03x03 - The Woman in the Woods

Episode transcripts for the TV show "High School Musical: The Musical: The Series". Aired: November 2019 to present.*
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A group of students at East High stages a performance of "High School Musical.
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03x03 - The Woman in the Woods

Post by bunniefuu »

Previously on High School Musical:
The Musical: The Series...

I don't know who I am without screens.

Summer's officially off to a bang.

Or, whatever sound a bugle makes.

Gina found balance.

I'mma rise up tip toes
Gonna make it mine

No doubt about it
I got the balance

She got the balance

Jet found his vocal cords.

Sorry. Auditions started over an hour ago.

Everyone's welcome to try out.

Nothing's in my way

I found out I'm not Miss Jenn.

Where are the scripts?

Where do you want us all to stand?

Can everyone just wait one second?

- Maybe I should cast the show.
- That's the one thing I was excited about.

It may not entirely be
the summer I planned.

We're the only thing
I'm not worried about.

It's too late to start over, right?

- Can we just start over?
- Yes, definitely.

Do you wanna build a snowman?

Do you wanna build a snowman?

Free the werewolves, it's not their fault.
Blame it on the moon.

Good morning, Elsa.

Wait! You're Anna?

- Yes, I am!
- Then that makes us sisters!

Wow!

I didn't know your voices
could even reach that register.

Plug your ears, I'm about to join them.
I can't believe I'm playing...

Olaf! Congrats, bro.
And I'm Kristoff. That's...

A person.

Congratulations on being
an actual species, Ricky.

What? First Lumiere and now Olaf.

Am I destined to play
an inanimate object for eternity?

Make way for Belle.

Make way for...

The ensemble?

I mean, hey, the ensemble.

You can't do a show without the ensemble.

There are no small parts,
only small actors, right?

Don't count your lines,
make the lines count.

All right, all right, everyone calm down.
Let's just be professionals.

Professionally, mazel tov.

Especially EJ.

Personally, I will be backlogging photos
of him in antlers

for all future possible
blackmail purposes.

What are you talkin' about?

Your good friend Val cast you as Sven,
the reindeer?

No, no. I'm not in the show.
I'm directing in the show.

Check the list.

Looks like you'll be joining the ranks
of character actor-directors.

Like Greta Gerwig.

No, this has to be a mistake.

I'm just wondering
if this is a final list?

Reindeers don't direct.
I've never seen a reindeer direct.

Quiet your voices!

Mornin', stage manager.
You got everything ready?

Sure do, Rocket Man.

It's Newbie Initiation
Campout Night, folks.

A night in the woods among the wildlife.

And spirits.

Pack your tents.
Oh, and rest your vocal cords.

You'll be screaming tonight.

Oh, and by the way, Carlos,

we have cameras
in the stage manager's office.

But nice try recasting the show.

It's the most wonderful time of the year.

Not Christmas, not Tax Day...

Newbie Night!
You guys are gonna have so much fun.

Once we reach the camping spot,
we start by setting up the tents.

Then we gather around the campfire
for a little sing-along experience,

followed by
the world-famous retelling of...

Am I talking' to myself?
Talking' to myself.

Are you okay?

A hundred percent. Just journaling.

Reframing the news
from this morning so I can make it a win.

Oh, I get it. You're a Leo Rising.

Capricorn Rising, actually.

I'm all earth and air signs
in my big three.

Really? I totally get
fire sign vibes from you.

Look, I know myself.

I'm a Ravenclaw, an ENFP, a Belle,
and a Samantha.

The American Girl doll, Samantha.

And I'm definitely a Capricorn Rising.

Okay. Tonight's gonna rock.

Hey, G, can I talk to you?

- Whoa! Whoa!
- Hey! Out, out.

It is my head.

I'll allow it.

Now I need to come in the rest of the way.

You got two minutes. Go.

Aw!

- Sorry to barge in.
- Love is an open door.

I knew you'd get the lead. You're a star.

Thank you. That means...

Yeah, that means a lot.

Oh!

Weirdly, it means even more
that you didn't cast me, you know?

All these years trying to figure out
how to be okay with "just enough"

or "almost in the spotlight,
but not quite."

Oh, my gosh, I'm doing air quotes.
You're rubbing off on me.

Okay, no, the point is...
Yeah, I'm the lead.

And it feels so good,

and I counted the number of songs
and the number of lines,

and then Elsa may get Let It Go.

But I honestly believe Anna
has a bigger arc

and is more challenging to play.
But in, like, a good way.

EJ?

Sorry, I'm listening.
Just freaking out a little bit.

Corbin Bleu's coming back tomorrow

for our first read-through
with his camera crew and everything.

I've got to break down the script tonight.

And I just...

I want the read-through to be flawless.

I mean, he was Chad.

Gina, like,
I don't wanna disappoint the Chad.

I know this is a big deal to you,

but tonight's supposed to be, like,
this big, fun...

Hi. Butting in.
Corbin? Tomorrow?

And we're staying out all night.
Is that smart?

Ding, ding. And that's two minutes, EJ.

Now, everybody,
sometimes there are snakes.

Most of them are not poisonous.

Most of them?

- Yes.
- I can't. I can't, I can't. I'm sorry.

You can't really do that.
You have to come back.

You know I'm a feminist, right?

Mmm, right.

I like all women.

Mmm-hmm.

Almost all of the women, I like.

Where is this going?

I just mean,
does Val strike you as a little...

I don't have the word for it.

Mmm, she seemed pretty nice to me.

And Maddox had the nerve
to tell me I was a Leo Rising.

Okay, nobody knows my birth chart
better than me.

Except Madam Stephanie.

My psychic-slash-life coach?
She came to my birthday brunch?

Right. Yeah, the random woman at Denny's
who wasn't friends with any of us.

Not random. Madam Stephanie.

Okay. Here's what I'm thinking.
You were an awesome leading lady.

Go on.

And being cast in the ensemble
was unexpected.

- Yeah.
- But to be completely honest,

I guess I just didn't think
you'd be this thrown off by it.

Okay, tough love sister time here.

It feels out of character, Ash.

Did you hear what she said?
"It feels out of character"?

"Capricorn Rising,
considered rational people"

"reluctant to reveal
their inner and emotional life..."

Blah, blah, blah, blah, blah.

Okay, now listen to this.

"Leo Rising,"
what Maddox thinks that I am.

"Likes to be the center of attention
and get praise."

"Loves the admiration of others.
Recognition gives them a boost."

This is a spooky night indeed.

Hey, you're still gonna
do the traditional song tonight, right?

I was kinda hoping you'd take it.

I have a lot of homework for the show...

No, no, no. Come on.

When I sing country songs,
I sound like a frog.

Okay, listen. I'll do the scary song.
You do the scary story.

Oh, don't get it twisted.
I was always gonna do the scary story.

Honestly, I can't wait.

Oh, hey. Tent all set up?

Yeah. Gina's basically
professionally trained in survival arts.

I think that tent
could survive a hurricane.

Hey, I'm sorry if I overstepped

with the whole Leo Rising thing.

- I just picked up a vibe.
- Oh, all good.

You're wrong, but all good.

Are you sure you don't have any Leo
in your big three?

Because, you know, your rising signs
are based off of your birth time, so...

Of course, I know rising signs
are based on your birth time.

I am basically fluent in the stars.
I don't know why I'm yelling.

She's not super fond of me, huh?

- Who, Ash?
- Yeah.

No, no, she's just going
through something.

Give her time. Ashlyn loves everybody.
And she's a feminist.

- Okay.
- Yeah.

What the...

Hey.

I come here sometimes to think.

Seriously?

When I'm hungry, I eat the Twizzlers.
When I'm thirsty, I drink the crystals.

You're messing with me.

Though I guess
the crystals would explain your voice.

Dude, everyone's still talking
about your audition.

Seriously, like, where'd you learn
how to sing like that?

It's a long, stupid story.

Try me.

Basically, I, like,
raised myself on YouTube

'cause my parents were always at work,

and I taught myself to play piano.

Taught myself to sing, too, I guess.

And then I had
this music teacher at school,

and she pushed me so hard

that I sort of forgot
what I liked about it to begin with.

And my grades tanked,
and my mom put me on ADD meds.

But it didn't work
'cause I don't have ADD.

I have AAD.

Sorry, "AAD"?

- All Adults Disappoint.
- Mmm.

I will admit it was a stupid story,
but wasn't very long.

He laughs. Look at that.

Phew.

Welcome, folks, to your very first
Newbie Initiation Campout Night!

Now to kick off the night,

let's give it up
for our very own Rocket Man!

Yes!

All right, everyone, pay attention,

'cause I don't have much time
to waste tonight.

I'm gonna need a little help
singing parts of this.

Shake your money maker, Caswell!

Not helpful, Carlos.

All right, here we go.

This one is called
the Ballad of Shallow Lake

and every word is true.

Gonna tell a story
about Susan Fine

She lived years ago

One night she heard a whistle
The spooky kind

The sound can make your blood run cold

They say she got swallowed by Shallow Lake

Never to be seen again

Till her ghost says

Come morning

Na-na-na-na-na-na-na-na-na-na

She lost her soul
And she lost her mind

Na-na-na-na-na-na-na-na-na-na-na

Don't get caught by Susie Fine

So pray you find your way back home

Oh, oh!

Na-na-na-na-na-na-na-na-na-na-na

She'll drink your blood
Like it's werewolf wine

Na-na-na-na-na-na-na-na-na

You better run from Susie Fine

Um, is that really a true story?

That song is basically a documentary.

Quick follow-up...

I have a lot of homework,

but the amazing Maddox
will explain it all.

Let's see. Who here likes ghost stories?

Then it's time for you all
to hear the story of

the Woman in the Woods.

See, that's a no for me.

Camp Shallow Lake was founded a long,
long time ago by a married couple,

Mr. John Fine and Mrs. Susan Fine.

Everybody loved Mrs. Fine. She was kind.

Had a voice like an angel.
And she had a sweet tooth, unmatched.

She always had a bag of Twizzlers in hand.

But tragedy struck
on a night a lot like tonight.

It was the very first
Newbie Initiation Campout night.

Legend says Mrs. Fine
heard a faint whistling sound

deep within the woods.

So, she wandered out there.

All by herself.

Wait. What did she find?

Was it Corbin Bleu's helicopter?

No. She was out in the woods for so long,

she never came home.

I know the feeling.

- Me, too.
- Uh...

Well, wait. No. So this all happened ,
I mean, years ago.

And, uh, ever since that night,

Mrs. Fine has been wandering the woods,

hungry, lost, and angry.

You guys, am I Susan Fine?

You are pretty angry, dude.
I'm not gonna lie.

Like, all the time.
Like, it's actually scary...

Um...

Sorry, this isn't how I... It's scary.

It's supposed to be scary.
Never mind. Sorry.

Maddie, wait.

Hey, Finer Things Club co-president?

Yes, Finer Things Club co-president?

I think that's enough.

Who you trying to suffocate, honey?

Um, spiders, ghosts,
men's rights activists.

Okay?

What was that?

- I think you should go check it out.
- Excuse me? You go.

- Fine, I'll go.
- No, you...

Oh, okay. That worked. Go, go, go.

Carlos?

Oh, I'm coming to get you, bestie.

And I'm doing exactly what every person
in every scary movie always does.

Carlos? Carlos,
I can't be the first to die.

I'm too smart and hot for that.

Unless, you're already dead.

And if you're first, then that would
make the writer kind of h*m*...

Oh, my... Horrible. Awful.
Terrible. Just terrible.

Okay, you are the reason
why people don't trust boys.

Yes, you, too, Carlos.

I'm sorry.

Boo!

Dude. This legend?

I found, like, a shrine in the woods.
Let's go.

I can't.
I have to finish this thing before...

Wait! What thing in the woods?

It's the spookiest thing I've ever seen.

And I've seen Hereditary.

Aw, come on. Let's go, Eej.

Don't mind me. Just having a teeny,
tiny identity crisis.

EJ, do you remember when I was born?

I just need to know
if it was : a.m., or : p.m.

Everyone, stop.

It was : a.m.

I know that because my mom always tells me
how you forever ruined the eggs Benedict.

Remember?
Eggs Benedict is a strictly morning dish.

No, I can't come see the shrine tonight.

I have to finish marking up the script
before Corbin comes tomorrow.

I have a lot on my plate, okay?

- And, Gina, I really...
- Gotta focus. I get it.

Come on, guys.

Who am I, stars?

- It's quiet.
- Yeah. Maybe a little too quiet.

- Don't tell me you're scared?
- You wish.

Honestly, yeah. It'd make me feel
a little bit less like a baby.

Check this out. My heart's racing.

Chicken.

I haven't even told you, though.
I heard it earlier, the whistle?

- The sound that drove her mad.
- Make fun of me all you want.

You'll be scared
when you make it to the shrine,

which should be around here somewhere.

Move over.

As the leading lady,

I would be more than happy
to lead you through the woods.

Calm down, Anna.
You don't even know where the shrine is.

I think I'll figure it out, Kristoff.

Wow.

That's a sign, if I've ever seen one.

The shrine thing
was around here somewhere. I swear.

Hey, Rick, do you think
maybe we should head back now?

Who's the chicken now, huh?

- Is that...
- The Woman in the Woods?

Maddox said she had a voice like an angel.
Angel voice.

Gulp.

Now what?

Follow the sound?

Yeah. Exactly
what everyone says not to do.

Let's do it.

After you. Chicken.

Who am I when
who I am is changing

Who am I when I'm not in my head

I'm following the signs
Where will they take me

Will my future self and I be friends

I'm searching for stars

The horizon is black
But I know what I know

And there's no going back

I've been living on one small piece of sky

Suddenly the whole world is open wide

It's time I'm rising, rising

There's a part of me
reaching for the light

So strong, impossible to hide

This fire that's rising, rising

- Should we see who's singing?
- I mean, we've come this far, right?

What am I when what I am is wild

And louder than I ever dared believe

I'm so done with hiding in the shadows

And I'm so over being scared of me

The stars are all new
I'm charting a path

'Cause I know what I know

And there's no going back

I've been living on one small piece of sky

Suddenly the whole world is open wide

It's time I'm rising, rising

There's a part of me
Reaching for the light

So strong, impossible to hide

This fire that's rising

Rising

Rising, rising

Gina?

You're the Woman in the Woods?

So, you're the Woman in the Woods.

Too soon. I get it.

Okay. I'm sorry.

But...

This was always my favorite night at camp.

Because it used to scare me.

But then I learned that if I could just

own those stories,
it didn't scare me anymore.

And you had to go and make fun of it.

- Ricky was trying' to...
- No, I'm glad you have friends, really.

I'm sure Mom and Dad will be thrilled.

- Maddie...
- No, this was the one place that was mine.

Because no matter
what was going on with you at home,

and let's be honest, Jet,

there was always something
going on with you...

I could come here and just pretend

that all of the problems
back at home didn't exist.

You know Mom and Dad asked me
to keep an eye on you this summer?

I don't need a babysitter.

Yeah, well,
it doesn't really matter anyway,

because I'm pretty sure
the sibling who's being punished is me.

Okay, I think I get it.

Because of an optical illusion, right,

- it seems like Mercury's going backwards?
- Right.

And when this is happening,
bad things happen.

- It's science.
- Right.

And Mercury's in retrograde? Right now?

Honestly?

Honestly, no. I just... I wanted to blame

the whole Val ensemble casting thing
on something out of my control.

It's okay, Ash. You were bummed.
You wanted an explanation.

Last semester,
I didn't think I could be a leading lady.

And tonight, I found out
I was born at brunch time.

Guess there's always
something new to learn.

Is that it, Ash?

This, um, Corbin Bleu TV show thing,

I thought it was gonna
be like my big break.

- Hey, it still could be.
- Nah.

But I think it could be yours, Anna.
And you deserve it.

Good night, cool kids. Leo Rising out.

Don't let the Woman in the Woods get ya.

She's right, you know.
This could be your big break.

I'm serious. You're Anna.

That's, like, a big deal.

I'm proud of you.

Oh, my...

There you are!
Stop leaving our tent without a hall pass.

I woke up and you were gone,
and I thought you were dead.

For the millionth time,
the Woman in the Woods is not real.

- He's in a tough place tonight.
- So am I.

Gee, I wonder why
I can barely sleep tonight

when I've reached the pinnacle
of my theater career.

Don't look at me.
The monster costume was Ricky's idea.

Guys, I really don't mean to be rude,
but I have much bigger things happening.

What's bigger than monsters?

Well, there are two issues.
One, Dewey called with an update.

- Corbin Bleu is coming extra early.
- Oh!

It's a major code red.

We're doing a first read-through
before I've had my third cup of coffee.

What's the second issue?

Oh, Ricky and Gina are % missing.

What?

What if the Woman in the Woods...

- Kourt, I'm gonna stop you right there.
- But...

Carlos is right.
I'm sure Ricky and Gina are fine.

Hey, G?

Tonight was a blast.

Even though we couldn't find the shrine?

Ah, it's the journey, not the destination.

Thank you for your fortune cookie wisdom.

Good night, Ricky.

And we are still walking
in the same direction.

- Not awkward at all.
- No. Awkward? Could not be us.

Mmm-mm.
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