmm-hmm.

Cool.

Cool.

Ohh.

Hey!

Um, I heard you singing earlier.

Oh, yeah?

You're not gonna quit
makeup crew, are you?

Sorry, I know you're multi-talented
or whatever,

I just think you have a gift
for making things look better.

I mean, the Sharpay makeup?

You made me look the way I feel.

Well, I'm not gonna quit my day job,
but I don't like categories.

You know, why limit yourself
to one thing, right?

Right. Cool.

And the singing was amazing too.
You can do anything, I mean.

I know that, Sebby. And you can, too.

Okay.

Hey, um, it's been a long time.
Should we go ask what's going on?

She's having a moment.
Maybe you can go and ask her.

I don't wanna freak her out more
with my lifeless eyes.

Anyway, whatever. It's...

You were right, by the way.

Forest of Boys was a mess
and coming here was a huge mistake.

I have no business taking charge
of anything.

No, you stepped up, dude.

You always do.
And, if I'm bein' honest, it's...

-Uh, you know...
-Stupid?

Admirable.

EJ, was that a compliment?

Don't make me start emoting.

Okay. Well, the words were a four,
but the sentiment was a solid ten.

I'm gonna walk away now.

I can do this, I can do this,
I can do this.

The past is the past
and I can still pull off this show.

Somehow.

Ashlyn, honey, is that you?

I can't tell if the crystals are working.

Ryan, is that you?

Oh.

It's Lucas, Jennifer.

You remember me?

You actually know my name?

Of course I do.

This is your contractually obligated
dream sequence.

Being back here,

it reminds me of that scene
in the cafeteria.

Remember when I asked about the apple?

Jennifer, let it go.

But I can't.

When that line went away,
I think I lost my way too.

You know what you need?

A time machine?

I was gonna say a song.

Those kids
They do believe in you

And that's worth so much more

Than a line about a piece of fruit

Or a Tony Award

I was going for an EGOT.

Let's not get ahead of ourselves.

Think of this as the role of a lifetime

It's the part you were born to play

Keeping their dreams in your sightline

Now it's their turn to take the stage

Think of this as a role to remember

Like Elphaba or Éponine

I'm more of a Glinda.

It's all of the things
you could ever bring to a scene

You know what I mean

So give it your all

Right from the start

You gotta play this from the heart

You're their teacher, you're the lead

And you're off book now

Give it a go
Show 'em the way

We're all in this together
at the end of the day

I should know, after all, I played Ryan.

Ryan

Is this the role of a lifetime?

The part I was born to play?

Showing them how to smile
in the bright lights

Now it's their turn to take the stage

This could be a role to remember

Like Elsa or Eva Perón

I'll teach them to channel their feelings

I'll share what I know

And live for the show

I'll give it my all

Right from the start

I gotta play this from the heart

I'm their teacher, I'm the lead

And I'm off book now

Give it a go
Show 'em the way

You gotta let the music play

This is now and the rest is history

I felt small, I couldn't breathe

When they took that apple from me

But you're right here now

And you never know when you'll get a cameo

Cameo

So give it your all
Right from the start

You gotta let them play their parts

Tonight, all the roles will be played by
the drama students of East High.

Give it a go
Show 'em the way

You gotta let the music play

This is now and we're making history

History...

History...

Miss Jenn, say something!

Ouch.

Sorry, was that last one too hard?

I'm the teacher.

Yeah?

And we're making history.

Everything's gonna be okay.

I know where we have to go.

Broadway?

Back to East High.

Oh, my God, how hard did I hit you?

-Dude?
-Talk about it in the car.

This can't get wrinkled
because it'll show...

Hey, are you okay?

Yeah, I just...
almost did something really stupid.

Do you wanna talk about it?

No, it's over. It was just a moment.

Okay.

Oh, hey! I heard you sang a song.

Oh. It was ridiculous.

Yeah. That's what I heard,
except maybe not in the way you mean it.

Oh.

No, honestly, Kourt,
you have the best voice in school.

I don't know about all of that,
but I'll say this.

I can tell why you like it up there.

See you in the car?

Uh, yeah, I'll catch up.

Okay.

Look, I'm not gonna give up
on costumes or makeup.

But, for the first time,
I see why Nini wants this so bad.

And if she's not gonna put herself
out there, I'll do it for her.

Youth Actors Conservatory.

How can I direct your call?