If I like the theater and was once a kid, does that make me a theater kid? Certainly not, but I still get to have a say about how villainous Sharpay was in High School Musical, don’t I? After all, with younger sisters, I ended up sitting through all three of the High School Musical movies more times than I care to recall, and while I may have at first pretended the singing romantic movie series was lame, I definitely found myself humming “What I’ve Been Looking For” later in my room. It’s a hard series not to enjoy.
Zac Efron is obviously the biggest star to come out of the High School Musical cast, but the films were stacked with talent. One of the best characters in the High School Musical movies is Sharpay Evans (Ashley Tisdale), and I think that’s inarguable. Not only is Tisdale a fantastic singer and comedic presence, Sharpay is one of the more developed characters in the franchise. I’ve always enjoyed Sharpay’s arc more than any other character, and her journey from catty villain to helpful friend is a pleasure to watch. Honestly, she wasn’t even that mean of a villain.
Sharpay Is Pretty Mellow As Far As Villains Go
Sharpay Is More Self-Centered Than She Is An Actual Bully
I know Sharpay is the villain of High School Musical, but she’s really not all that bad. The first film is Sharpay at her worst. As drama club president, Sharpay has been involved with the musical’s production for the entire year. I may have never been in theater, but I remember friends in the drama club staying late for months preparing for the musical. I’m sure Sharpay has put a lot of time into this. So, when new girl, Gabriella (Vanessa Hudgens), shows up on the scene angling for the lead in the play, is it any wonder Sharpay’s annoyed?
She doesn’t even do anything that bad to get her out of the running. All Sharpay does is direct scholastic decathlon captain, Taylor McKessie (Monique Coleman), to Gabriella and show her what an outstanding student Gabriella is. There’s a world where Sharpay is actually doing the right thing by introducing Gabriella to a club where she can succeed. Sure, she schedules the callback auditions to interfere with Gabriella and Troy’s (Efron) other commitments, but when they manage to make it on time, she accepts the results and even settles on a truce with Gabriella.
Sharpay’s a bit of a snob and definitely self-centered, but who isn’t self-centered at that age?
In High School Musical 2, Sharpay is even less villainous and even finds a way to give her brother the spotlight over herself for once. Sharpay’s a bit of a snob and definitely self-centered, but who isn’t self-centered at that age? She’s no bully. Sharpay is far from the worst bully seen in movies or on TV. Compared to characters like Blair Waldorf in Gossip Girl, Regina George in Mean Girls, and the Heathers in Heathers, Sharpay is downright sweet.
Sharpay Was Right About Not Wanting Troy And Gabriella To Lead The Musical
Troy And Gabriella Have No Musical Experience
Also, Sharpay is totally right about Troy and Gabriella. Neither of them has any musical experience. Leading a musical isn’t just singing well. There is much, much more to it than that. They can’t just come into the long-planned event and expect to get the starring role. It doesn’t matter if you have never been in a musical; if you’ve ever participated in any multi-month project, you know few things are more frustrating than someone brand-new coming on the scene and taking all the attention, leap-frogging off your hard work.
Besides, Troy and Gabriella have their own things. Troy has basketball, and Gabriella has the decathlon. Why don’t they skip the musical this year and try out next year with everyone else? That would be much fairer. If the two are so desperate to join the musical, I’m sure there are plenty of other good parts beyond the lead roles that they can take on. Is their need for attention and love for one another so strong that they have to be the co-stars? Just relax, Troy and Gabriella. This isn’t a fun game for Sharpay, she’s put a lot of effort into this.
Sharpay Evans Is A Good Friend To Have
Sharpay Gave All Her Friends Jobs
Sharpay’s way of undermining others also happens to be by helping them. Every time she wants to get one over on Troy or Gabriella, she actually ends up helping them. It’s almost as if she would be an awesome friend to have. When Gabriella is new to the school, Sharpay gets her hooked up with the scholastic decathlon team. You know, something she loves and would be good at. In High School Musical 2, Sharpay uses her family connections to set Troy up with someone who could get him an athletic scholarship.
Sharpay Evans is such a good character that she ended up becoming the protagonist of her own spin-off, Sharpay’s Fabulous Adventure.
The only thing she asks for in return is that Troy sings with her. Troy doesn’t have to sing with Gabriella every time. Sharpay gets everyone from her high school a job at her family’s country club. Sure, she’s a bit of a snob about it, but I would have killed to work all summer at a country club with my friends. I think Sharpay getting a duet with Troy is a fair trade. Someone like Sharpay is someone you roll your eyes at when she’s being annoying but hug anyway because, at her core, she’s a good friend.
A Lot Of Modern Female Protagonists Have Shades Of Sharpay
Ambition And Self-Confidence Are Good Things For A Character To Have
Sharpay Evans was ahead of her time in terms of movie and TV female protagonists. She’s ambitious, wants what she wants, and isn’t afraid to come off as a little pushy to do so. Shows and movies are filled with similar characters now, and they are usually treated as the protagonist. Deborah Vance in Hacks, Midge Maisel in The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, and Joy Mangano in Joy are all characters who fit the Sharpay mold from High School Musical, so it’s nice to see that we’re showcasing them as the inspiring leaders they are, rather than the villains.
High School Musical
- Created by
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Peter Barsocchini
- First Film
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High School Musical
- Latest Film
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Sharpay’s Fabulous Adventure
- First TV Show
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High School Musical: The Musical: The Series
- Latest TV Show
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High School Musical: The Musical: The Series
Summary
The High School Musical franchise is a successful Disney Channel Original Movie series that became a cultural phenomenon upon its debut in 2006. The story centers on the lives of high school students at East High School, particularly focusing on the relationship between Troy Bolton, the school’s basketball star, and Gabriella Montez, a shy, academically gifted new student. The franchise explores themes of self-discovery, friendship, and following one’s dreams, with a heavy emphasis on musical performances. The success of the original movie led to sequels, a spinoff, and a resurgence in popularity with a recent TV series.
