Last night we took Brad and Bailey to see High School Musical at TPAC. It was their first Broadway play, so I had great expectations.

Let's just say, I'm not counting it as their first Broadway show.

If you are unfamiliar with the show, none of this will interest you, so check back later. But if you know the movie and care how the Broadway show measures up, read on.

First of all, the mikes were so hot last night that I felt like I was pushed into the back of my chair by the sonic boom when the first song began. Bailey has sensitive ears like me, so she was a little taken back as well. But we both got used to it and our ears adjusted until they started screaming at us again right after intermission. I could understand the need for this much noise if we were at the Sommet Center, but this was Andrew Jackson Hall. It's just not necessary.

Secondly, Troy. So disappointing. He sung every high note as if he were constipated and pushing it out with all his might. Zac Efron might be cheesy, but at least the dude can actually sing. This guy was nails against the chalkboard.

Third, Ryan. Now, in the HSM the movies, Ryan is what you might call effeminate. He dresses a little flashy and he has no backbone to stand up to his overbearing sister. But he's not flaming. In fact, in HSM2, he has a pretty impressive number on the baseball field that really shows the testosterone is there. But the Broadway show chose to portray him as queer as a $3 bill. I mean, picture the designer guy on Extreme Makeover: Home Edition and gay him up about 3x more. Then you have last night's Ryan.

Fourth, Kelsie. In the movie, Kelsie is a cute girl who just really loves music. She is extremely talented, and has managed to write an entire musical while still in high school. She's just portrayed as a slightly-eccentric music type, but totally likeable. The closest parallel I can come to for last night's Kelsie was Pat, the androgynous one from Saturday Night Live. She was creepy. Seriously creepy.

There were, however, some positive elements. The set was outstanding. They were able to change scenes very quickly and really make you believe that you were now in a gym or a theatre or whatever. That was very impressive

There were some funny moments. I thought that Ms. Darvis was fabulous in her role as drama teacher. She was probably the best of them all.

But what's important is that my kids enjoyed themselves. They didn't know that they were experiencing the theater's equivalent to a B movie. We had a great time together eating at Demos' and driving around downtown before heading to the show. They loved sitting in the front row of the balcony looking down at the stage. The show's finale had streamers shoot out at the audience from cannons, and that was a thrill.

One day I will take them to a real Broadway show. I want them to see that there is so much more out there than this. But for now, they have a great memory, and our family enjoyed time together and with friends.

What could be better than that?