If you thought High School Musical: The Musical: The Series was already pretty meta, here’s a new meta layer to add.
In a new featurette exclusive to E! News, the original Ms. Darbus, also known as Alyson Reed, pays a visit to Julia Lester, the actress who plays Ashlyn, who is playing Ms. Darbus in the production of High School Musical at the center of High School Musical: The Musical: The Series.
Ashlyn would likely be just as excited as Lester is to meet Reed, who can’t stop gushing over how much she loves HSMTMTS.
“I love the show!” she says. “It’s so great, so clever, so creative, and there’s such heart, and it’s just terrific.”
High School Musical: The Musical: The Series creator Tim Federle also joins, and asks Reed if a week has ever gone by where High School Musical hasn’t come up, and apparently there has not.
“But you know what? I’m thrilled. I’m thrilled, and I mean this sincerely. I’m so proud to be a part of something that made the arts cool again,” she says.
Bravo, Brava, Ms. Darbus.
Lester now also has her very own Ms. Darbus-esque scarf thanks to Reed, who gifted it to her during their meeting.
Lester also mentions the performance from the show that many were talking about after the show made its debut, and if you haven’t seen it, you gotta hit play below.
High School Musical: The Musical: The Series is now streaming on Disney Plus, with new episodes arriving on Fridays.