Sequel bops to the top

On a weekend that saw new films from Nicole Kidman and Judd Apatow, three singing teens named Troy, Gabriella and Sharpay were the real stars -- and you didn't even have to go to the movie theater to see them.

"High School Musical 2," which premiered Friday night on the Disney Channel, drew an estimated 17.2 million viewers, according to Nielsen Media Research. Disney says that makes it the most-watched basic cable telecast in history, more than any ESPN football game or WWE event.

The sequel follows the teen trio, played by Zac Efron, Vanessa Hudgens and Ashley Tisdale, on their summer vacation immediately after the events of "High School Musical," which premiered in January 2006 and spawned nine hits on the Billboard 100 chart.

If "HSM 2's" success is anything like that of the original, Disney can expect to have the top-selling album of the year, as well as a successful concert tour and a stage spin-off.

The stage adaptation of the original is playing through Sept. 2 at LaSalle Bank Theatre in Chicago and probably will pop up at countless junior high and high schools across the suburbs in the next year.