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'Back Into the Game' With 'High School Musical 3' Director Kenny Ortega Revived Hollywood Musicals and His Career By CHRIS CONNELLY and BONNIE MCLEAN Oct. 18, 2008— How can you tell a movie musical is likely to be a major hit? When, a month before it opens, its director is already working on a
sing-along version. At the age of 58, Kenny Ortega, who choreographed "Dirty Dancing" and brought "Newsies" to theaters, is putting the finishing touches on the third installment of his hit franchise, "High School Musical 3: Senior Year" -- the first "High School Musical" to be debuting on the big
screen. "You know, it's the strangest feeling," he said. "I'm not ready to let it go [laughs]. You know it's like sending your kid out there to go to school for the first time, having these questions: 'Is it ready?' 'Is it finished?' 'Is it pretty enough?'" 'We Knew Something Was Happening' No o
ne else seems very concerned, especially the millions of devoted tweens who've been counting down the days until the Oct. 24 debut of "High School Musical 3." These fans have spent the last 33 months turning a Disney Channel musical romance about a jock and a math whiz into a huge franchise for Disn
ey, the parent company of ABC News. Its overwhelming success was anticipated by few -- except Kenny Ortega. MONIQUE COLEMAN (Taylor McKessie) is best known for her starring role in the record-breaking and award-winning Disney Channel movies High School Musical and High School Musical 2. She made i
t to the top four on ABCs hit reality series Dancing With The Stars, and participated in the shows live tour. She also performed in the sold-out 42-city national concert tour of High School Musical: The Concert. Coleman had a leading role opposite James Earl Jones in the Hallmark movie The Reading R
oom, for which she received a 2006 Camie Award (Character and Morality in Entertainment). She had a recurring role on Disney Channels The Suite Life of Zack & Cody, and also guest starred on Boston Public,
Veronica Mars, Gilmore Girls, Strong Medicine and Malcolm in the Middle. In addition, she co-starred in the cable movie The Ditchdiggers Daughters with Carl Lumbly
and Dule Hill, for which she was nominated for a Young Artists Award. In Sept. 2007,
Coleman served as co-host of ABCs The View.
On stage in Chicago, Coleman starred in productions of Noises Off, Polaroid Stories,
The Real Thing and The Colored Museum.
She has been selected as one of Teen Peoples 25 Hottest Stars Under 25 and Teen Vogues
Young Hollywood stars.
At a young age, Coleman enrolled in dance and piano classes and performed in more than
15 plays. After graduating from high school, she earned a BFA in Acting from The Theatre
School at DePaul University in Chicago.
OLESYA RULIN (Kelsi Nielsen) returns to her starring role as
the playmaker who inspires the Wildcats with her musical
arrangements.
Born and raised in a small village four hours outside of Moscow,
Rulins life changed completely when she moved to the U.S. with
her family at age 7. Growing up in Salt Lake City, she studied ballet
and acting and at age 12, she was discovered by Model Search for
America. From that victory she was able to land an agent and began
work as an actress.
Rulins dancing and singing talent earned her the role of Kelsi,
the piano-playing pixie in both High School Musical and its sequel.
The talented young actress co-stars in the feature film Major Movie Star, opposite Jessica
Simpson. The comedy, inspired by the hit Goldie Hawn movie Private Benjamin, also stars
Vivica Fox and Cheri Oteri. Rulin portrays Simpsons best friend in boot camp. In addition,
Rulin will star opposite Billy Ray Cyrus in an independent film Flying By.
She is passionate about rescuing animals and has fostered and/or adopted many dogs over
the years.
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