Standing ovation for "High School Musical On Tour!"

If you’re a parent of a 6-16 year old, they are probably fans of this jackpot franchise, High School Musical.

The made-for-cable - specifically Disney Channel - movie became a word-of-mouth hit that led to another movie (and yet another in development), a concert tour, ice show, tons of toys, clothing and other licensed merchandise, as well as a stage production.

The national tour is nearing its end, but for now it makes a second Arizona stop, this time in Tempe. The production is at ASU Gammage auditorium through June 29. Opening night was sold out, but a media rep at the show said some seats are still available throughout the week.

I didn't quite know what to expect when I walked in. I knew the movie well, thanks to repeated viewing with my son and daughter. But I also knew the show would have to be adapted for the stage, so it wouldn't be a line by line regurgitation of the popular movie.

I ended up nicely surprised at this much more comedic and dramatic performance. That's not to say it was perfect (I noticed a few sound and set flubs), but it was quite entertaining and had me chuckling. Kids and parents in the audience were clapping along (and in some cases singing) and cheered often. I expected they would give it a standing ovation - and I was right.

The movie and theater production follow Troy and Gabriella, a jock and math whiz, who discover a new side to their personality when they meet New Year's Eve on a karaoke stage. They have to dodge efforts to sabotage their musical audition by their friends and the drama club's queen and king (Sharpay and Ryan). In the end, everyone learns to embrace their identity beyond high school clique stereotypes.

On stage, several changes were made in telling the story. Disney Theatrical Productions hired playwright David Simatico to rework the story, while composer Bryan Louiselle made adaptations to the music - making it more of a cast performance rather a slew of individual and duet songs. Two new songs were introduced as well, "Cellular Fusion" and "Counting on You." They also used "I Can't Take My Eyes Off of You," which is in the movie soundtrack, but not in the movie.

The show did open a bit hokey. I say that because of all the comparisons to "Grease"...this being the "Grease" of the new generation. So the kids are back at school after winter break - sort of like the return from summer break in Grease. And Troy tells his friends what he did, and Gabriella meets new friends and shares a bit of her winter experience. The music transitions from the "Wildcat Cheer" opening by the cast to "Start of Something New," which is the karaoke song from the movie that's the setting for Troy and Gabriella's first meeting.

But overall it was a nice rearrangement of the movie. You'll still recognize plenty of lines, too.

On the cast: Sharpay, played by Helene Yorke, was hilarious and much more snarky than the original. I loved that. It made her funnier and in some ways more believable. Troy (John Jeffrey Martin) seemed a bit dorkier than the cool-yet-personable Troy of the little screen. The karaoke and unplanned audition scenes just gave me that vibe. Both Gabriella (Arielle Jacobs) and Troy show a little more vulnerable side. I liked that they started songs with a little more trepidation - to me, that was more genuine than the movie.

There was also a very noticeable addition to the cast - Jack Scott, the voice of East High School - who adds a comedic element.

Kids will love the story, song and the explosion of ribbon at the end of the second act. My daughter grabbed everything that fell on me.

By the way, she said this was a 5-star performance. While the story was different, she found it funny and couldn't help clapping along - especially during "Breaking Free" and "We're All In This Together."

I walked out singing "Bop to the Top" - the encore had a melody of all the song, but that one stuck.

One warning to parents - as with any big show, your kids will be tempted by the merchandise. Most is priced between $10 and $25.

Arizona Moms Editor Yvette Armendariz shares stories about raising her kids and tips for busy parents in her Time-starved (goddess) Mom blog. She and her husband are raising two children, ages 8 and 11.