High School Musical: The Musical: The Series Star Kate Reinders on Wearing 'Every Pink Outfit Possible'

Kate Reinders is known for her Broadway turns in Wicked, Something Rotten, Beautiful and more. Now, she's headlining the new Disney+ TV show High School Musical: The Musical: The Series. With the official launch of both the highly anticipated streaming service and the first episodes of the series, Reinders sat down with Paul Wontorek on a recent episode of Broadway.com's #LiveatFive to talk about joining the legacy of the Disney franchise, her time moonlighting as Sharpay and more.

High School Musical: The Musical: The Series is a new concept by Broadway's own Tim Federle, but the franchise has been around since the movie's debut in 2006. A musical version of the popular film hit the stage the following year, something that Reinders had a hand in creating. "The funny thing is that when I was in Wicked they had bunch of us Broadway kids do the workshops of the musical," she said. "It was really fun. I was Sharpay by day and Glinda by night wearing every pink outfit possible."

The series is a play on itself that acknowledges its origin and sets the audience up on what to expect. "The show is about a bunch of kids who are in high school putting on High School Musical: The Musical where the movie was filmed," Reinders said. "We're shooting at the actual East High where the movies were filmed, too. I play Ms. Jenn, the new drama teacher who has the idea to do the musical because she was in the movies. It's super meta."

Reinders watched the movies to better prepare for her days as Sharpay in the musical's workshop, and she thrilled to be a Wildcat once again. "It's so cool it keeps getting reinvented," she said. "At the time, the movies made musicals cool. But when you actually listen to the lyrics, it's all about how our differences make us one and about finding your tribe. It's really beautiful for this Broadway energy to be taught to a new generation."

Although Reinders says she's "living the dream," what she loves most is seeing her young co-stars' success rise. "It's exciting to watch them deal with this," she said. "It's just the beginning for them."

Watch Reinders on High School Musical: The Musical: The Series, streaming now!

See the full #LiveatFive episode below!