Exclusive: HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL, HAZBIN HOTEL, and More at FanX

When you think about the FanX Salt Lake Comic Convention, you may not realize the number of Broadway-related connections it has, even beyond this year’s spotlights on HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL and HAZBIN HOTEL.

In the TWILIGHT panel, stars Kellan Lutz, Peter Facinelli, Jackson Rathbone, and Maggie Grace gave acting advice to a high school teacher for his musical theatre students.

In the ONCE UPON A TIME panel, Rebecca Mader sang bits of “Sisters” from WHITE CHRISTMAS and “Wicked Always Wins,” which she performed in the show’s musical episode. 

In a Q&A, Jeremy Shamos talked about how much fun he had performing in the Netflix musical series JULIE AND THE PHANTOMS.

On the vendor floor were replica costumes from the WICKED movie provided by Universal Pictures for the Megaplex Theatres booth, and photo ops with a replica of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang used in a local stage production of the show.

Musical theatre fans came out to FanX in force as evidenced by the HAMILTON, LEGALLY BLONDE, and Disney cosplay, plus shirts and other merch from LES MISERABLES, THE LION KING, WICKED, and BEETLEJUICE. 

They lined up for autographs and photos with the stars of HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL and HAZBIN HOTEL, and they filled the audiences of both panels with high energy.

“We could not believe how many people were there,” HAZBIN HOTEL’s Krystina Alabado (star of the GOOSEBUMPS THE MUSICAL cast recording) told BroadwayWorld exclusively about their panel. “It was insane. We were stunned.”

“There’s a lot of overlap between the Broadway fandom and the HAZBIN HOTEL fandom, so it’s kind of fun to get to live in both worlds,” her costar Erika Henningsen (original Cady in MEAN GIRLS) told BroadwayWorld exclusively.

During the panel, an audience member asked, “Which of your characters would be friends with characters from MEAN GIRLS?”

“I feel like Cherry would be friends with Janis,” Alabado responded. “And I feel like she would think Gretchen was so annoying.”

“I think Charlie and Damian would be friends,” Henningsen added. “I love that.  What a crossover.”

When asked what it’s like to be at this point in the show’s journey, Keith David (voice of Dr. Facilier in THE PRINCESS AND THE FROG) said, “That’s an Ethel Merman response,” and then sang, “Who could ask for anything more?” with her signature voice.

“At our core, we’re just corny theatre kids,” said Joel Perez (FUN HOME on Broadway), gesturing to his co-stars, including Blake Roman (HARMONY on Broadway).

The HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL panel opened with Corbin Bleu leading a Wildcat cheer, after which Lucas Grabeel led the audience in his character’s iconic warmup routine. It was a special moment for the two to return to Utah, where they filmed all three movies.

“Salt Lake City is home now to one of the most iconic high schools,” Bleu said. “Shout out to East High. I have a more visceral reaction to that high school than my own.”

He said his first musical was playing Ren in FOOTLOOSE in his freshman year of high school.  Grabeel’s was as Colin in a high school production of THE SECRET GARDEN at the age of 12. Utahn Kaycee Stroh’s was as Dorothy in THE WIZARD OF OZ in the fourth grade, and Utahn Bart Johnson’s was as Action in WEST SIDE STORY in high school.

When asked by an audience member what it was like to be part of bringing musicals back to the mainstream, Stroh said, “I actually had a full circle moment.  I was home sick from school, sitting on the couch, watching NEWSIES, eating chicken noodle soup, and I said, ‘Mom, I think it is my dream to bring back musicals.”  Cut to an open call in Utah years later, in which franchise director Kenny Ortega, who also directed NEWSIES, handpicked her for her role.

Johnson, who first met Ortega on the NEWSIES set, said, “Kenny had a conscious mission to bring musicals back.” 

Bleu marveled at how enthusiasm for HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL is now passing on from parents who grew up with it to their children. “It continues to be part of the musical theatre canon,” he said.

If you missed out on this year’s rush of celebrity-infused excitement, you will definitely want to plan on attending next year.  The FanX Salt Lake Comic Convention, which will return September 25-27, 2025 at the Salt Palace Convention Center, is the most attended convention in the state of Utah and the largest comic convention in North America per capita. To learn more, visit fanxsaltlake.com.

Photo Credit: FanX

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