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Curtain Rises On 'High School Musical 3: Senior Year'

Tribune photo by MICHAEL SPOONEYBARGER

Kaitlin Mixon, 5, and her parents, Dan and Beth, background, wait for tickets to “High School Musical 3: Senior Year” at AMC Regency 20 in Brandon.

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By KEITH MORELLI | The Tampa Tribune

Published: October 24, 2008

BRANDON - The rain does nothing to dampen the enthusiasm of 5-year-old Kaitlin Mixon of Valrico as she bounds through the puddled parking lot of the AMC Regency 20 theater complex this morning, heck-bent on catching "High School Musical 3: Senior Year."

Dressed in a pink shirt and bluejeans with colorful butterfly embroidery, Kaitlin proclaims in no uncertain terms that she is a big HSM fan from way back.

"And Hannah Montana, too," she shouts, inching toward the box office, in a rush to end the short interview. Her mom and dad, Beth and Dan, weren't so eager but grinned at the elation of their daughter.

"Yeah," Dan says when asked whether he is excited.

"We've seen all of them," Beth adds.

"High School Musical 3: Senior Year" opened this morning, and local theaters were braced for an onslaught of preteens intent on seeing a sugary smooth version of what they think high school ought to be like.

Just a handful of children strode up to the Brandon box office this morning, with more expected when school ends. The moviegoers trickled in for the first show, which started at 10:05 a.m., and the second, which started a half-hour later.

The much anticipated movie is showing just about every half-hour at the AMC Regency throughout the day.

The film features wholesome lovebirds Troy and Gabriella fretting about whether they will remain an item after graduation.

Throw in a bad girl who provides the needed comic relief and you have the ingredients for what has turned out to be a preteen phenomenon complete with franchise players such as Zac Efron and Venessa Hudgens, who made the thing such a television smash.

Reporter Keith Morelli can be reached at (813) 259-7760 or kmorelli@tampatrib.com.

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